New Court Complex – Infirmary Rd

must have a look for information on comp as soon as I have a cup of landmark coffee

Wasn’t this also the site for a “landmark” new headquarters for the then Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and many other minor issues.
http://www.irish-architecture.com/unbuilt_ireland/dublin/ahgi_dublin/reid/index.html

Here’s the article for what it’s worth

The Irish Times – May 21, 2005
‘Landmark’ courts building to cost EUR 100m by Colm Keena

A capital cost of approximately EUR 100 million is likely for a landmark courts building in Dublin which the Courts Service wants built for it by the private sector.
The public-private partnership proposal also envisages that the building would be operated and maintained by the private sector over the next 25-35 years.
The building, which would accommodate criminal trials currently held in the Four Courts and other courts buildings in Dublin, is to be constructed on the corner of Parkgate Street and Infirmary Road. The site is currently used as a car park by the Garda.
The Courts Service wishes to have the building operational by late 2008. Sources said that the capital cost of the building was likely to be in the region of EUR 100 million.
At a consultation yesterday, Minister for Justice Michael McDowell told invited members of the business and construction sectors that the building should be designed to concentrate all central Dublin criminal business in one serviced location.
It will be the largest capital project undertaken on behalf of the courts since the foundation of the State.
Dublin criminal hearings from the District Court, Circuit Court, Central Criminal Court, Special Criminal Court and Court of Criminal Appeal will take place in the building. The Four Courts, built originally to house civil hearings, will revert to exclusively accommodating such hearings.
Mr John Mahon of the Courts Service said that the service was looking for a building which would reflect the independence of the judiciary and the “dignity and importance of the business transacted”.
The building will accommodate 15 jury courtrooms and seven non-jury courtrooms, configured so they can be used by any of the criminal jurisdictions based on business needs.
There will be secure jury rooms, victim-support rooms, judges’ quarters and sufficient circulation spaces for public waiting, and safe and efficient access and egress from courtrooms.
A large jury assembly area in a secure area to cater for up to 500 people called for jury service will also be included, as will facilities for witnesses, professionals, representatives of the Director of Public Prosecutions and other agencies, as well as a media room and a small broadcast studio.
There will be cells capable of accommodating up to 100 prisoners, two fully equipped technology courts, and computer and video-link rooms. All courtrooms will be cabled to support video conferencing and digital audio recording.
Mr McDowell said that the building would allow for overcoming the security, service delivery and logistical problems of running criminal trials in a number of sites dispersed throughout the Four Courts campus.
“There is little or no scope for improving these facilities within the fabric of the existing campus of buildings where criminal trials are held,” he said.
The successful tender for the building would design, finance, operate and maintain the building. The Courts Service will make annualised payments to the group that wins the competition. The service is hoping to receive a number of bids for the project, including interest from abroad.
Expressions of interest have to be lodged by June 10th, and a number of parties, probably between three and six, will then be invited to make tenders.
It is envisaged that the building will be “a landmark civic building which will make a significant contribution to the architectural form of Dublin”, according to the service.

ahh not actually an architectural competition so….

Its a PPP competition:

The Courts Service has decided, through a public private partnership (“PPP”) arrangement, to develop a Criminal Courts Complex in the Dublin area with the primary objective of consolidating criminal court business within one functional location with provision for the specific security requirements associated with criminal and other court business.

The Contracting Authority wishes to procure a landmark building and state-of-the-art criminal courts facility for central Dublin to accommodate all criminal court business currently located in various sites within and around the Four Courts. The building should stand as a landmark civic building. It is anticipated that the Complex will eliminate many of the space, functionality, security and safety, prisoner management problems and risks associated with current criminal court activity and practice in Dublin.

Court accommodation has a very significant role to play in the efficient administration of justice. This is particularly so in criminal cases. It should not only be comfortable and function efficiently, it should also reflect in its design the independence, dignity and importance of the business transacted in it. It lessens citizens’ respect for the courts and the law if courts are housed in facilities that detract from these objectives.

It is one of the statutory functions of the Contracting Authority to support the judiciary in the administration of justice. The Contracting Authority must, therefore, also provide suitable facilities and accommodation for judges within the Complex.

It is anticipated that the contract for the Complex will be a design, build, finance and operate contract, with appropriate contractual arrangements to be entered into with the successful tenderer for the purposes of carrying out the Project. The Candidate Member(s) responsible for, inter alia, operation and maintenance, design and/or construction will be required to agree to such arrangements upon execution of the contract with the successful tenderer in a direct agreement with the Contracting Authority.

The exact nature and scope of the Project operations has not yet been finally determined by the Contracting Authority. Further details in this regard will be set out in the Invitation to Negotiate.

Project Description and Scope

5.1 General Requirements

The Contracting Authority wishes to transfer, inter alia, responsibility for repair, maintenance and service of the Complex to the successful tenderer. The successful tenderer will be expected to demonstrate that its proposal offers a genuine transfer of risk and value for money in these areas.

It is anticipated that the successful tenderer will be required to design, build, finance and operate and maintain the Complex for a period of between approximately 25 and 35 years and to fit it out and equip it to satisfy the User Requirements. References in this Project Information Memorandum to “operator” and “operations” are intended to include maintainer and maintenance except where otherwise expressly indicated.

It is intended that the successful tenderer will be responsible, throughout the term of the contract, for remedying any inherent or latent defects in design, construction or materials used in the Complex. The Contracting Authority will not be responsible for the replacement of the building and equipment when life expired but will require the outputs, as identified in the User Requirements, to be maintained. In addition, it is currently intended that the successful tenderer will be responsible for both external and internal maintenance of the Complex and the provision of defined services to meet the requirements of the Contracting Authority, as described in the User Requirements.

