Justice for All

21st October, 2010 by Melanie Archer | 0 comments

Completed in 1981, the Hall of Justice was designed by acla:works in joint venture with architectural firm HKPA and is home to the Supreme Court in Port of Spain.

acla:works has since been commissioned to design a vertical platform lift and wheelchair accessible ramp that will be compliant with the building's current security requirements and sympathetic to the building's bold and unique exterior.

The solution involves constructing the ramp behind an extended glass fibre reinforced concrete [GFRC] sloping panel as a means of minimizing the impact of this unmistakable addition to the exterior. The lift is in a tower that mimics the in situ concrete of one of the stair towers of the building.

above: rendering of the Hall of Justice wheelchair accessible lift and ramp

In the United States in the late 1980s, citizens lobbied to get policymakers to pass legislation in the form of the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act [ADA], which led all new or existing public buildings into compliance with the Act. Beyond wheelchair lifts, ramps and sidewalk specifications, accessibility within public buildings also targeted washrooms, doors, corridors and fire stairs. Retrofitting existing buildings was initially more challenging for architects, but eventually ADA regulations were seamlessly integrated into the design of new buildings. People are not always born with disabilities – we sometimes become temporarily or permanently disabled – therefore I believe legislation should be passed in Trinidad and Tobago as well, as this will help build a fairer society for all citizens. I applaud the Hall of Justice in its leadership and initiative.

As construction is about to begin, due care is being taken to ensure that security and Health Safety and the Environment concerns are addressed with coordination meetings between the client, the Judiciary of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the contractors PG Construction and RBP Lifts, and the Consultant team led by acla:works.

– Gary Turton

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