The difficult heritage. The reuse of former prison buildings

In recent years, there has been a trend to reuse abandoned buildings. Adaptive re-use allows preservation of the original structure and implements a new function to it. Suchactivity could help to preserve the historic value of buildings; moreover, many other advantages can be found in educational, ecological and economic fields. However, the question arises of whether every object can be freely adapted. This article examines the case of old prisons which have, for instance, been adapted into hotels and museums. Knowledge of the history of prison architecture as well as experience in preserving and adapting prisons could help to identify the appropriate function for the abandoned penitentiary facilities.