Redefining the modern prison with InGalera

InGalera is the first example in Italy of a restaurant open to inmates in a prison and is a project from the Milan Bollate House of Detention, renowned for its policy aimed at enhancing the rehabilitative aspect of a prison sentence. The unique project serves as bridge connecting the outside and the inside.

The ambitious path of InGalera began in 2004 with a social push that Bollate place more value of rehabilitation aspects of prison in an attempt to eliminate certain stigmas that society gives to those who have spent time in prison. The InGalera restaurant welcomes the public with 52 seats and is open for lunch and dinner Monday to Saturday. The staff of nine, five in the kitchen and four in the restaurant are all detainees, except the chef and the maître d’, who are external professionals

“The design concept of the InGalera restaurant comes from the observation of the clean and rigorous lines of the typical prison environment, places where functionality is held in high regard,” says interior designer Augusta Comi “The use of pastel colours, which reflects the theme of the window frames on the facade, gives the room a character of lightness and elegant simplicity”

The welcoming and bright restaurant uses Pedrali furniture, with the fine linear design of the Volt chairs recalling more a modern and relaxed café more than it does a prison.

The result is a wonderful example of synergy between both public and private, and a new look at what a prison sentence actually could be – a means of rehabilitating people, not simply punishing them. In addition to providing the inmates training and work experience, InGalera it offers everyone the opportunity to see the prison world and reflect on the meaning of a sentence.

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