‘Stages of Change’ is a radical and adaptive reuse of the historic Spilsby Sessions House – a former 19th-century courthouse and prison – into a dual-purpose facility integrating theatre, arts and correctional rehabilitation. Situated in the heart of Spilsby, Lincolnshire, this Grade II listed structure becomes a stage not only for public performance but also for personal transformation, where the architecture seeks to facilitate healing, dignity, and reintegration.
Responding to the outdated notions of punitive incarceration and architectural control, the project dismantles the oppressive spatial narratives of the Panopticon and replaces them with an environment inspired by trust, transparency and therapy.