"The ceremony was highly satisfying for all involved to attend," says Stuart Lyons, Project Manager for The Building Intelligence Group.  "As project managers, it was satisfying to share and reflect on the vision we had helped the Ministry of Justice form and deliver."

The redevelopment of the Nelson Courthouse was a particularly challenging project.  Tasked with bringing the original building back to life, while adding a new frontage and second floor, the Courthouse underwent this process while maintaining full Court and business operations.  The Building Intelligence Group worked closely with court management and the contractor to strategise how this would all happen without causing disruption to the sensitive nature of the Courts.

The design incorporated a total floor area of approximately 3,400m2, doubling the building's existing building gross floor area over three floors, the top floor being new construction. Key areas included three additional court rooms, increased public waiting areas, additional hearing rooms, video conferencing facilities, interview rooms, additional judicial chambers and a judges common room, transcribers room, additional cells and custodial officers facilities.

In addition, the refurbished facility incorporates environmentally sustainable initiatives, resulting in a reduction in energy usage and associated operational costs while providing increased indoor comfort levels and lower overall impact on the environment.

The result is a great building and a landmark for Nelson.