PICTURES: Highland justice centre in running for Scottish design award
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Inverness Justice Centre has been shortlisted for an architectural award celebrating iconic Scottish buildings.
The court complex opened in March 2020 and brings together all aspects of the justice system under one roof in the Highland capital.
The design of the building has now attracted the attention of the The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS).
The justice centre is one of 14 buildings across Scotland to be listed as a contender for the organisation's best new building of the year.
The centre was designed by Edinburgh based Reiach and Hall Architects.
The RIAS awards 2022 winner will be decided by a jury of experts who will judge buildings on merits such as architectural integrity, sustainability criteria, usability, context, delivery and execution.
On the RIAS website it states: “Inverness Justice Centre is the first court complex in Scotland to bring together in one building all the organisations that administer and support the justice system.
“The building design attempts to support reforms currently being made to the justice system.
“Key amongst the reforms, which have a possibility in architectural design, are increased accessibility, legibility and visibility.”
Eric McQueen, Chief Executive of the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service said: "The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) was delighted to deliver the first Justice Centre in Scotland on time and to budget.
"Working in a true partnership, with Robertson Construction, Currie & Brown Project Manager, Thomson Gray Cost Consultants and Reiach and Hall, Architects; SCTS’ Inverness Justice Centre (IJC) offers the very best facilities for court and tribunal users.
"Designed and built to the highest standards, the centre continues to deliver on SCTS’ impressive commitment to reduce its carbon footprint helping the organisation to maintain its performance in delivering a 25 per cent reduction in emissions over the last five years.
"A landmark building, the centre brings together a range of organisations under one roof to provide integrated justice services to support victims, witnesses, litigants and other users. The centre offers specially designed facilities for children and vulnerable witnesses. By housing a range of service delivery organisations under a single roof, the Inverness Justice Centre offers community justice services to better support victims of crime and to work directly to reduce re-offending.
"The Covid pandemic has naturally constrained the full range of services but all partners have now relocated to the Centre to provide critical business and without the creation of the Justice Centre we would not have been able to create a hub court for Grampian, Highland & Islands (GH&I) sheriffdom."