In line with PPP philosophy, the Contracting Authority does not intend to be prescriptive about the form and precise construction of the Complex as long as it meets the User Requirements.

5.2 Site

The Site for the Complex will be provided by the Contracting Authority. The Site is situated at the junction of Infirmary Road and Parkgate Street and extends to an area of approximately 1 hectare.

5.3 Building

The Complex is intended to comprise approximately 17000m2. It is currently anticipated that the components of the Complex may include (but may not be limited to):

• Approximately 22 Jury and non-jury courtrooms of varying sizes based on business need
• Associated judicial chambers and ancillary facilities
• Jury rooms and consultation rooms
• Ancillary facilities such as victim support and witness rooms
• Jury assembly area
• Facilities for the legal profession, Gardai, Probation and Welfare Service
• Public Foyer and circulation spaces
• Safe and efficient access and egress from courtrooms
• Main Entrance and Reception Desk
• Public restaurant for approximately 150 covers
• Public office, counter and space for approximately 50 staff
• Secure holding area for approximately 100 prisoners
• Control rooms, communication rooms and ICT facilities
• Storage facilities
• Secure Parking for approximately 80 cars and vans

The Complex will be designed, constructed, operated and maintained as a modern, purpose-built facility so as to meet internationally accepted standards.

5.4 Design

The design of the Complex is of the utmost importance to the Contracting Authority and, in this regard, Candidates should note the weighting of the marks that will be allocated to design as set out in Table 6.4 of this Preliminary Information Memorandum.

It is expected that the design of the Complex will readily identify it as a landmark civic building which will make a significant contribution to the architectural form of Dublin. The proposed Site for the Complex occupies a key Dublin landmark location and the Complex will be a symbol of the Irish judicial system. In all respects, the design should reflect the importance of these aspects.

The design of the Complex should convey a civic status reflecting the importance of the business being carried out there. The design should be cognisant of the latest trends in Court requirements, with a safe, secure, comfortable and dignified environment for the transaction of Court business and should address the complex circulation and security needs of courts in a creative way.

Good design will provide a flexible building with opportunities to accept future change and challenges: services easily altered, adding new cable-ways etc., alterations to rooms to cater for modest change of use and new functional needs.

5.5 Sustainability & Whole Life-Cycle Approach

It is the expectation of the Contracting Authority that the Complex will be recognised as setting exemplary standards of environmental sustainability. This will require the Candidates to consider any necessary environmental measures and practices to be incorporated and adopted during the construction phase. The choice of construction materials and the long-term operation requirements of the Complex (including with regard to energy usage and waste management) should be consistent with these aspirational objectives.

5.6 The Role of the Operator

To adequately address the required functionality of the Complex will require the close consultation and involvement of an Operator fully familiar with and experienced in building management. It is currently anticipated (although this may be subject to change) that the operational elements are likely to include, but are not limited to, security, catering, operation of an information desk, cleaning, operation of internal post, electrical and utility services, telecommunications, grounds management.

5.7 Information and Communications Technology

Developments in the ICT sector are resulting in increased use of ‘state of the art’ facilities in presenting information, communications and in the environmental control and management of modern facilities. Expectation levels are such that what was formerly perceived as ‘state of the art’ facilities is now the accepted norm. The successful tenderer will be expected to define a facility that incorporates sufficient flexibility of design and anticipation of future ICT needs which will enable the Complex to continuously meet international benchmark standards throughout its life.

The Contracting Authority will be seeking an innovative solution to meet the Complex’s ICT requirements based on proposals that should demonstrate integration, compatability and inter-operability with existing national systems; innovative and effective ways of sharing risk, reducing costs and increasing value for money; flexibility over future service provision to ensure that ICT services complement and facilitate the provision of high quality services; assured business continuity.

The detailed ICT requirements will be set out in the ITN. It is currently anticipated that the ICT solution may include any one, or an amalgam, of elements from the following options (at the Contracting Authority’s absolute discretion):

• the successful tenderer may be required to install underlying cabling infrastructure and associated facilities to support connectivity to a national ICT network and office desktop products for use throughout all courts;

• the successful tenderer may be responsible for the supply, installation and commissioning of the Complex’s ICT software components (including digital audio recording and video conferencing facilities);

• separate (PPP or non-PPP) contracts may be awarded to provide the standard software application for courts and for an integrated system to implement and operate the application, which contracts may or may not be novated to the successful tenderer in this competition;

• the Contracting Authority may retain responsibility for certain aspects of the ICT requirements (for example, obsolescence in ICT software, ICT support and management services);

• the successful tenderer’s solution may be required to demonstrate compatability and integration with the Contracting Authority’s existing central ICT systems and equipment while developing and introducing new services.

For the purposes of this Project Information Memorandum Candidates should note that the Contracting Authority reserves the right to procure a contract for the provision of ICT services with a Candidate Member or with such other service provider(s) as the Contracting Authority may appoint following a separate competition and which contract with such other service provider(s) may or may not be novated to the successful tenderer in this competition.

6 Procurement Process & Programme

6.1 General

A key consideration for the Contracting Authority, in deciding on the successful tenderer, will be the achievement of optimal value for money. However, Candidates should note that nothing in this section 6 is intended to identify or define the award criteria on which the contract will be awarded to the successful tenderer. This information will be set out in the Invitation to Negotiate.

Candidates should also be aware that proposals will be considered in the light of the “Interim Guidelines for the Provision of Infrastructure and Capital Investments through Public Private Partnerships; Procedures for the Assessment, Approval, Audit and Procurement of Projects” available at the Government PPP website, http://www.ppp.gov.ie.

