Toronto Court House
(GAO architect - design and construction documentation and construction phase)
$5mil
Completed 2001
Awarded the NAWIC Award for Achievement in Construction
and the NAWIC Merit Award for Achievement in Design - 2001
Toronto Court House was the first purpose built court house in NSW in over ten years. The design presents a strong civic gesture whilst solving the intricacies of a complex brief. The language of the building is confidently contemporary.
The design is ordered by the public space stretching between the dual entries at the east and west. It is given prominence at its main address by being elevated above the street. The major architectural expression is the roof form which expresses the volumes of the court rooms externally. It also orders the main elevation with a strong sweeping gesture over the length of the north-facing foyer, which is one of the main ordering devices of the plan.
The client identified this project as a benchmark for future courthouse design.
The design incorporates disabled access throughout; incorporates state of the art services ; addresses past planning deficiencies (providing physical separation of conflicting parties in foyer areas) ; ensures separation of the accused, the public and the Magistracy; includes access flooring in the courtrooms to allow for future data changes; and addresses ESD principles