Amid global anti-racism demonstrations, groups in several Canadian cities have called for a rethink of policing and police funding. What would this mean for the architecture of the justice system?from police stations, to courts and prisons" Some answers may already be visible.
A recent police station in the Cree community of Waskaganish, in northern Quebec, is conceived to be friendly, rather than foreboding. Designed by figurr, the building includes a daylit interior and exterior accented by wood-finished panels. ?The client wanted a warm, community-oriented exterior,? says principal architect Stephen Rotman. ?They asked for a clean, welcoming building.?
Future court buildings may be informed by a new type of program. Vancouver?s Downtown Community Court, opened in 2008, co-locates justice, health, and social services. The model aims to address the offender?s needs and circumstances that led to criminal behaviour. Eeyou Eenou Police Force Detachment Building in Waskaganish, Quebec, by figurr architects. Photo courtesy figurr architects
Eeyou Eenou Police Force Detachment Building in Waskaganish, Quebec, by figurr architects. Photo courtety figurr architects
A similar approach is set to be piloted in Ontario, where four small-scale community-based justice centres will begin launching this summer. According to Dayna Arron, the project?s executive director, ?the ministry is continuing?through a participatory design process [?]?to ensure each Justice Centre reflects loc...