Maribo Halfway-House

The former Maribo Detention center has been transformed into a modern Halfway House with accommodation for 20 residents – both man and women-, supported by updated staff facilities and enhanced outdoor areas. The project reimagines the historic correctional site as a welcoming and functional transitional facility, emphasizing rehabilitation, security, and community integration.

Outdoor upgrades include recreational zones, a sports field, bicycle parking, and a playground for visiting children. The entrance courtyard has been revitalized with new paving, lighting, and plantings, offering a more inviting and accessible arrival experience.

Lead Consultant
Construction Management
The Danish Prison and Probation Service
Maribo, Denmark
2,181 m² + Landscape areas
Completed 2022-2025
SWECO Danmark, Engineering
BARA-Land, Landscape

Facts

A heritage site renewed

The building complex includes the three-story heritage-worthy building alongside later additions from the 1970s and 1980s. A comprehensive interior renovation has modernized the entire facility. All resident rooms have been refurbished with new flooring, painted surfaces, and updated bathroom and toilet facilities.

Communal amenities such as a shared kitchen, lounge, and workshop have been introduced to foster a sense of autonomy and community. The main building also houses offices and staff areas, ensuring safe and efficient operations.

Renovation

In the prison corridor new steel railings, bigger window-openings as well as decluttering of the space are implemented, which results in more light and calmness.
What was once a stark, cage-like outdoor space has been transformed into a welcoming terrace, dressed in warm colors and natural materials—more reminiscent of a cozy backyard than a prison yard.
In the arrival corridor nature is controlled and the worn shed has been replaced with live plants and seating areas in wood. The floor tiles has been re-purposed from the yard area, adding a subtle material contrast to the space.
In the private inmate rooms, the windows with iron bars has been replaced with larger openable windows, allowing more natural light to enter and creating a brighter, more welcoming atmosphere. Comfortable seating, home-like furniture, and the option to store personal food items contribute to a sense of normalcy and everyday life.

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Comprehensive modernization

The project included a full-scale renovation of the building envelope and all technical installations, with the construction of a new roof structure, replacement of firewalls, and installation of new windows and doors, including a rescue opening at the guardroom.

To complete the transformation, the building has been fitted with a new timber roof structure, a steel emergency staircase, and new steel railings throughout corridors and stairwells—balancing safety, functionality, and historical sensitivity.