Manchester Civil Justice Centre
| Civil Justice Centre | |
|---|---|
 The Manchester Civil Justice Centre, Spinningfields |
|
| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Courts |
| Location | Spinningfields, Manchester, England |
| Coordinates | 53°28′52″N 2°15′09″W / 53.48111°N 2.2525°WCoordinates: 53°28′52″N 2°15′09″W / 53.48111°N 2.2525°W |
| Completed | 2007 |
| Cost | £160million |
| Height | |
| Roof | 80 m (260 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 17 |
| Floor area | 35,160 m2 (378,500 sq ft) |
| Design and construction | |
| Main contractor | Bovis Lend Lease |
| Architect | Denton Corker Marshall |
| Developer | Allied London |
| Structural engineer | Mott MacDonald |
The Manchester Civil Justice Centre in Manchester, England houses the Manchester County Court and the Manchester District Registry of the High Court, Manchester City Magistrates’ Family Courts, the District Probate Registry, and the Regional and Area Offices of the Court Service.[1] It has been nicknamed the filing cabinet due to its distinctive cantilever floors at the end of the building.[2]
Contents |
[edit] History
It was constructed between 2003 and 2007 in the Spinningfields district to the west of Deansgate. The western side of the 80 metres (260 ft), 17-storey building faces the River Irwell, which marks the border between Manchester and Salford. It is currently the joint sixth tallest building in Manchester City Centre. The entrance to the building opens onto Bridge Street.
The tower was designed by Australian architects Denton Corker Marshall with engineers Mott MacDonald. The building is notable for the "fingers" at each end that are cantilevered over the lower levels, and it is rumoured[citation needed] that Barrie Marshall sketched the building by hand and that very little has deviated from his drawings. On the western side is an 11,000-square-metre (120,000 sq ft) suspended glass wall, the largest in Europe. It is the first major court complex in Britain since George Edmund Street's Royal Courts of Justice in London's Strand, completed in 1882.[3]
The same design team, Denton Corker Marshall and Mott MacDonald, are designing a sister court building in Birmingham, known as Birmingham Magistrates' Court.
On 18 January 2007, during the Kyrill storm, several pieces of aluminium cladding were blown off the building, one of which struck a woman walking along Bridge Street.[4]
[edit] Awards
Manchester Civil Justice Centre has won several awards for its sustainability credentials, innovative engineering design and striking architecture. Some of the key ones include [5]:
- RIBA Award 2008 - Royal Institute of British Architects National Awards[6]:
- Project of the Year 2008 – Building Awards (organised by the leading magazine, Building)
- Project of the Year – North West Regional Construction Awards 2008 (organised by Constructing Excellence)
- Project of the Year - National Constructing Excellence Awards 2008
- Major Project of the Year – Green Construction Awards 2007
- Architecture Grand Prix Gold Award – Rose Design Awards 2007
- Gold Award – Best Public Building Awards 2007
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "Landmark Civil Court in North West opens for business" (doc) (Press release). Her Majesty's Court Service. 22 October 2007. http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/cms/files/PN0807-ManchesterCivilJusticeCentre.doc. Retrieved 2007-10-22.
- ^ "'The Filing Cabinet'". BBC News. 13 October 2008. http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/content/articles/2007/10/24/241007_filing_cabinet_feature.shtml. Retrieved 2012-01-04.
- ^ Bayley, Stephen (21 October 2007). "What a perfect place to get divorced". The Guardian (London). http://observer.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,2195855,00.html. Retrieved 12 May 2010.
- ^ "Storms unleash trail of devastation". Manchester Evening News. 19 January 2007. http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/233/233687_storms_unleash_trail_of_devastation.html.
- ^ Mott MacDonald Website - Manchester Civil Justice Centre
- ^ RIBA Awards Website
