[musical introduction] [image of the Court crest overlaid with the words ‘Commonwealth law Courts - Adelaide’]
[images of Commonwealth Law Courts, Adelaide]
[image of Chief Justice Michael Black AC, Federal Court of Australia]
Chief Justice – ‘It’s a very positive building, it’s light, it’s exciting, it’s modern, it’s inviting. I think it’s a symbol of modern Australia.’ [image of Commonwealth Law Courts, Adelaide focussing on copper opal]
[image of view from courtroom] [image of Mariano De Duonni, Architect ]
Mariano De Duonni – ‘All the 22 courtrooms have a view, have aspect and natural daylight penetrating into the courts. [image of City of Adelaide] There’s not one that doesn’t have a view.’
[images of features of exterior of Commonwealth Law Courts, Adelaide] The Commonwealth Law Courts building in Adelaide has set a new benchmark in courthouse design on an international scale.
Consistent with the vision of the city’s legendary founder, Colonel William Light the building blends perfectly with its surroundings and provides a sense of well-being for visitors.
[image of copper section of Commonwealth Law Courts, Adelaide] A unique feature is the imposing copper section that contains seven courtrooms, the axis of which aligns with an important historical meeting place within Victoria Square for the indigenous Kauna People. [image of Victoria Square, Adelaide]
[image of Mariano De Duonni, Architect ]
Mariano De Duonni – ‘Actually what people read on the outside of the building is the actual skin of the opal courts, the opal courts meaning it’s shape but this skin is made out of copper, it’s pre-weathered into a patina green [images focussing on copper opal internally and externally] Most 300 year old buildings have copper domes that have gone green. We’ve just accelerated the ageing process of the copper so this is its parent colour. It’s not a painted on finish and the copper that you see from the outside in Victoria Square actually comes into the courts and through to the foyer so you’re in the vicinity of it, you can actually touch it and it’s very tactile.
[Heading: The Philosophy]
[image of Chief Justice Michael Black AC, Federal Court of Australia]
Chief Justice – ‘There is no reason architecturally or symbolically or in any other way why serious business should not be conducted in a pleasant environment. [images showing internal features of Commonwealth Law Courts, Adelaide] No reason at all. That’s a heresy that this building and some others like it exposes. The other heresy that this building exposes is that you need dominating, imperial, neoclassical architecture to provide the dignity that has to go with the conduct of serious business. This building refutes that.
Mariano De Duonni – [images of internal aspect of Commonwealth Law Courts, Adelaide and views from foyer] ‘We always talk about the transparency and openness about the building and its honesty and you stand here and I can see east to those hills, I can see Victoria Square and I can see the southern foothills and its quite extraordinary just standing in this spot and having a look that you can actually be in touch with the rest of the city. And you think about that when people come here that are stressed or people that haven’t got a lot to look forward to when they are coming to the courts and I’m not saying this is going to be their salvation at all but it’s got to help.’
‘The opal itself being the figurehead of the court it’s its symbol announcing the courts on Victoria square so it’s a powerful shape and a powerful colour and it contrasts between the neighbouring magistrates court which is the beautiful sandstone material but equally beautiful is our green colour and them working together is fantastic.’
[Heading: The Great Hall]
[image of the entrance to the Commonwealth Law Courts, Adelaide, including the Great Hall and upper levels]
Mariano De Duonni – ‘You’ve come in from a very intimate airlocked glass structure looking at the opal which has got a very low ceiling height and you get this explosion of space, this enormous power of space emphasised by the column and the concourses and the balustrades and the people on the top so that power of space gives the court its dignity. The great halls, the great chambers of any facility.’
[Heading: The Courtyard]
[image of Mariano De Duonni in the courtyard]
Mariano De Duonni – [images of artwork in the courtyard] ‘From deliberations inside one can come out here and contemplate the day’s proceedings. And the courtyard is not supposed to be anything elaborate. Again the building above and the pods of the chambers and the colours, the sculptures on the actual podium level, use of gravels and ceiling walls all contribute to a zen like, very simple courtyard.’
[Heading: The Concourse]
Mariano De Duonni – [image of natural light penetrating the atrium] ‘The penetration of natural light coming in from the atrium is just wonderful, it gives space that will change over the day and this space will change over the day, [image of various aspects of the concourse] the whole mood of the space will change and the volume will change so it gives you different aspect and different drama at different aspects of the day.’
[Heading: The Court Rooms]
Mariano De Duonni – [image of corridors] [images of views from corridors and courtrooms] ‘What we’ve done is has got the corridor and reinterpreted it, put it vertically and what has enabled us to do is to give back to the court a view and an aspect through a series of windows facing onto Victoria Square, again letting the natural daylight coming in, having people who are attending the court have a view outside the court and also from an environment point of view not reliant on supplementary lighting.
[image of number one courtroom]
[image of Chief Justice Michael Black AC, Federal Court of Australia]
Chief Justice – [image panning around courtroom] [image focusing on timber craftsmanship of judges’ bench] ‘This number one courtroom is I think an outstanding part of an outstanding building and the furniture here is made from an ancient gumtree, Eucalyptus Camaldulensis, River Red Gum. This is a tree that has very deep significance for Australia, for indigenous Australians, the earlier settlers and I think for all of us. [images of River Red Gum] It’s a tree of remarkable complexity, dignity and it makes a beautiful timber. [images of fallen River Red Gum] [images of River Red Gum being sawn] The timber in this courtroom came from a very, very old tree that in fact had lost its crown in some ancient storm and fallen over and it was crafted by an artist really I call him.’
[Heading: The Art Work]
[image of Chief Justice Michael Black AC, Federal Court of Australia]
Chief Justice – [images of artworks and sculptures in Commonwealth Law Courts, Adelaide] The philosophy that the architects and the building committee have embraced is that artwork should not be an afterthought. Artworks in a building like this should reflect the conviction that public buildings and artworks, works of art have a very close relationship. So the artworks that were commissioned for this building were commissioned really as part of the building itself.
[Heading: Conclusion]
[image of Chief Justice Michael Black AC, Federal Court of Australia]
Chief Justice – [images of evening aspect of Commonwealth Law Courts building, Adelaide showing lighting from window panning out to street view] ‘Architecture is partly to do with symbols and the symbolism of light is also symbolic of justice. So a building that opens itself to the world is indicative of justice that is open to the world and is transparent and of course light is an illumination of truth.’
[Closing image of evening view of exterior of Commonwealth Law Courts building, Adelaide overlaid with the words ‘Produced by the Federal Court of Australia, Public Information Unit, Melbourne, Australia, www.fedcourt.gov.au]