It is currently anticipated that the Contracting Authority will be responsible for obtaining any required planning permission under section 181 of the Planning and Development Act, 2000. Documentation and assistance, including in relation to an environmental impact statement (if applicable) and any other requirements of the relevant local authority in connection with the Complex, shall upon request and at the absolute discretion of the Contracting Authority be supplied to the Contracting Authority by the successful tenderer.

6.2 Summary of Anticipated Procurement Procedure

Figure 6.2A summarises in illustrated form the proposed procurement process. Candidates should note that the dates in this table are indicative only and are subject to change. Tenderers will be advised of firm dates at later stages in the competition.

Without in any way limiting, or intending to limit, the Contracting Authority’s discretion, it is anticipated that the procurement procedure will be as follows:

• Candidates will be pre-qualified on the eligibility requirements set out in paragraph 6.3.1 and the minimum requirements set out in paragraph 6.3.2;

• the pre-qualified Candidates will be scored in accordance with the assessment criteria set out in Table 6.4 and will receive a ranking and be selected based on that score;

• between 3 and 6 of the highest ranked Candidates (at the sole discretion of the Contracting Authority and provided sufficient are qualified from those who express interest) will be invited to submit tenders leading to the nomination by the Contracting Authority of one preferred tenderer, subject to the Contracting Authority’s option to request best and final offers (“BAFO”);

• for the preferred tenderer, a contract finalisation stage intended to lead to a signed contract with the Contracting Authority.

Candidates who are not selected at the pre-qualification stage will be notified in writing by the Contracting Authority. At each subsequent stage in the procedure, the Contracting Authority intends to notify separately, in writing, those parties involved as to whether they are being invited to proceed to the next stage. The Contracting Authority reserves the right to make public announcements as to the identity of the short-listed or eliminated Candidates.

This is a great opportunity on a host of levels. What’s the liklihood of a building of equal quality to the Four Courts being designed? Or is it even possible to compare…

The Courts Service is crying out for new facilities, and the victim support rooms etc proposed will be very welcome considering the ludicrous state of affairs at the minute over at Inns Quay and the city’s other courthouses.
It’s a great chance for a ‘fresh start’ as outlined above, encompassing all services and their requirements at a single location, not to mention the very latest and efficient of every aspect their operations.
The inclusion of broadcast unit will also be warmly welcomed by RTÉ – another badly needed facility given the broadcast difficulties in the environs of the Four Courts & District Court, and having to depend on OB facilites every single day.
Mary Wilson is choosing the paint colours as we speak 🙂

This is also going to be very much so a ‘television building’ too – an unusual factor that the architects will probably take into account. Notch up the landmark dial a bit more 😀

It’s also a real step in the right direction as regards stretching the city centre from east to west and rejuvenating the Northside. You can envision a genuinely coherent legal quarter going from the Four Courts to Infirmary Road with either a relatively pleasant walk or a short Luas ride the only division.
Coupled with the redevelopment of the Fish Market complex into a public piazza and the possibility of either (or both) a conference centre and the new Abbey in the North Docklands – the possibilities are almost endless in terms of reorienting the city in the proper direction i.e. along the river.

Irish Examiner – Saturday.

Any pictures of this? Who’s the architect?

Work starts on €120m complex of 22 courts

Details of the new 22-courtroom facility to be housed in an “iconic, round” building were announced by the Courts Service yesterday.

All existing criminal courts in the capital will be relocated to the complex in the largest investment in court buildings in the history of the Irish legal system.

The 25,000 sq m round building, which will be located at the corner of Parkgate Street and Infirmary Road, near the Phoenix Park, is being built under a public private partnership at a cost of €120m

It is understood the deal will be worth €290m over the 25-year term of the contract to the successful tender, Babcock and Brown — the Australian investment firm which owns Eircom.

The Courts Service said the new complex was designed to improve security, privacy and comfort for all users of criminal courts.

Legal professionals, gardaí and prison officers had increasingly been expressing concern in recent years about security levels at the Four Courts building, where most high-profile criminal cases for murder, rape, robbery and drugs offences are heard.

A number of cases involving dangerous criminals have been transferred in the past 12 months to the more secure surroundings at Cloverhill Court, after efforts were made to intimidate witnesses and jury members.

The new facility will house sittings of the Court of Criminal Appeal, the Special Criminal Court, the Central Criminal Court as well as criminal cases at circuit and district courts.

The transfer of criminal courts to a new section of what has been dubbed Dublin’s Legal Quarter will also facilitate the creation of extra courtrooms at the existing Four Courts building for civil matters.

The Chief Justice, Mr Justice John Murray said the new complex would be “the first State building of such monumental proportions to be built since 1922.

Speaking at a ceremony attended by Justice Minister, Michael McDowell, the Chief Justice said the design of the building would enable judges to improve case-management and speed up the listing of trials.

Courts Service spokesperson, Brendan Ryan said a major need for a dedicated criminal court complex had emerged in recent years.

They say they want greater security than they have at the Four Courts.

What security implications flow from dressing this building in glass?

There was a picture in Saturdays Indo. Looks pretty impressive. Will certainly dramatically change this part of town.

Is this the site that was earmarked for the new HQ for the Dept of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht & The Islands (as was) in 1999 or so?

http://ireland.archiseek.com/unbuilt_ireland/dublin/ahgi_dublin/index.html

The very same. They have taken land from the Department of Defence including a protected structure known as the Red House. Thats being demolished. The new building is a circular drum which will face out onto Infirmary Road and Parkgate street.

