The new Brisbane Supreme and District Court building precinct designed by Architectus and Guymer Bailey Architects is in the final stages of construction with the official opening date set for 3 August.

The building is the realisation of the design competition win and has cost an estimated $570m over the three years of construction.

The project has already recieved some creitical acclaim, being praised as a work-of-art in the local press.

Lead designers Architectus decided to create a 'comfortable and healthy building' which included access to natural light which they said has been shown to achieve healthier outcomes in trials and put people at ease in the court room environment.

Phil Jackson, a director at Guymer Bailey who was an architect at the time of the project starting, said that the firm's experience in small court houses aided the design of the Supreme and District Court.

"We probably brought the recent court experience to it in terms of the way the courts work, the technology currently and also just the custody spaces that come off those courts being the secure environments like the holding cells in the basement," he said.

"There is quite a number of holding cells within that space so they've all got different architectural needs like they can't have any hanging points, they have to be fairly robust and all the detailing that goes along with that."

The building includes:

Capacity for 45 courtrooms, including a large ceremonial court, Court of Appeal, 27 Criminal courts and 17 civil courts
Accommodation for 68 judges
Mediation rooms
Separate internal circulation systems and access for judges,jurors, prisoners, vulnerable Witnesses and members of the public
A secure public garden
An entire floor for the Supreme Court Library
A basement cell block for people in custody
Closed-circuit television facilities and accommodation to enable child and vulnerable Witnesses and victims to give evidence in a private and secure environment
A jurors assembly area and lounge
Registry and administrative accommodation
One plant level
Four levels of chambers.

Extensive use of natural materials is incorporated throughout the building as well as an indoor courtyard and a civic square outside which has lawns and shaded areas in order to create space for recreational activities, eating and socialising.

There were also practical concerns taken into consideration in terms of materials.

"In the custody areas we went for a stainless steel cell system throughout which was a relatively new thing that Ralph Bailey (Guymer Bailey director) was involved in and pushing that because a lot of these spaces they're maintained very regularly so rust is a very big issue inthose kinds of environments," said Jackson.

Architectus and Guymer Bailey set out to create a uniquedesign that still incorporated the stringent security and functional needs of acourt as stated by an Architectus newsletter.

"By using a sophisticated layered facade system, essentiallytwo layers of glass interleaved with solar-programmed blinds, glare blinds andfrit patterns, Architectus has created courtrooms which are open to daylightand view on up to four sides, whilst maintaining stringent design parametersrelating to security, privacy, acoustic isolation, solar control, and separatecirculation (for judges, juries, the public and the accused)."

Images via Architectus

The courthouse occupies the block between George, Roma andTurbot streets in Brisbane'sCBD. The precinct is unique in Australiain that the two courts will be sharing the same location which has the ambitionof eliminating in-efficiencies and duplication of processes and services.

"In all aspects, including the extensive use of naturalmaterials, the new courthouse is deliberately designed as a place for digni?edand natural human occupation, using simple, legible and generous spaces, fullof natural light and contact with nature and the outdoors."

A seminar will be held on 3 August at the Queensland Libraryfor the official opening of the building and will feature five guest speakers.

Madeline Prince

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