High security at the Mt Eden Prison redevelopment

Building a $218 million complex on time and within budget can be a difficult task at the best of times – but it's even harder inside the grounds of two functioning prisons.

In June 2007, the Department of Corrections announced its plans to replace Mt Eden Prison with new integrated facilities on the existing site. The forecasted need for more prison beds and the need to replace the 120-year-old facility with a safer, more functional and secure prison were the driving factors.

Inside the accommodation blocks of the new Mt Eden Corrections Facility – each self-contained 'pod' houses up to 59 prisoners, and includes a servery, clothes washing facilities and exercise yards

Corrections' designs for the buildings were evaluated by the then Auckland City Council's urban design panel and three independent commissioners. The panel concluded that the proposed building heights represented a good balance between site capacity requirements, retention of the heritage features and minimisation of visual impacts. The New Zealand Historic Places Trust also approved the site development plans.

Contractor security issues

Between January 2009 and the opening of the new Mt Eden Corrections Facility (MECF) at the end of March, more than 6000 workers made their way through security checkpoints onto the site, putting in about 120,000 hours a month. Project director Campbell Twist says maintaining security at the urban site was a challenge, but they got there.

“It was about being aware of security issues, like not leaving ladders around the site, or leaving the keys in vehicles. We had to ensure that our actions could not contribute to a prisoner's escape attempt. It was a bit of a learning process we went through with the contractors – it was a very new environment for some of the construction teams.”

Electronic security and detection systems had to be modified and secure perimeters regularly shifted during construction, while prisoners were transported via makeshift overhead walkways or across specific routes through the site.

All of the construction workers allowed access to the site were vetted for criminal convictions, made use of a strict ID card system, and there were random checks on vehicles and people by Corrections staff.

Cell phone ban

Communications on the large site was another hurdle. Like drugs or weapons, cell phones are considered contraband under Corrections legislation and banned from the prison. Mr Twist says a radio network was set up on the site to provide the vital communication links on this large site. This was networked back to the project office.

“Not having their cell phones on them during the day was a change of habit for many involved on this site,” he says.

To ensure security, all machinery taken onto the site could never be left unattended unless disabled. Tools and plant were secured in locked containers overnight, while cranes, excavators and the like were all removed from the site overnight or securely locked up.

Easy to maintain

The MECF – which will predominantly be for remand prisoners – includes a new gate house, visitor and administration centre, a 400 space car park, and two large sally ports for vehicle transport in and out. Two new accommodation buildings provide a total of 554 new beds, and a health unit is located close to the new accommodation units.

Prisoners are housed in the eight-storey Cell Block A, which overlooks the motorway, and the separate fourstorey Cell Block B adjacent to Auckland Boys' Grammar School's sports fields.

The two accommodation blocks are divided into 12 self-contained 'pods' of 45–59 beds, each with its own servery, clothes washing facilities and exercise yards.

The MECF also incorporates the Auckland Central Remand Prison already on the site since 1990, while the 120-year-old stone Mt Eden Prison will be mothballed once fully emptied of prisoners by August. The building is a listed historic place and will not be demolished.

All the new buildings were designed to fit in with the surrounding urban environment and made from materials that are easy to maintain.

High-security perimeter

Unlike other prisons in New Zealand, the buildings themselves are the highsecurity perimeter. Each pod is sealed off behind centrally controlled doors, and even transport of prisoners around the complex is done through secure elevated walkways.

The facade of the cell blocks is striped with fritted glass that maximises the amount of natural light let in while obscuring the prisoners' views out, and is separated from the cells by a service tunnel.

Rusting Corten steel highlights have been used on the facade, while the exercise yards hang off the corners of the building encased in finely meshed steel.

In line with council planning requirements, Cell Block B was kept low so as not to obscure the view of Mt Eden from the motorway, and a great amount of care was taken to protect the historic prison building and ensure sight lines to its well-known architectural features were maintained.

The facility was designed by Stephenson and Turner architects, and built by Fletcher Construction Company and more than 50 subcontractor firms. The MECF day-to-day management will be done by Serco, a private company, but the MCEF will still be owned and maintained by the Department of Corrections.