And has been designed by Henry J Lyons according to the Indo. No images on either site however.

“Peter McGovern, director of the firm who won the design contract, said that it was a daunting task for any firm to build in the shadow of James Gandon who designed the Four Courts and Dublin’s Custom House.”

I presume the High Court and Supreme Court will remain sitting in the Four Courts?

Vast new criminal courts complex to be built at Phoenix Park site

ROME had its Pantheon, Temple to the Gods.

Dubliners are now set to bask in the glory of a new city landmark to rival the historic Roman building.

But Dublin’s €120m Pantheon will be home to criminals instead of deities.

Yesterday Chief Justice John Murray unveiled details of a new courts complex which will centralise all criminal court business in the capital.

The new complex, adjacent to the Phoenix Park, will house 22 state-of-the-art courtrooms and will be the new home to the Court of Criminal Appeal, Special Criminal Court, Central Criminal Court as well as the District Courts.

The dedicated facility will mean that all criminal matters in the capital, more than 200,000 cases a year, will be heard in one venue.

Advocates and “ordinary decent criminals” may lament the fact that from 2010 criminal trials will no longer be staged in the ageing Four Courts building or the Special Criminal Court.

Welcomed

But the new 11-storey building will be welcomed by victims of crime and their families as they will no longer have to confront each other because of the unique design of the new courts complex .

The building, which Judge Murray said will create “a future which promises a great change in the axis of activity in our capital’s legal quarter” is the first of such monumental proportions so be built in the country since 1922.

It will also be the first courthouse in the world where suspects, victims, judges, lawyers, jurors, members of the public and the media will not meet until they enter a courtroom.

The circulation system will provide for separation, privacy, security and protection of different court users, including witnesses.

Following an international trawl, the building was designed by Dublin architects Henry J Lyons.

Peter McGovern, director of the firm who won the design contract, said that it was a daunting task for any firm to build in the shadow of James Gandon who designed the Four Courts and Dublin’s Custom House.

Partnership

Last night, the Courts Service, which is overseeing the Public Private Partnership that will cost almost €300m over 28 years, refused to disclose the enhanced security features in the new courthouse.

But each courtroom will have special, in-built security features to protect witnesses and accuseds in high-profile trials.

One hundred prisoners will be accommodated in the complex at any one time and an assembly space for up to 400 jurors awaiting empanelment will also be provided.

There will be a public restaurant and separate dining facilities for juries as well as victim support rooms and 26 judges’ chambers.

The existing Four Court buildings will be retained and will remain in use for civil cases.

–

Its very overwhelhing, should be set back further from the street. A small plaza in front of it would be nice, at the entrance to the park.

did i read 11 stories in that last article ?

Looks funny with the shabby, shuttered pub (?) beside it.

Parkgate Street is a bit of a dump at the moment, and various parties have called for improvements to the entrance to the Park and its connection to the rest of the city for many years now. I think this new building is an impressive new addition. It has the potential to radically overhaul the whole area.

As for the Four Courts – perhaps taking out the Criminal Courts will allow the building to be renovated back to its former glory and allow for some of the architectural disasters of the last few decades to be undone….Aras Ui Dalaigh for the hammer anyone (sorry Cearbhall!) ….and the mess at the rear.

Oh, agreed!

It would be nice if an air of decorum and perhaps even grandeur could be returned to the Four Courts. It’s some hectic mess at the moment. Magnolia paint in the rotunda, criminally uncomfortable jury seats and public galleries and shabby jury rooms.

And then out the back….yeah it would be nice if the complex was overhauled. Hopefully the learned gentlemen in the Law Library won’t kick up too many fusses.

@fergalr wrote:

Looks funny with the shabby, shuttered pub (?) beside it.

questhouse I believe

I drove by this site this evening. The trees along the road are beautiful and mature, they better remain in place!

Is this real? I can’t believe that this is being built on this prominent location. I know that it is a difficult site. Was virtually vacant for years (I think it was the city car pound and one-time home of Nelson’s head after his column was blown up) and waws then the site for the ill-fated AHGI competition. Was there an EIA or anything? It will be seen from miles around.

I think PPP is a disastrous method of procurement for major public buildings and if you want unique architecture of the highest quality which will stand the test of time it is absolutely the wrong way to go.

I know that courts are extremely complex to plan and design – I imagine that it must be a nightmare to work on from a practical side. The unfortunate thing is that the external design and urban design issues get neglected. I think that a perfect example of this is hospitals, which have their very own bizarre architectural language which doesn’t seem to exist outside the world of healthcare (all those weird pastel colours…).

Another urban courts for the purpose of comparison

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=725&storycode=3086779&c=1&encCode=0000000001300e26

I prefer this one although in fairness think it is also PPP (they call it “smart PFI” but time will tell). It’s a bit bleak in this image but I think it has more rigour design wise. I am guessing the boxes are courts, and they are more expressive. The Phoenix Park one has a bit of an air of desperation in the detailing (“do you think anyone will notice we’ve dumped an 11-storey box on the corner of Phoenix Park if we cover it with enough shutters, glass boxes and changes of material?”).

It’s not 11 stories though is it? looks like 4 + set back, completely different proposal if it ends up at 11 with that kind of massing.

Doesn’t appear to be from the picture, Peter, but the article above says: “But the new 11-storey building will be welcomed by victims of crime and their families as they will no longer have to confront each other because of the unique design of the new courts complex .”

read that too ctesiphon, strange … at that height it sits ok, looks like it escaped from strasbourg.

It is hard to tell but if you look at the height of the balcony above the entry canopy, or take seriously the size of the tiny people near the building, it does look like 8 plus set back?

