Newcastle Courts was Napper’s first major commission by the Courts Service /PSA. Housing ten Crown Courts and three County Courts, the building occupies a significant site overlooking the Quayside, maximising the benefit of natural light and the extensive views. The Courthouse was a critical component in attracting future development to this historic part of the City.
Internally the plan responds successfully to the complex brief of four separate circulation systems, providing a layout easily understood by visitors. The organisational diagram subsequently became the template for the AJ Metric Handbook as the first publicly available reference document for modern Court design.
The Court Service Design Guide was a restricted document and Napper were tasked by the RIBA publishing to bring forward the design guide summary for the 2nd edition of the RIBA Metric Handbook published in 1999 and credited for our considerable experience.
