Speakers
Karen Sanderson
Parallel Workshops
Correctional systems are under growing pressure to deliver more capacity, faster and within tighter budgets, often placing the environmental qualities that support safety, staff wellbeing and rehabilitation at risk. This session explores how early, integrated collaboration within public–private partnerships (PPPs) can help protect what matters most when correctional projects are delivered under intense fiscal and operational pressure.
Rather than focusing on PPPs as a procurement or financing model, the presentation examines how early partnership between operators, designers, constructors and cost advisors shapes outcomes on the ground. Drawing on real world experience from multiple jurisdictions, it highlights where early collaboration has successfully embedded safety, dignity and long term performance into correctional environments, and where missed opportunities have led to false economies.
Participants will gain practical insights into how “going hard and going early” can reduce downstream risk, support better operational outcomes, and deliver environments that work for staff, people in custody and communities alike. This session will be of interest to correctional leaders, policymakers and practitioners seeking to manage capacity growth without compromising humane, effective and future ready correctional systems.
Karen Sanderson is a registered Architect and Director of Architecture at GHD Design, where she is Market Leader – Property & Buildings for New Zealand & Pacific. Based in Ōtautahi Christchurch, she provides strategic leadership across Architecture, Structures and Building Services, leading complex projects for public sector and institutional clients.
With more than 20 years’ experience in the construction industry, Karen has led the design and delivery of large scale projects across New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the Pacific Islands, including projects delivered through Public Private Partnership and Alliance models. Her work spans government, infrastructure, health and research, education and community sectors, with increasing focus on justice and correctional environments operating under significant operational, security and social complexity.
Karen has experience working on secure and safety critical facilities, including community corrections and prison projects, where staff safety, operational functionality and long term adaptability are critical. She brings particular strength in working with existing facilities and live operational sites, alongside the planning and delivery of new buildings within complex public sector and regulatory frameworks.
Her approach is people focused and values based, grounded in collaboration with clients, operators and stakeholders. Karen is motivated by the role the built environment plays in supporting safety, dignity, wellbeing and connection, and by the opportunity for thoughtful design to contribute to better outcomes across the correctional system.
Kavan is the Chair of the ICPA Planning and Design Network and Director of Guymer Bailey Architects, specialising in specialist in justice and correctional architecture – therapeutic environments that facilitate rehabilitation, empower behavioural change and create a sense of hope to ultimately reduce recidivism rates and create a better, safer community for all.
Knowing that our environment has a profound effect on us, his passion is in harnessing the transformative effects of architecture to help people live better lives. Through the creative and sustainable use of building form and materials and the rehabilitative effects of daylight, Kavan believes architecture can significantly change the quality of life for those inhabiting its space. It is this ‘architecture of hope’ that he seeks to provide each day by delivering well planned, operationally effective and delight-filled masterplanning and building solutions.
Over the last 25 years, Kavan has led the design of many of Australia’s most innovative and iconic justice and correctional projects alongside our team including Hopkins Correctional Centre, Ravenhall Correctional Centre, Western Plains Correctional Centre, Rivergum Residential Treatment Centre, Southern Queensland Correctional Centre (St2), Southern Remand Correctional Centre, and the Thomas Embling Forensic Hospital Expansion as well as works in numerous other secure facilities.
As a Director of Guymer Bailey Architects, Kavan leads the exceptional architecture, landscape architecture and interior design team across our Melbourne and Brisbane Studios and overseeing our large-scale correctional projects.