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General Contractor: Kitchell | Au'authum Ki, Inc.
Architectural Lighting, MEP, Fire & Life Safety, Security: Henderson Engineers, Inc. (HEI)
Structural Engineer: PK Associates
Civil Engineer: Wood Patel & Assocaites
Acoustics: McKay Conant Hoover
Landscape: GBtwo Landscape Architecture
Energy Modeling: Oculus Studio
Cost Estimating: Rider Levett Bucknall
Photography: Matt Winquist
Working across the border involved establishing cross-cultural relationships, employing a variety of communications, and the empathetic work of understanding history, place, and justice in an evolving tribal community.
The design team conducted more than 30 stakeholder meetings with judges and staff to understand user needs, which included increased efficiency, an improved court environment, reduced stress for visitors and staff, and service of future community growth.
Our customized programming process engaged a broad constituent group in the question “What is the just use of your land?” With the community, we explored a spectrum of ideas to merge western court design goals with indigenous sustainable systems. This approach transformed the "court" typology, resulting in a building with landscape at its center, connected to its context in lieu of the typical “fortress” court structure.
The organization of the Justice Center is orchestrated around exterior space. The building is conceived as a backdrop to a variety of outdoor rooms and "desert scapes" to represent tribal intimacy with native lands. The primary materials–glass, weathered steel and concrete–retain the vernacular of austere objects that are often all that remain after prolonged exposure in the desert.
The craft of the concrete work and custom rebar scrim demonstrate a deep care for the handmade and provide a glimpse into unique tribal sensibilities toward artistry, significance of place, and community.
