Abstract
Historically, Australian court architecture layout, design and details are intimately tied to the physical aspects of British imperial institutions. Displaying the visual features of the Empire’s institutions has the effect of alienating Indigenous people within courts. This is compounded by design that is oblivious to the needs of Indigenous users and consequently places these users in situations that threaten their privacy, safety and wellbeing. This article contends that architectural design that seeks to accommodate Indigenous cultural and socio- spatial needs brings into sharp relief the barriers and harms otherwise confronting Indigenous people in courts. This article discusses three court complexes designed in collaboration with Indigenous communities to accommodate Indigenous connections to the environment surrounding the courthouse and to enhance access to justice. Indigenous collaborations in the design of the Indigenous-inclusive court complexes at Port Augusta (South Australia), Kalgoorlie and Kununurra (Western Australia) produced spatially distinct courthouses that eschew some historical court design principles and attempt to introduce features relevant to local Indigenous nations. This illustration essay discusses the emergence of Indigenous design principles that may inform courthouse redesign, the application of some of these principles in new courthouse designs and the need for local Indigenous oversight in the design processes. It provides a framework for further research into how Indigenous architectural collaborations in courthouse designs may promote safer and fairer environments for Indigenous court users. It also raises some potential disjuncture between court design and use of court space that may undermine the vision embedded in cultural design principles.
Highlights
Around the world, courthouse design has been used to make statements on society and visions for justice in the future
This paper argues that the processes used to design the ‘Indigenous’ court complex designs and the resultant projects provide important insights into how Indigenous users can be dignified in courts and judicial administration
2.1 Case Study 1: The Port Augusta Court Complex The first courthouse designed predominately for Indigenous users was constructed in Port Augusta in South Australia in 2008.44 Port Augusta is a major rural hub with approximately 17 percent of the population being of Indigenous descent.[45]
Summary
Courthouse design has been used to make statements on society and visions for justice in the future. The recently completed courthouse complexes at Port Augusta, Kununurra and Kalgoorlie were designed with reference to a growing body of evidence based on research in the fields of Indigenous architecture and place-making,[40] which critically engages Indigenous communities, ongoing architectural debate[41] and experience gained through Indigenous architectural precedents.[42] Architects have attempted to meet Aboriginal people’s environmental needs and accommodate cultural practices, and enculturate court buildings by incorporating Indigenous symbols and artwork in the designs to imbue and reinforce Aboriginal cultures and value systems[43] in attempts to create an Aboriginal ‘place’ in each location.
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