Im sorry, that cgi is weird. To pick a view from behind a run-down pub is a very strange decision. What is this view saying about a contribution to public space as a public building?

And – I don’t believe this – it actually appears to say ‘SIGNAGE’ on the hotel canopy on the front. It all contributes to the feeling that this building could house anything – hotel, offices whatever.

To me this building doesn’t say “this is where you will find an understanding justice, this is where the ethical and moral decisions which underpin how we decide to govern ourselves and deal with each other will be made”. This says “We are a huge big organisation, our bureaucracy will give the false impression of efficiency and what we say goes”.

@Peter FitzPatrick wrote:

looks like it escaped from strasbourg.

“Have you seen my baby?”

😀

true the balcony does make it look like there’s a few more stories in there … but when viewed in relation to 3 story pub beside ? dodgy render.

@Peter FitzPatrick wrote:

😀

true the balcony does make it look like there’s a few more stories in there … but when viewed in relation to 3 story pub beside ? dodgy render.

In fairness way I see it the pub is three storeys and would be height of atrium in criminal court building based on render. Then double height floors above.

just wondering does anyone know what is currently being built here.its a very large site with some very tall cranes.the site im referring to is just on the corner at the main entrance to the park at parkgate st.

Yeh I’m really eager to find out what’s going in there as wel. I walked by the site and thought that it looked like quite a large development, not something that would end up with a run of the mill 4 storey apartment block.

Silly df1711! Haven’t you heard??? Its the latest addition to Dublins non existant skyline.The 250m ultra sleek Eamonn Dunphy tower

sound like it?

1375/07

“In accordance with part 9 of the planning and development regulations 2001 to 2006, the Courts Service propose to develop a Criminal Courts Complex on a site of approximately 0.95 hectares, comprising the Garda Siochana car compound and part of the Department of Defence lands at the junction of Infirmary Road and Parkgate Street, Dublin. The complex will have circa 24,850 sqm gross floor area and will be circa 37.7 m high above the main entrance level which is 10.00 m above ordnance datum. Accommodation will consist of 22 courts, jury, judicial, bar council, custodial and office accommodation, public reception, waiting and circulation areas, cafeteria and other internal ancillary facilities, approximately 70 car spaces located in underground car park and external car park”

Not sure how this works. I think DCC can only make observations as it’s a Dept of Justice application, which does not require Planning Permission. So it’s unclear whether this development has the go ahead, but the map should tell you:

Is this the building?

https://archiseek.com/content/showthread.php?t=6131

Though the screenshots from there aren’t working for me anymore.

[edit], found a render of it, it looks familiar alright: – the pic on the left [/edit]

More pictures on their site: http://www.3dimageworks.com/

Is there a Heneghan.Peng / Dept of Agriculture building planned for this area too? I can’t find any mention of it now, but I think I remember reading something on this. Of course, I may just be losing it completely and nothing of the sort is happening.

I need to lie down.

yeah there was massamann, not sure if its been shelved at this stage… i liked it.

here’s a link:

http://www.hparc.com/aghi.html

Thanks Peter. Yeah, unfortunately the Heneghan.Peng plan must be shelved, as I’m fairly sure that that is the site that the cranes are working on for the new court buildings. That’s a great shame, as I really liked the design they had come up with and I can’t see the government splashing out too much cash on new builds in the next few years. 🙁

There was a competition around 1999 or so for a new headquarters for the Dept of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht & the Islands (AHGI, not AGHI as it is on the HP website) on the site. More here.

This thread has gone dead – anyone have any idea of progress on the new courthouse, or even a few pics?

Does anyone have any pics of the new large Courts building currently under construction in the Phoenix Park?

Here’s a link to a render, top left pic.

http://www.3dimageworks.com/exterior.htm

Haven’t been down that way in a while so if anyone has any progress shots, please post !

….is this a McCullough Mulvin building? http://www.mcculloughmulvin.com/projects/ccc.html

Here’s one recent (distant) view from the RHK.

There’s a good view ot it from Victoria Quay, but I don’t have any pictures.

It’s probably at it’s most interesting about now with the raw concrete mass mostly up and before the cladding merchants have got at it.

https://archiseek.com/content/showthread.php?t=4043

so you press control-k to get into that little search box in the top right hand corner of your browser and then write
“site:https://archiseek.com new court building” and there you are!

Seems it’s Henry J. Lyons.

Distant views
http://www.dublincity.ie/AnitePublicDocs/00118021.pdf

Entrance
http://www.dublincity.ie/AnitePublicDocs/00118019.pdf

Night time view
http://www.dublincity.ie/AnitePublicDocs/00118020.pdf

Sections
http://www.dublincity.ie/AnitePublicDocs/00105036.pdf

Its Henry J alright, thanks for that LOB.

10 stories in total … better shot of the outer skin below, quite like this overall … not so sure about the inner cladding.

I think the other point worth making is that this huge building is being built inside the Phoenix Park

City conservation officer: “Development within the curtilage of Phoenix Park and the Royal Imfirmary. Includes demolition of park wall…”

Also, planner’s report: “The proposal would entail the siting of a substantial built form in the south eastern extremity of the Phoenix Park…”

(DCC Ref No. 1375/07)

Heres a pic.

More recent snaps, from inside a van (yes, even ctesiphon travels on 4 wheels occasionally!):

Thanks for that ct 😉 completion early next year i suppose …

I quite like the design. The route from the quays to the Phoenix Park entrance seems very dilapidated and it is in a good location. I look forward to seeing it finished.

