Architect: Hampshire County Council Architects
Photos: Joe Low
Text:
Southampton
Magistrates' Courthouse
Designed by Hampshire County Council Architects
THE SITE FOR the Magistrates' Courthouse is situated on the edge of
one of the few remaining fragments of early nineteenth century Southampton
within a Conservation Area. The site was long and narrow (approx 150m
by 30m orientated on an east/west axis).
The brief was to create twelve lawcourts, with accommodation for the
magistrates and the public and provide custody arrangements and facilities
for support staff.
The courtrooms and Magistrates occupy the southern edge in a linear
block expressed in render, the public areas face north and conceived
with transparency to an existing garden. The site strategy of a bomb
blast space 'stand-off' zone to the north becomes an extension to
the existing public garden.
The twelve courtrooms are arranged on two levels and paired around
three staircases with the Magistrates' circulation and meeting rooms
on the south facade. Environmentally, the architects wished to develop
the notion of creating conditions appropriate to the activities contained
within and the control of these are explicit in the materials and
form of the enclosing skins.
