Toronto Ontario Court of Justice Toronto | 95.7m | 17s | Infrastructure ON | Renzo Piano

[Miscreant]

I'd be interested to hear what's not to your liking. I find it beautiful--where are you coming down on it? I'm genuinely interested in an alternate perspective.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

Get Diamond and Schmidt on this one.

If they can pull of something of the quality of the Israeli Foreign Ministry - yes.

http://dsai.ca/projects/the-israeli-ministry-of-foreign-affairs-jerusalem-israel/

Looking at the massing - it has quite the potential to look like an awful lump in the wrong hands - significant height, bulk, vast stretches of the facades that are by necessity windowless. It has all the making of a potential disaster (e.g. Calgary Courts Centre).

Honestly I can't see IO going this route, but RSH+P/Adamson would be stupendous for the job.

AoD

 

[AndreaPalladio]

I think it's beautiful too, but a Supreme Court is a vastly different use (and amount of use) than the main civil and criminal court in the country's largest city. I wouldn't expect that level of design and finish in this building, and they wouldn't last if they were built.

 

[maestro]

I'd be interested to hear what's not to your liking. I find it beautiful--where are you coming down on it? I'm genuinely interested in an alternate perspective.

I didn't say I didn't like it. I just don't find the interior spaces of a superior quality to what you may find in Toronto.

 

[Miscreant]

I didn't say I didn't like it. I just don't find the interior spaces of a superior quality to what you may find in Toronto.

Alright, but you did say this:

I'm not particularly impressed by it so, yeah, it could happen here.

So, why aren't you particularly impressed? Not being confrontational--honestly want to hear an alternate perspectiveon this.

 

[maestro]

The finishes are too trendy. I feel for the guy when he wants to stand up. I've been in more than a few places here that are representative of those images.

That's all beside the point.

You're concentrating too hard on "not particularly impressed" and missing the self deprecating humour of my post.

 

[ADRM]

In today's UT frontpage story, I'm very encouraged to see the focus on improving the public realm on the site, as well as its pedestrian connectivity to NPS. Given the architects involved, I'm also heartened to see that the DRP is, and appears to be pledging to continue to staying engaged in the design process. Hard to believe shovels are slated to be in the ground by '17.

There aren't a whole lot of modern tower courthouses I can think of, internationally (the space is dominated by low-to-mid-rise), but below are some more thought starters (bearing in mind that the guidelines here call for 20+ stories and a rectilinear design). And here's an interesting Atlantic piece on "The Hit and Miss Architecture of New Courthouses: A tour of emerging trends in courthouse design."

1)

http://www.online-paralegal-degree....OURTHOUSE-LOS-ANGELES-CALIFORNIA-1024x585.jpg

2)

http://www.online-paralegal-degree....UKMEJIAN-COURTHOUSE-LONG-BEACH-CALIFORNIA.jpg

3)

https://www.flickr.com/photos/hanneorla/3815368511/

4)

http://www.archdaily.com/588373/uni...ners/54b8a1a0e58ecee5db00011f-slc_sf_b_01-jpg

 

[am29]

I dont quite enjoy the North West portion of the plan.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.6542...GiCiZ4XVxUAZlYqvTA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

It won't be very inviting for pedestrian to chill and stare at a blank brick wall.

 

[Gido]

The idea of a new pedestrian connection in this civic neighbourhood to NFS is ideal!

The parking structure under NFS and its access points need to be reworked in making the most out of this new oppertunity, some eliminated.

A couple thoughts in a(my) perfect world.

1)Extend the Chestnut Garage access point further north past Armoury(about 5m), closing Amoury to extend the new courthouse courtyard southeast towards NFS.
Adding in a small standalone cafe from the new courthouse with an outdoor patio would make this a sizeable new square(water feature!?).

2) nix the NFS south side Queen parking entrance, convert the Sheraton mall into a restaurant with patio under it's overhang which has probably the best underused view of NFS

3) Bay Street exit also nixed to allow for tourist motor coach parking.

One final rant
4) Whomever approved cheap horrid green planters with rotting cabbage and zero design sense garbage bins(alongside the flags letting you know they are garbage bins) is fired and required to carry said eyesores with them out the door.

Viljo must be spinning at a few rpm with the lack of care abound, but perhaps this new opportunity and ideally connection to NPS will instill some pride in the upkeep of our civic neighborhood.

