Model Industries Building, Industrial workshop building on Alcatraz Island, San Francisco, US
The Model Industries Building is a three to four-story structure on the northwest corner of Alcatraz Island with large windows and industrial design. In 1936, it was modified with a guard tower, catwalk, and reinforced windows fitted with bars salvaged from old prison cells.
Originally built by the U.S. military as a laundry facility, the building was later converted into workshop space for prisoners. A severe storm in January 1935 threatened the structure when it shifted dangerously close to a cliff edge.
Inmates learned trades and produced goods like gloves, furniture, and military uniforms in these workshops. The space shows how the prison attempted to give prisoners structure and purpose through practical work.
The building's irregular shape requires a protective seawall and riprap to prevent collapse from coastal erosion. Visitors should be cautious as its proximity to water and cliff edges presents some safety considerations.
The building's location and design required the construction of a major seawall and protective riprap barrier to prevent it from collapsing into the sea. This engineering challenge makes it a striking example of how builders adapted to Alcatraz's harsh coastal environment.
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