New design elements have been unveiled at the Christchurch Justice and Emergency Services Precinct during a visit by senior government representatives. 

The first of two designs by artist Lonnie Hutchinson has been revealed, an eight-metre high, 36-metre long aluminium kākahu façade (traditional feather cloak) that wraps around the first floor of the car park. The kākahu design is inspired by the endangered kākapo, and the anodised metallic cloak represents the striking hues of the parrot’s feathers.

Hutchinson has also designed a huia feather frit that will be applied to the glazing of five two-storey window bays running the length of the Precinct’s Durham Street frontage. Those with a keen eye may have already noticed a printed gold frit pattern on the interior. The application of a second cream-coloured layer of frit to the external glazing, in the new year, will be more noticeable.

On Friday former Prime Minister John Key, Ministers Amy Adams, Gerry Brownlee and Nicky Wagner and the Ministry of Justice’s chief executive Andrew Bridgman took a tour of the Precinct, which included a visit to the first completed courtroom. 

The Precinct will have 19 new courtrooms featuring natural light, open spaces, upgraded technology for video conferencing and remote evidence, dedicated whanau rooms and secure areas for vulnerable witnesses.

Fletcher Construction is committed to a handover to the Ministry of Justice in late March 2017. It is expected that the Precinct will be fully occupied by mid-2017.

The Christchurch Justice and Emergency Services Precinct is a $300 million project which will bring together all justice and emergency services in one purpose-built, leading-edge precinct in the CBD.