UNIVERSITY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE PROGRAM

Bonifacio St., Davao City

A PROPOSED DAVAO CITY JAIL FOR WOMEN INTEGRATING ARCHITECTURAL

PSYCHOLOGY
 In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Subject
AR424 Research Methods for Architecture

GALINDO, MA. JUANA ERIKA R.

March 2024

Table of Contents

Page

Title Page i

Table of Contents ii

1 Introduction

Background of the study 1

Purpose of the Study 4

Research Question 4

Theoretical Lens 4

Importance of the Study 6

Delimitation and Limitation of the Study 6

Definition of Terms 7
 Review of Related Literature 8

Organization of the study 13

2 Methodology

Chapter 1

Introduction

Background of the Study

An individual who has committed offenses or omissions that constitute a violation

of the law is detained in jail. Such detainment is a response for disorderly conduct,

social disorder, and demeanors. From 2015 to 2023, the Philippines has 165,528

Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL), a 75% rise from the 94,691 inmates held in

correctional facilities (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2023). As Philippines

is the eleventh highest detained individuals in the world, detainment centers are

overcrowded, facilities are designed below minimum, and inmates are vulnerable to

violence, harsh facility conditions, unsanitary areas, and poor living conditions
(Villafuerte et al., 2023). Additionally, Kahambing (2021) expounded that as the COVID

– 19 pandemics struck the country, it led to more inmates tested positive from the virus

due to the isolated and cramped environment, coupled with invisible health hazards and

minimal resources, that will result in high mortality rate. RA 9710, also known as the

Magna Carta of Women Act of 2009, emphasizes that all detention centers must have

areas segregated for women, of which said areas must have health and sanitation

services, especially clean toiletries, and such.

Jail is defined as an institution dedicated to holding inmates and the accused for

a certain period awaiting their court case or serving time for their misdemeanors.

Chakraborty (2022) emphasizes the importance of public safety via the detainment of

individuals, the duration of which varies depending on the complexity of such committed

offenses and their due process of the court. In such detention centers, despite being an

area for punishment and restricted their freedom, Vera et al (2022) expresses that

regional jail offers livelihood projects and activities to aid in breaking the criminal

behavior of the detainees during their time in jail. The detainment of such individuals

entails negative consequences, not only their freedom is limited, but so is social

interaction amongst fellow detainees, segregation from society and insufficient

resources, which affects their mental and physical fortitude (Bersamina, D., Rilvera, L.,

& Tolio, W., 2021).

Architectural Psychology as defined by Abel (2021) is the integration of

psychology in architecture, focusing on human-centered design. It investigates the

human sensory and perception into the design, which will be the basis for knowing the

human behavior in built environments. This emphasizes reciprocation between man and
architecture, via highlighting their psychological factors upon designing spaces in

promoting human welfare. Further elaborated by an article by Jerde Architectural Firm

(2021), the human behavior adapts to its built environment, and within that built

environment comes with their modifications to adhere their basic needs and balancing

existing factors to promote interaction in each space.

Women in jails are prone to complex degrees of vulnerability, ranging from

violence, traumatic experiences, lacking hygienic care during their month, and minimal

access to health resources. A paper by Park Yunsoo (2022) alluded experiences of

incarcerated women about their victimization, traumas, substance acquisitions and

abuses, as well as absences of support from the community contributed to leading the

path of incarceration. A call for gender-responsive program was established to address

specific variables for females in custody, such as treatments for mental health, maternal

and childcare, substance abuse, and assessment of their needs (Ventura, H. M., 2021).

Furthermore, services offered among detention centers that addresses the concern of

other incarcerated women are safety and crisis intervention, individual advocacy, and

shall have long-term legal, financial and child assistance (Willison et al., 2021).

In Davao City, the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), along with the City

Government, has enhanced the Female City Jail facility, also known as the Ray of Hope

Village. Established in 2009, the facility is dedicated for female individuals in custody to

prepare them in reintegration to society, and within the confines of their cooperative

includes activities and amenities that enables them for small earnings. Small earnings

enabled them to buy personal hygienic kits and provide allowance for their families
during visits. The establishment has their own area dedicated to female inmates, health

and sanitation facilities, livelihood training, and financial assistance. (PCW, 2019).

In response, the researcher’s goal is to provide diverse and adequate facilities in

the proposed Davao City Jail for Women located in Davao City. This study aims to

utilize Architectural Psychology and integrate them into the design for the wellness of

the inmates and other users. This design hopes to address the long-term concern of

overcrowding, unsanitary living conditions in correctional facilities, and emphasizes the

Persons Deprived of Liberty the right to live and access to necessities. Furthermore, the

research plans to present this study in research conferences at the local, national, and

international level, and would also like to publish this study in appropriate research

journals and websites.

Purpose of the Study

This qualitative study aims to provide suitable and adequate facilities for detained

individuals through a built and secure environment. This study may translate into

gathering authentic and valid experiences through in-depth interviews, focus-group

discussions, and observations, as they represent another point of view of the research

participants. A communication study by Dr. Dhirman (2022) emphasizes the role of

integrating observations, interviews, and group discussions to know the actual results of

those analyses.

Research Questions
 The proposed Davao City Jail for Women aims to integrate Architectural

Psychology through complete and inhabitable facilities that shall not deprive them of

basic commodities and the right to live. Specifically, the researcher seeks answers to

the following questions:

1. What are the elements of Architectural Psychology to incorporate in this

design?

