56 More Dignity for Daily Users
What if there was a moment of civic dignity outside the Auckland District Court?
The Auckland District Court on the corner of Albert and Kingston Streets is I think at last count the busiest courthouse in New Zealand. At a guess people coming and going through the doors on an average day would likely number in the thousands.
Busyness aside it must be one of the most disappointing public buildings in Auckland.
The space around the building is so cramped. As a consequence the building has a very poor street presence, as well as a lack of basic dignity for people coming and going. This is particularly so for those who need to wait around before or after court appearances. In this respect the contrast with the Auckland High Court sitting supremely up on Waterloo Quadrant couldn’t be more different.
That said the original design of the court building itself did make a few gestures towards being an important public building, such as the coat of arms and the distinctive stained glass artwork that forms the corner entrance canopy, designed by American-New Zealand artist Holly Sanford. This must be one of the earlier attempts at weaving a bi-cultural story into a public building in New Zealand. I imagine it is rarely appreciated given it is best appreciated from a moving vehicle or standing across the street on the narrow footpath against the edge of the retaining wall.
These things could be easily addressed through redesigning not only the streets (particularly Kingston Street which is crying out for shared space as part of the Federal Street laneway circuit), but also through altering the way the building relates to the street edge to make for a more hospitable and welcoming environment. These things might seem modest, but they lift the daily dignity of how we use and move about the city.
This is how public buildings with important civic functions were designed in the past. Wouldn’t Auckland be better off if our government departments and institutions gave a little more back to the city?
The cramped and cluttered entrance outside the Auckland District Court
Daily comings and goings at the courthouse support a row of cafes and food outlets across Kingston Street, which is crying out for shared space as part of the Federal Street laneway circuit
The Albert Street building edge could be turned into a more hospitable stepped seating edge that utilises the space of the upper podium behind the column line
Stuart Houghton 2014
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Its not just Auckland, Many court Buildings around the country are simply hideous
Even the new Supreme court in Wellington (which has a wonderful interior), has the exterior of a frumpy 50’s box wearing a frilly brass skirt
The council couldn’t even get them to build a decent Veranda on the front to intergrate it with the well used bus stop ,
So it sits isolated behind a waist high moat…
Eh? I think the Timaru one is quite okay….
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nzlscant/images/Courthouse_June_2011mt.jpg
My understanding is that the Supreme Court didn’t really want the old high court. The heritage people wanted them to restore it and use it but the Court really wanted more of a room with a big table type of approach. They don’t really have to look down on the little people and inflict the Crown’s justice on them as much as quiz lawyers as to why they think an argument should go their way. The new Court was a compromise of lower bench but traditional look. (If you have ever been in the High Court in Dunedin the judge appears in a box half way up the wall, you sort of wonder who that is up there and what is he doing?)
The lighting in the canopy over Albert St footpath are not used at night so it’s dark as well.
As a former prosecutor and user of this building on at least a weekly basis, I couldnt agree more. Unfortunately our Court buildings nationally generally have about as much dignity as our prisons and often just feel like an extension of our corrections facilities. (save for the Auckland High Court and the Dunedin Coruthouse). The Waitakere District Court in particular is horrendous.
The Third world facilities in Victoria Street West for Birkenhead Transport Bus Co users has been the same way for 50 years. There has Not been a Council, Former ARC, or any elected Mayor, Councillor or Council that has been remotely interested in these disgracefully inadequate facilities. Same applies to Auckland Council and Transport Auckland. Far too much intention is paid to Britomart and ZERO to Bikenhead users.
I actually quite like the building, but something about how it’s located in relation to the streets, pavements around it doesn’t seem to work. Would work better with a bit of space around it. It’s true many people using courts deserve more dignified surroundings, but it’s also true that courts like this naturally have a lot of dodgy characters hanging around outside them. Makes it a bit of a challenge to make it feel welcoming sometimes.
The white building on Kingston in the second picture – anyone know what the deal is there? It’s been full of old fashion props and mannequins since I can remember (at least 7 or 8 years) and it looks like a really beautiful interior that someone could do something amazing with, but it just gathers dust year on year.
The building itself is unfixable – the federal and kingstons street sides are disasters that cannot be changed and the Albert street side is gloomy and soulless (where I spent too many years waiting for buses home). The best you could hope for is closing kingston to cars (because it’s nothing but a car park when there are two huge parking buildings right next door) and get some improved use, but it’s money better spent sorting out areas with better possibilities.
I work a block away and avoid this little area like the plague. People sometimes emerge from the courthouse quite angry! And everyone seems to be smoking on the footpath. The overhang provides cover from rain, but also makes it dark. It’s just got a bad vibe all around. Poor bus riders have to just live with it. The white building was the El Jay shop and studio. Not sure what’s happening now. From the article: “Over the years Michael and the trustees, who will decide on the building’s future, have had many inquiries from people wanting access, from fashion designers wanting inspiration to developers wanting to convert the site to offices” http://www.nzherald.co.nz/viva-magazine/news/article.cfm?c_id=533&objectid=11151766
Yeah I was by the Heritage and would just go around it unless I was feeling lazy. The little cafe on the corner of kingston and federal gave it some life, I hope they last.
Thanks for that article, it’s clearly not just be wondering then!
Rarely appreciated indeed, I’ve never noticed until I saw your photo
Those mouldy canopies on the red building have bothered me for a long time, for some reason. I guess they just look hideous.
The more I look at it in that first shot, the more striking the building seems. Quite unusual.
Having the streets fronting onto it pedstrianised and paved would really set it off.
Walk the plank metaphor is very applicable here, have seen one car vs pedestrian incident and several near misses on that corner
Trying to work out if I have ever walked up Kingston st in my life…
The Hamilton courts are pretty good in this regard, surrounded by a mini-park. I just wish they’d fix up the condemned old Court House.
https://goo.gl/maps/UTAFb