Christchurch Men’s Prison Management Unit

Naylor Love delivered a new high security management unit at Christchurch Men’s Prison for the Department of Corrections. The standalone unit, known as Miro, is located on a brownfield site within the prison’s security perimeter.

Catering for high security inmates who are segregated from the main prison population, the new facility includes 20 cells, secure visitor rooms, a health area, a programme rooms, exercise yards and a control room.

The structure is made up of over 300 pre-cast panels, all with the services cast in to minimise ligature points. We used BIM modelling and collaborated closely with the fabricators to ensure that everything came together smoothly.

Prisoner safety and security also dictated the interior finishes, with triple-layered linings used in communal areas, and all joins tested meticulously.

This project was carried out within a live prison, requiring complex logistical planning of works and access. We managed this by introducing stringent security protocols for workers, vehicles, tools and materials, and by staying in close contact with the custodial officers. We completed the project with both no security incidents and an impressive health & safety record.

Despite significant ongoing design changes threatening an already tight programme, we completed the project defect-free a full month ahead of schedule.