2. What design features will enhance accessibility, safety, and security of the

current users?

3. How will the design of the proposed Davao City Jail be maximized to promote

occupant safety of its users, especially those who are deprived of liberty?

Theoretical Lens

Under the jurisdiction of females under custody, this study shall be viewed on the

perspective of Relational Theory by Jean Baker Miller (1976), Deprivation theory,

Behavioral theory, and

Importance of the Study

This study aims to guide in the provision of facilities catering to the needs of

females under custody in city jails. Such institutions shall establish facilities for women

that does not deprive them of their necessities and amenities. By providing services,

assistance to the detainees, productive and secure spaces, this can help Female

Persons Deprived of Liberty a path for change and giving a second chance at life upon

reintegration to the society.

Delimitations and Limitations of the Study

 This qualitative study applies the phenomenological approach that focuses on

the lived experiences of the Female Persons Deprived of Liberty in Davao City District.

The researcher shall utilize the interview guide questions over the course of the in-depth

interview and focus group discussions to get a thorough and assiduous picture of their

experiences and other understandings, viewpoints, and suggestions on how female

detainees will fare in such detention centers for them to adapt in the built environment.

Due to ethical and sensitivity considerations, the researcher shall only interview

the secondary users, which is the wardens, staffs, and persons of authority. Factors

may slip from the researcher’s point of view, which results in limited exchange of

information, lack of concentration, and short-clipped answers. These components may

influence the findings from the research and pose impediments to the application of this

study.

Definition of Terms

To have a common understanding, the following terms are defined.

Female Detainees. This refers to a female individual detained at a jail until such

court order is released or serving one at the institution until their release.

Persons Deprived of Liberty. These are individuals under supervision because

of non-compliance with the law. This is used to highlight persons who are serving time

under detention institutions.

Jail. To avoid confusion with prison, which is reserved for the convicted

individuals, jail is defined as an institution for individuals detained for misdemeanors, or

awaiting their court trial date until such verdict is released.

Review of Related Literature

Female Detainees

They are defined as female individuals detained for misdemeanors, or

accusatory crimes awaiting their verdict until further notice. Celinska et al. (2021)

reported that the ratio for men and women prisoners have skewed higher as of 2019,

where 231,000 female prisoners are detained in correctional facilities in the United

States of America. They further expounded that while there are of minority and from the

lower class, women detainees have a history of trauma and victimization, sexual and

substance abuse, and mental health disorders. Further elucidated by Ramirez, N. B

(2023), the challenges for these female detainees suffer the consequences of multiple

stressors, may it be personal or environmental factors especially the COVID-19

Pandemic where detainees suffered physical and psychological impact the most.

City Jail for Women

In the Philippines, the ratio for women and men detainees have skewered

upwards, with the women having a drastic growth.

Architectural Psychology

Architectural Psychology, also known as Psychitecture, is defined as the study of

architecture and its psychological impact on its occupants. Janetius (2016) expounded

Psychitecture as the interaction between man and its environment, and that includes

spatial perception, living requirement, personal satisfaction, and orientation behavior.

The firmness, service and collective delight for the users shall be made possible if

human activities coincide with the environment with gradual support for the latter. Carl
Jung, the father of analytical psychology, as also quoted by Janetius, describes

architecture as a form of human expression of a designer, and a structural diagram of

the human psyche that manifests man’s deepest thoughts.

The interplay of design and psyche is multifunctional as there are an array of

notable impacts on physiological and psychological human behavior. Ricci (2018)

provided such impacts of architectural psychology in a sense that taking advantage of

the psychological impacts via integrating it into nature and the built environment. He

further emphasized that such influence revers the individual a sense of protection from

the environment, and the latter stimulates human neurons based on landscape

complexity and pattering, personal experiences and amount of time spent in that built

environment. Natalie Ricci (2021) further explained in her journal three years after, that

the interaction between psychology and architecture is that fundamental properties of

symmetry and patterns incorporated in the buildings are what users perceived as

beautiful, despite its subjectivity, due to evolution that creates a pattern of safety,

security, survival and well-being, something which the human has grown accustomed

to.

Organization of the Study

The first chapter of this paper shall state the reason and purpose on why the

study is conducted, altogether expounded with the purpose and statement of the central

questions that this study needs to answer. It also includes the theories that shall be

considered as the backbone of this research, and the sole reference that this study is

pursued, the delimitation and limitation of the study and the definition of terms.
 The second chapter shall contain the details of the research design used in the

study, the criteria chosen upon selection of the participants, the processes for collecting

data, and data analysis. This shall also emphasize and assure the trustworthiness of

this study, authenticating the role as a researcher and accentuating the ethical

considerations.

In the third chapter, the researcher shall exhibit all the results and transcripts

from the interviews using open-ended questions and free-text questions. The analysis of

these extracted texts will be done through transcription to find common themes and

relationships as part of the thematic analysis. The researcher shall assemble the results

and categorize them objectively whilst maintaining the anonymity of the participants.

In the fourth chapter, the discussion of the essential themes will be displayed,

along with the connotations of the findings for educational practice in answer to the

problems aforementioned. This will also include the significance of these findings

towards known research problems being considered and will elucidate any recent

impressions that will transpire because of the study. And finally, the concluding remark.

References

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Bersamina, D., Rilvera, L., & Tolio, W., (2021). Grasp Behind Bars: The Persons

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