“Our job as jailers is to keep both the offender and society safe, but the community’s role is very important,” he says. “We need their help.”

The goal: to help inmates achieve both education and rehabilitation. That’s so offenders will leave the facility able to support themselves and even their families, he says. That philosophy means corrections also try to respond to the community’s wishes, Deroy says.

People in Rankin Inlet made it clear they didn’t want a building that looked like a prison. What grew out of that community input is a bright one-storey structure with wood paneling and coloured window frames – without bars. It resembles a school more than a detention centre.

Innovation in high performance, high security windows were central to the end result. “The hybrid window system incorporating DUXTON fiberglass windows is a first, and was achieved on time, on budget, and with a performance level at least as well as expected,” say Ken Drysdale, Principal of Accutech Engineering. “The support in the design phase was excellent, and the installation proved to be simple.”

“Accutech does a lot of design work in the far north and we always specify fiberglass windows,” says Drysdale. “We have experienced superior durability and high thermal values at competitive cost points, delivering great value. DUXTON proved to be an excellent choice for this innovative application once again, as the fiberglass thermal break replaced the conductive effects of an aluminum frame.”

The interior stainless steel security frame was welded to a full floor-to-ceiling structural framework. The glazing featured high security laminate glass with a 45-minute attack rating. The exterior thermal frame featured DUXTON’s fiberglass frame with ultra high performance, double film R-12 (cog) glazing, mounted between 6 mm tempered glass.

The technical performance of the glazing was paramount – but the design sensitivity of having no security bars was also a key consideration. The window system was sufficiently robust to achieve the security needs without bars – and allowed the facility to achieve its objectives within a stunning piece of architecture.

DUXTON was proud to have been a part of this innovative solution, and we are always enthusiastic to tackle new challenges. Contact us with details of your unique project!