 

[interchange42]

Hot off the press:

Request for Qualifications Issued for New Toronto Courthouse Project
TORONTO, April 18, 2016 /CNW/ - Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and the Ministry of the Attorney General have issued a request for qualifications (RFQ) for a consortium to design, build, finance and maintain a new Toronto courthouse.

Located steps from St. Patrick subway station, directly north of the courthouse at 361 University Avenue, the new courthouse will bring together many of Toronto's Ontario Court of Justice criminal courts operating across the city. Amalgamation of justice programs and services will reduce operational and facilities costs, make court administration more efficient, and better serve the community.

The new courthouse's design will be modern and accessible with features such as:​

• • Video conferencing to allow witnesses to appear from remote locations and in-custody individuals to appear from jail
  • Closed-circuit television to enable children and other vulnerable individuals to appear before the court from a private room
  • Courtroom video/audio systems to allow counsel to display video evidence recorded in various formats and for the simultaneous viewing of evidence
  • A single point of entry with magnetometers, baggage scanners, continuous video surveillance, and separate corridors for judiciary, members of the public and the accused for security reasons
  • Barrier-free access to all courtrooms

The RFQ is the first step in the process to select a team to deliver the project. Submissions will be reviewed to shortlist project teams with the design and construction experience, as well as the financial capacity to deliver a project of this size and complexity. Shortlisted teams will then be invited to respond to a request for proposals (RFP), expected to be released in the fall.

Quick Facts​

• • Ontario is making the largest investment in public infrastructure in the province's history — about $160 billion over 12 years for projects such as roads, bridges, transit systems, schools and hospitals. This investment is supporting 110,000 jobs every year across the province. In 2015, the government announced support for more than 325 projects that will keep people and goods moving, connect communities and improve quality of life.
  • IO's recent archaeological excavation of the new Toronto courthouse site recovered thousands of artifacts, mainly from the late 19th and early 20thcenturies.
  • The new courthouse will be located at 11 Centre Avenue, bordered by Chestnut and Armoury Streets.
  • IO will be installing artwork on construction fencing for the new Toronto courthouse to help commemorate the downtown site's rich cultural history.
  • IO is leading the project on behalf of the Ministry of the Attorney General.
  • Amalgamating several courts into one state-of-the-art facility reduces the government's overall footprint and helps ensure the province's real estate portfolio is sustainable, accessible and efficient.
  • The courthouse will be designed to meet the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Silver standard with a focus on energy efficiency, healthy indoor environments and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
  • The project is being delivered using IO's Alternative Financing and Procurement model, an innovative way of financing and procuring large, complex public infrastructure projects, with a track record of being 98 per cent on budget to date.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

In today's UT frontpage story, I'm very encouraged to see the focus on improving the public realm on the site, as well as its pedestrian connectivity to NPS. Given the architects involved, I'm also heartened to see that the DRP is, and appears to be pledging to continue to staying engaged in the design process. Hard to believe shovels are slated to be in the ground by '17.

There aren't a whole lot of modern tower courthouses I can think of, internationally (the space is dominated by low-to-mid-rise), but below are some more thought starters (bearing in mind that the guidelines here call for 20+ stories and a rectilinear design). And here's an interesting Atlantic piece on "The Hit and Miss Architecture of New Courthouses: A tour of emerging trends in courthouse design."

1)
View attachment 72453
http://www.online-paralegal-degree....OURTHOUSE-LOS-ANGELES-CALIFORNIA-1024x585.jpg

Normally not a huge fan of corporate bland SOM, but their LA project sure looks classy - and classiness is an image any courthouse should project.

Oh gawd, courthouse public art - let's hope they do better than the current crop around the Ontario Superior Court.

AoD

 

[A Torontonian Now]

Very disappointed (but not wholly surprised) that it seems there will be no new space for the Superior Court of Justice or the Small Claims Court here.

 

[Towered]

 

[interchange42]

Thanks for that pic Towered! The big questions is… what's that crane doing here this early in the process? Or, could that be there to haul some new HVAC equipment to the top of an adjacent building, possibly? Anyway, since you work near there, please update us when you are able!

42

 

[Gido]

How amazing would REX's new Washington office building currently proposed/being built was offered for this project instead.
I would happily accept this Toronto Box
Echos of the Brutalist concrete and stone in the immediate area reflected on top notch concave curtain wall.
I mean one can dream about possibilities until tepid water is poured on it, can't they?

http://www.designboom.com/architect...eet-washington-dc-office-building-05-19-2016/