This seems like a great design. Even though it’s ten storeys – it’s in a hollow so nowhere near as intrusive as it might be. This could lead to a genuine regeneration of lovely Parkgate Street, which has – as we’ve seen – become quite rundown.

Has anyone seen how big this building is? It’s huge, built without planning permission and built inside the park, they had to knock some of the park wall!!:mad:

Slightly more recent camera phone picture, doesn’t add much to ctesiphon’s pics above.

lots of concrete to covered by wood. is that how the scottish parliament was made?

No, it was all carefully hand-crafted and shaped concrete and wood; that’s why it cost 450 zillion quid. And it still looks like a dog’s dinner. Swop?

I have some new photos of this, taken in last few days – will post later.

I think this is probrably the most superb looking building built in Dublin for many, many years. It looks fantastic.

OK, here we go again, but I have to say it looks more like a shopping centre than the iconic symbol of modern justice in Ireland. It lacks presence from a disance and up close, apart from the obvious expense of the materials employed it lacks the kind of dignity or detail one would expect of the supposedly most important public building to be built in Ireland for quiet some time. I see two senarios, firstly this is what HJL think an iconic structure looks like, which is I think the more likley senario and that thereofre this is a poor effort, or alternatively that they said: Gandon’s Four Courts is quiet iconic, lets not compete with that, we don’t need an iconic structure, lets give them something generic, another shopping centre, which is a position I would have far more respect for.
It was actually going well untill they put the cladding on.

PS. Don’t get me wrong, as far as shopping centres go, its probably up there, looks quiet well even.

Can not understand the shopping centre analogy at all. I think it looks terrific.

The design is based on the drum of the Four Courts dome. There’s probably more artsy fartsy lingo about it, though.

The similarities with the Four Courts are more thematic than actual. The Gandon building which the HJL architect referred to building near would be the Royal Infirmary behind it.

Am a little uncomfortable with seeing all the glazing, if this building is to be an enduring iconic structure.

The real sucess of the building at the moment is its siting, on the bend from Parkgate Street into Phoenix Park avenue. The large drum articulating a bend in a thoroughfare is an urban design theme going back through time (Four Courts on a bend in the Liffey; Rotunda Round Room on the bend into Parnell Square etc.). Also shows that you can have a very large building if the siting is right.

Went by this today, it really does look great. Only thing Im not sure about is the black glass on the top level.

Has anyone noticed the best western hotel rennovation down the road from it? Sweet Jasus it looks terrible.

@archipig wrote:

Has anyone noticed the best western hotel rennovation down the road from it? Sweet Jasus it looks terrible.

I found some recent pictures of this . . .

. . . can’t find any words though!

… apart from: how did it get planning permission in such a prominent location?

Flippin heck. At least it’s lived up to the renders (which I cannot find now). Hits the 1970s spot to a tee.

The Aisling was never pretty but that’s obscene

Law Courts taken last week

Thoughts?

It looks great. Perhaps a small bit corporate with all the glass. Still, its an intriguing shape in its location. A nice addition to the city.

I think it’s ugly as sin. The way the glass peels back to reveal all the crap on the roof from every approach from the east is unforgivable. Granted, it does look great when you get up close to it and can appreciate the intriguing glazing textures and layering but the overall shape and roof profile is a mess and a real missed opportunity.

I thought there was going to be more external wood cladding on this.

I like it. Works as a sort of book end to the City centre. If only we could have something decent on the other end!

Maybe a statue of justice and a tricolour on it? So people know it’s a court building. I really like the building but it could honestly be anything. We could end up with loads of Americans turning up on the weekends, thinking it’s the convention centre.

Doesn’t look ten stories to me!

@rob mc wrote:

Doesn’t look ten stories to me!

Probably because we’re so used to 10 storey pencil thin “tower elements”. It’s a very bulky building making it look shorter but it’s very visible on the skyline

@rob mc wrote:

Doesn’t look ten stories to me!

It does up close.

I like its sheer power and size. The view from Wolfe Tone Quay going over the Liffey is awe-inspiring; it towers over the shops and pubs of Parkgate St, a properly scaled urban building with small-town cottages nestling at its feet.

i have some pics that i took while photographing Frank Sherwin Bridge for work yesterday if anybody wants to give me their email address i can send them for uploading?

all taking from Victoria Quay and Wolfe Tone Quay.

just send them to me pclerkin@archiseek.com

I don’t see how this building can be seen as anything but a disappointment given that it’s taking over the job of a Gandon masterpiece. It’s a fairly decent office block. As the centre of Irish justice though….?

Its only taking over Criminal cases. Civil matters will still be heard at the Four Courts and the High and Supreme Courts remain where they are.

Personally I think the new building looks very well. Some lovely views of it the other evening from the Pheonix Park as the sun set in the west. The glass and steel were a blaze of orange.

The opportunity now existing to improve the Four Courts and its environs and perhaps even get rid of the more ugly buildings in ist vicinity…adieu Aras O’Dalaigh?

@StephenC wrote:

Its only taking over Criminal cases. Civil matters will still be heard at the Four Courts and the High and Supreme Courts remain where they are.

Criminal law is all the good stuff!

They’ve put a metal design on the wall to the right of the main entrance with what looks like Lady Justice and her famous scales. If they put up a name for the courts in Irish and English beside that then people will know that it’s not just another corporate office block or conference centre.

What is the new complex to be called, btw? Is it really going to be called the Central Criminal Court Complex? I like its alliterative quality.

The opportunity now existing to improve the Four Courts and its environs and perhaps even get rid of the more ugly buildings in ist vicinity…adieu Aras O’Dalaigh?

