Terrain Leveling: Design Strategies for Improving Higher Education in Prisons

A growing body of research documents the barriers faced by incarcerated students—such as limited access to technology and conflicts with correctional staff—but far less attention has been paid to the role of the built environment in shaping educational experiences. This project, led by Ennead Lab and Ithaka S+R, examines how spatial, architecture, and design features impact learning inside prisons. It draws on qualitative interviews with formerly incarcerated students and prison education program staff, and site visits to five correctional facilities, to advance both research findings and a portfolio of design interventions aimed at improving these educational environments. This report features a series of actionable strategies to integrate educational best practices in the redesign of these spaces. Ultimately, Ithaka S+R proposes that architects and designers working in correctional education should not just foster better learning experiences for incarcerated students, but shift the balance from punishment toward rehabilitation in carceral settings.