169: Precast Concrete | Westville State Prison

In this episode, Cherise is joined by Craig Armstrong, Partner at Elevatus Architecture in Fort Wayne, Indiana. They discuss the Westville State Prison in Westville, Indiana.

Set against the flat, open landscape of northern Indiana, the new Westville State Prison emerges as a replacement for an aging institution and as a comprehensive rethinking of what a correctional environment can be. Led by Elevatus Architecture and utilizing precast concrete in its design, the project confronts the immense logistical and social demands of a 4,200-bed facility with an architectural response that is at once infrastructural in scale and human-centered in intent.

Click here for the extended length interview on YouTube

Craig Armstrong, Partner, Elevatus Architecture

A Partner at Elevatus, Craig provides executive leadership and full accountability for the vision, performance, and contractual success of large, multi-phase architectural projects.

A senior leader and integral member of the firm for more than a decade, he guides complex projects from strategy through construction with rigorous documentation, disciplined execution, and unwavering accountability.

His expertise across core markets - particularly justice and retail/hospitality - positions him as a trusted advisor who ensures design excellence, operational continuity, and successful delivery.

Project Name and Location: Westville State Prison, Westville, Indicana

Elevatus Architecture was selected to lead the planning, design, and construction of the replacement for the aging 3,400âbed Westville Correctional Facility in Westville, Indiana for the Indiana Department of Corrections, an undertaking of rare scale and complexity.

The new Westville State Prison campus, located adjacent to the existing facility, comprises 28 buildings totaling approximately 1.4 million square feet and housing more than 4,200 beds.

Beyond its sheer size, the project reimagines correctional design by expanding staff amenities and introducing enhanced programming for incarcerated individuals, including vocational training, industrial manufacturing, recreation, comprehensive medical services, and a dedicated mental health building.

An innovative stepâdown housing model supports rehabilitation, emotional regulation, and successful reintegration.

At an estimated $1.2 billion and spanning five to six years from inception to completion, this will be Indiana's first new prison in more than two decades, and one of the largest correctional facilities ever built in the United States.

Project Design Team

• Owner: Indiana Department of Corrections


• Architect: Elevatus Architecture


• Construction (Build Westville): Wilhelm Construction


• Construction (Build Westville): Granger Construction


• Construction (Build Westville): Garmong Construction


• Detention Equipment: Pauly Jail Building Co


• Security Electronics: CML Security


• Security Electronics & Modular Controls: Accurate Controls Inc.


• Security Glazing: Global Security Glazing


• Security Windows: Hope's Windows


• Security Mesh: Kane Detention


• Detention Furnishings & Equipment: Modern Detention Equipment


• Modular Steel Cells: SteelCell World-Class Security Solutions


• Security Hollow Metal DoorsFrames, Security Ceilings & Wall Panels: Titan Steel Door


• Plumbing Fixtures: Willoughby Industries

Renderings: Elevatus Architecture

Podcast Production: Gabl Media Group Inc.