Salutogenic Design and the Future of Prisons – Episode 132 with Helena Pombares

Podcast: Better Buildings For Humans · BBFH is hosted by Joe Menchefski and powered by Advanced Glazings, Ltd.

Opublikowano: 2026-04-08

This week on Better Buildings for Humans, host Joe Menchefski sits down with Helena Pombares, a prison design architect whose work challenges how we think about justice, dignity, and the built environment. From her unexpected start rebuilding infrastructure in post-war Angola to pursuing criminology to better understand inmate needs, Helena shares a deeply human approach to one of architecture’s most misunderstood sectors. Together, they explore how thoughtful design—natural light, ventilation, intuitive layouts, and access to education—can reduce stress, support rehabilitation, and ultimately lower recidivism. Helena introduces the concept of salutogenic design and explains how creati...