The South Dakota Men’s Level V Facility in Lincoln County addresses the urgent issue of inmate overcrowding. This new 567,000-square-foot facility, set within a campus environment with a budget of $615 million, will house 1,584 inmates across seven housing buildings. The facility includes specialized structures for intake, admissions, orientation, administration, medical services, dining, religious activities, education, industries, and maintenance.

The NELSON team developed operational scenarios for each area of the facility. The designers guided staff through the visualization process, creating physical layouts that align with the goals of the operational plan.

This state-of-the-art campus improves living conditions and supports the rehabilitation and management of inmates. Evidence-based design demonstrates the benefits of daylighting: students in schools with modern lighting outperform their peers in artificially lit schools; hospital patients heal faster when they have views of the outdoors; factory workers are more productive and have less absenteeism; and retail sales increase when daylight enhances the environment.