Court Services Victoria, Specialist Family Violence Courts
Architecture Commercial Natte Yallock, Victoria, Australia
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Description
A calm and safe space for those in uncertain times.
Following recommendations by the Royal Commission into Family Violence in 2016 to reduce its frequency and impact, improve support for survivors, and coordinate community and government services, BLP was commissioned to design and deliver four new courts promoting family safety for communities across Victoria. The four urban and regional sites include Ballarat, Moorabbin, Frankston and Heidelberg.
The existing arrangement where both parties shared the same physical space at entry points to the building, in courtrooms, and waiting areas led to considerable stress and increased risk to physical and emotional safety. Physical and visual separation of the parties was a key requirement of the project, as was creating an environment that felt more welcoming and comfortable than a typical court building.
The BLP team consulted widely with court staff including registrars, magistrates, specialist court support staff and associated external agencies. We also undertook community consultations with various groups advocating for survivors of family violence, to understand the needs of those attending court.
The project brief was developed from these consultations and following the Royal Commission recommendations. New features include an additional entry to the court building, counters and staff offices, separated and secure waiting areas, interview rooms, tea-point, amenities, and access into the courtroom through separate doors. Interview rooms and court rooms were configured with modern technology to facilitate video conferencing and remote appearances for witnesses who prefer not to appear physically in the courtroom.
Warm natural timber panels create separation and privacy between walkways and various seating areas, and carve out safe play-zones for children while parents supervise. Soft textures, greenery, and a variety of seating options empowers visitors with choice and reduces stress to create a secure, family friendly environment.
Questions and Answers
What was the Project Brief?
Following recommendations by the Royal Commission into Family Violence in 2016 to reduce its frequency and impact, improve support for survivors, and coordinate community and government services, BLP was commissioned to design and deliver four Specialist Family Violence Courts. The new courts were to accommodate additional magistrates and staff, improve public facilities inside the courts, and introduce design features that physically and visually separated the parties involved in family violence issues.
What were the challenges of the project?
The new courts are responding to a need articulated through the 2016 Royal Commission into Family Violence which called for an innovative and new approach to the design of court services and facilities. This was a challenge but also an opportunity for the design team to create a highly responsive outcome based on evidence-based-research.
A key requirement was to match the consolidated brief back to each individual site. All sites had unique challenges including how they were placed within the existing built environment, shared circulation routes and specific and unique site restrictions.
What was your solution?
By participating in a highly consultative process with the client and user groups, BLP addressed these challenges to determine what the key project criteria were and to ensure that this was reflected in the final design solutions for each site. Secondly, detailed site surveys were conducted, and existing conditions were investigated. The design was tested using 3D BIM technology.
How is the project unique?
Court Services Victoria’s, Specialist Family Violence Courts are part of the first tranche of Specialist Family Violence Court facilities, which has introduced a new space typology for the Victorian judicial system that integrates major physical infrastructure and operational changes.
Key products used:
Including but not exclusive to:
Walls and cladding:
• Ceiling & Wall Paint – Dulux
• Feature Ceiling – Autex
• Acoustic Wall Panels – InStyle Ecousitc
Lighting:
• Feature lights - Luxxbox
• Strip Lights - Darkon
Sanitary Fixtures
• Caroma
Furniture
• UCI
• Mocka
Workspace
• Stylecraft
• Zenith Interiors
Details
| Completion date | 2020 |
| Building levels | 2 |
Project team
| Nikki Kung | Graduate Interior Designer | |
| Jimmy Chin | Senior Project Coordinator | |
| Thomas Miu | Project Coordinator | |
| Gigi Tan | Graduate Architect | |
| Raj Senanayake | Project Director, Principal | |
| Edwina Ter | Project Leader, Associate | |
| Sonya Radywyl | Senior Project Architect | |
| Urbis | Town Planner | |
|
Billard Leece Partnership | Architect |
|
Devco Project & Construction Management | Builder - Heidelberg |
| Lloyd Group Pty Ltd | Builder - Frankston | |
| Court Services Victoria | Client | |
| SJ Weir | Builder - Ballarat | |
| Arete | Builder - Moorabbin | |
| Wallbridge Gilbert Aztec | Structural & Civil Engineer | |
| Waterman AHW | Mechanical & Electrical Engineer | |
| Approval Systems | Building Certifier | |
| IPP Consulting | Security & AV Engineer | |
| Wing ID | Wayfinding |