The concept of the building being used to emphasize the law led to the idea of flipping the building upside down and housing the court rooms underground with car parking and offices above ground.
Tuesday, 29 March 2011
Initial Concepts - Darkness
Initial ideas for the Newcastle law courts center around light and darkness and how these elements can be used to shape the building as an extension of the law and the consequences of breaking it.
The concept of the building being used to emphasize the law led to the idea of flipping the building upside down and housing the court rooms underground with car parking and offices above ground.
The concept of the building being used to emphasize the law led to the idea of flipping the building upside down and housing the court rooms underground with car parking and offices above ground.
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Really fascinating exploration of themes here Laura. As a lawyer who has done some litigation, I am familiar with windowless courtrooms, which is a more modern phenomenon. they can be somewhat claustrophobic. Also, I think it is relevant that a lot of court matters are civil rather than criminal. I am not sure whether the proposed courthouse will be civil and criminal, and whether it will also encompass local courts, district courts or supreme courts?
ReplyDeletecheers, Aileen
Hi Aileen,
ReplyDeleteThe proposed courts will cover a range of cases from local to federal, civil and criminal. Criminal cases will most likely be in the minority though.
There will be 10 court rooms in total, with one court room large enough to cater for cases similar to the current bike gang case in Parramatta.
The Parramatta courts have also been arranged so that similar case types are held in particular court rooms. For instance all family related cases on the first floor and all drug related cases are held in court rooms on the second floor, etc.
I'll have more information in the planning phase as well.
Any helpful tidbits of information on how the court functions and what its like to work in there are very welcome. Ill make sure there is some sense of natural light to relive the claustrophobia of the court rooms. (without being distracting, as per the guidelines) ;)
Laura