Absolutely; I’ve always thought that the Supreme Court bit was somewhat tucked in at the back, which is precisely where it shouldn’t be. And the relationship between the rear of the FCs and the (?) Bridewell is an interesting one that could be developed into a shared space. I’ve always thought it (the Bw) was an interesting and dignified (if sinister) building waiting to happen.

@Cathal Dunne wrote:

They’ve put a metal design on the wall to the right of the main entrance with what looks like Lady Justice and her famous scales. If they put up a name for the courts in Irish and English beside that then people will know that it’s not just another corporate office block or conference centre.

Renders indicated that a large harp & signage would be mounted on the stone clad out crop … which would certainly spell out to Irish people that it was an official building, nothing like a harp laden envelope through the letterbox to scare the bejaysus out of ya, not quite sure what tourists would make of it though :rolleyes:

I would have preferred the harp & appropriate signage over the traditional scales, if thats what they’ve gone for.

@pippin101 wrote:

I like its sheer power and size. The view from Wolfe Tone Quay going over the Liffey is awe-inspiring; it towers over the shops and pubs of Parkgate St, a properly scaled urban building with small-town cottages nestling at its feet.

It does indeed, I like this building.

Some more pics I took recently.
It may look somewhat obtrusive coming in from the Coyningham road but from a distance the colour and scale of the building doesn’t offend.
I think it blends in well with its older neighbours.

I have to disagree completely that this thing has any “sheer power and size”. I wonder if anyone not-in-the-know would even notice it. “Design” aside, I find the form very underwhelming, approaching it, viewing it from across the river… it does nothing for me, compared to the (ahem) conference centre bookending the other end of the liffey, which is goddam fugly, it does at least stand out, if not in a good way. These courts, for me have no more presence than the new eircom HQ across the river, or Dundrum shopping centre. I like the glass screen, but the cladding behind it is awful, perhaps using a more intersting cladding behind the glass might have given it different qualities, but as it is…

All finished….looks good I think.

link to Irish Times

yeah not bad at all …

not much room outside

While this building has some positive atributes It still looks like a mess to me. There are too many ideas fighting for attention particularly in the cladding, it has too much bulk to look remotely elegant and it’s contribution to the public realm is pathetic for such a prominent building. The blank black spandrel glazing all over the penthouse floor is particularly cheap and nasty looking, especially since the main “feature” glazing with it’s stainless steel edging is nicely done. It’s such mismatches that make the building so frustrating for me. The bits that are done well make the bits that are poor look even worse than they would normally.

The opportunities for an innovative and exciting public building at this site were endless given it’s magnificent setting at the edge of the Phoenix Park. Regrettably we’ve been left with a blot on the landscape that will undoubtedly date terribly given it’s overreliance on mod-ish cladding. Seems a bit like a 21st century Hawkins House in this regard.

@lostexpectation wrote:

not much room outside

Room for what………..

Public hangings ?

I’m with BTH on the cladding, and the front is too much corporate-office-block and not enough civic-building, but the rear, facing Montpelier Hill, has an interesting massing.

That is a most pleasing massing of forms and materials with an appropriate scale. Why can’t we have more of this when it comes to urban infill down in the city? Very nice.

@spoil_sport wrote:

These courts, for me have no more presence than the new eircom HQ across the river, or Dundrum shopping centre.

Alas, this sums it up for me too. Chic and attractive, but little of the gravitas one would expect of the preeminent public building of our times in the city, and immediate descendant of the Four Courts. In concept, it has touches of the Elysian in Cork – not that I wish to taint it unduly with such an association – but also of trends in architecture generally of late, where the form of a building is given the same status, indeed if not less, than the materials it is built of. It is akin to the typical Irish homebuilder, where it matters little what the house looks like, as long as ‘expensive’ materials are used in its construction and fit-out.

While the Criminal Courts of Justice unquestionably attempts a bold form, it is let down by too many self-conscious, ‘high quality’ materials, but moreover, a multitude of elements that seem to have been employed to accommodate or showcase them.

I suppose what it comes down to is, should glazing be used to such a dominant degree in a public building in a way that makes it look like every other commercial building in the city? A Custom House constructed of red brick would be quite the spectacle.

The Montpelier Hill side is much better I must say – though it looks like it was designed by a different architect to the rest of the building!

Now that its nearly finished I still like it I must say. The drum form is a nice echo of the civic drums strung along the liffey – down to the new conference centre – while not being a direct interpretation of the four courts.

The round form is an intriguing resolution of the corner – its scale seems well suited to the location.

The materials don’t strike me as too bad – that photo in the Irish times has a nice depth and solidity to it – the upper levels aren’t fantastic alright but the layering of the materials gives it a depth, scale and a changing texture which most glazed corporate buildings sorely lack.

Have to agree about the public space outside tho – while the hoardings were still up I thought there might be a lovely space created between the curving base and those great trees.

Definitely a few niggling issues but overall I think this is a pretty good addition to the city.

Some nice pics here with thanks to Michael Stamp:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/michael_stamp/4089309643/in/set-72157622768404982/

So this means that architects will now be going to the green st to defend high court appeals?

@GrahamH wrote:

That is a most pleasing massing of forms and materials with an appropriate scale. Why can’t we have more of this when it comes to urban infill down in the city? Very nice……………….

Alas, this sums it up for me too. Chic and attractive, but little of the gravitas one would expect of the preeminent public building of our times in the city, and immediate descendant of the Four Courts….

Very diplomatic !

@missarchi wrote:

So this means that architects will now be going to the green st to defend high court appeals?

Not necessarily
Given that the new courthouse is set aside for criminals,

@missarchi wrote:

So this means that architects will now be going to the green st to defend high court appeals?

