November 23 2016

The Scottish Courts & Tribunals Service have published finalised plans for a new Justice Centre on the site of a former bus depot at Burnett Road, Inverness.

Design work undertaken by Reiach & Hall seeks to establish a base for justice, social work and voluntary organisations in support of victims, accused and offenders around court appearances.

Fronting the congested Longman Road with a new public square, in an area of the city dominated by industrial warehouses, the architects have sought to nudge the city centre outward with a pedestrian friendly environment.

Outlining this approach Reiach & Hall stated: “The elevations adopt a vertical expression, upright, classical and disciplined. They derived from a simple trabeated strategy and allude to a classical tradition although in a clearly contemporary translation. Finely cast prismatic columns create an elegant and refined approach.

“The New Street elevations are clothed in a repetitive rhythmic façade of glazed and full height precast concrete panels. The panels are modelled and angled to catch the light. Midway along the street there is a visual watershed, in line with a potential future pedestrian link across the college site to the north. The angled façade treatment is mirrored. This device subtly breaks up the façade while discretely breaking the building.”

Sharing a service yard with an adjacent police station, the combined complex will complete a city block with the routing of a new boundary road separating its footprint from that of the old Inverness College building.

Two walled gardens overseen by Horner + Maclennan will also offer staff and visitors a place of sanctuary when it opens its doors in 2019.

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