No civil matters will be dealt with at the CCJ. The civil courts are in pretty good shape at the moment in the Four Courts, but the criminal matters were in shockingly bad courts in the Bridewell and others.
The old Bridewell and others will be totally refitted for minor civil matters that are currently crammed into tiny courts upstairs in the Four Courts.

Prison vans clog streets at new €140M courts because they have nowhere to park

http://www.herald.ie/national-news/city-news/prison-vans-clog-streets-at-new-euro140m-courts-because-they-have-nowhere-to-park-2028839.html
The Courts Service has defended the building — which was officially opened by President Mary McAleese on Saturday. The service insists it is up to the drivers of all “non-operational” vehicles to find their own parking in the area.

idiots, always though there wasn’t much room around the building

@lostexpectation wrote:

idiots, always though there wasn’t much room around the building

Not much room in the building either. It’s extraordinary how little thought has gone into the accommodation of the public. There’s seating room for maybe 20-30 people in each courtroom, presuming that they are all the same size. I’ve been up in Court 19 watching the Lillis trial and practicing my shorthand. That public seating is about a third to a quarter of what the four principal courtrooms in the Four Courts could take when the balconies above the courtroom are included.

My second gripe is the lack of crowd control measures. There are pitifully few Courts Service employees to be seen on landings outside the courtrooms. Not only that but the queues that build up invariable take on the usual anarchic Irish scrum shape in front of the door, because no one has had the wit erect some queuing “tape”, like any good bank or cinema would. Of course, this wouldn’t be a problem if the courtrooms were open to the public when the building opens, like in the Four Courts. In the new building, they are opened at some point around 10:30. What happened to having your punctiliousness rewarded with a seat? (This is a minor gripe from someone who is always on time).

Lastly, there are only four small lifts for the entire building – unless the Law Library and other departments have seperate ones. They are packed with barristers, gardai and joe publics at all hours of the day. Again, not much foresight has gone into the number of people who might stream into the building to watch a criminal case.

Oh… sorry. One more thing. There is an airport-style liquids ban in the building. Didn’t I learn my lesson when I had the cheek to bring a store-bought bottle in with me during the week. Nice little monopoly for the canteen and completely over the top security concerns.

Sneak peek 🙂

Shot with 6300 at 2010-01-25

Shot with 6300 at 2010-01-25

Shot with 6300 at 2010-01-25

Shot with 6300 at 2010-01-25

@fergalr wrote:

Not much room in the building either. It’s extraordinary how little thought has gone into the accommodation of the public. There’s seating room for maybe 20-30 people in each courtroom, presuming that they are all the same size. I’ve been up in Court 19 watching the Lillis trial and practicing my shorthand. That public seating is about a third to a quarter of what the four principal courtrooms in the Four Courts could take when the balconies above the courtroom are included.

Court 19 is small, I’ll admit… but the reason for that is it is usually not meant to be housing a Media spectacle of that size. The amount of old people in there just to see the “story” is amazing. The District Courts are much bigger due to the higher volume they deal with daily. I also don’t think Court 19 is any smaller than the main courts in the Four Courts. I would have, however, like to have seen a separate family area.

@fergalr wrote:

My second gripe is the lack of crowd control measures. There are pitifully few Courts Service employees to be seen on landings outside the courtrooms. Not only that but the queues that build up invariable take on the usual anarchic Irish scrum shape in front of the door, because no one has had the wit erect some queuing “tape”, like any good bank or cinema would. Of course, this wouldn’t be a problem if the courtrooms were open to the public when the building opens, like in the Four Courts. In the new building, they are opened at some point around 10:30. What happened to having your punctiliousness rewarded with a seat? (This is a minor gripe from someone who is always on time).

I agree with you on this. Also, for the amount of screening they’re putting people through, you’d think they’d have at least another screening queue.

@fergalr wrote:

Lastly, there are only four small lifts for the entire building – unless the Law Library and other departments have seperate ones. They are packed with barristers, gardai and joe publics at all hours of the day. Again, not much foresight has gone into the number of people who might stream into the building to watch a criminal case.

The lifts are slow, but I’d imagine when there isn’t a huge case on like Lillis they would be ok. Although there are 6 floors, the lifts only service 3 or 4 floors. I almost always take the stairs up unless I’m going to the 6th floor.

@fergalr wrote:

Oh… sorry. One more thing. There is an airport-style liquids ban in the building. Didn’t I learn my lesson when I had the cheek to bring a store-bought bottle in with me during the week. Nice little monopoly for the canteen and completely over the top security concerns.

I believe this has to do with the extra security necessary since the Special Criminal Court has moved into the building also.

Seeing in today’s IT that the OPW owns a large brown field site beside the Law Library I cannot understand the decision to put the Courts by the park.

The site on church street is large enough, I always assumed it wasn’t in state ownership.

Putting the courts so far away is draining life away from a poor area of the city and missed a great opportunity to have a legal quarter in the city.

blind justice?

mark 2

I had the pleasure recently of a tour of the Criminal Courts on Infirmary Road and took a few shots of the interior which might be of interest as I am sure most of you will never get to see inside ( )

All familiar with the exterior

The Great Hall..a really impressive space. The quality of the materials is particularly high.

All the courtrooms are accessed from the balconies of the Great Hall

The quality of the finish throughout is very high. It feels like a building that will last. Also a good balance struck between functionality and need for gravitas.

The interior of a courtroom…Mr Justice Carney’s I’m told although the original intention was that judges would alternate the use of courtrooms. Each Courtroom served by a small annex holding judges chambers (not seen) and separate staircases for the arraigned and juries.