High Court of Australia Building
The High Court of Australia building is located on the shore of Lake Burley Griffin in Canberra's Parliamentary Triangle. It has been the permanent home of the High Court of Australia since 1980. The High Court building was designed between 1972 and 1974 by the Australian architect Christopher Kringas (1936–1975) – a director of the firm Edwards Madigan Torzillo and Briggs – who is commemorated by a plaque in the public hall.
| High Court of Australia building | |
|---|---|
High Court building, viewed across Lake Burley Griffin | |
| General information | |
| Status | Completed |
| Type | Court house |
| Architectural style | Late Twentieth-Century Brutalist |
| Location | Canberra, Australia |
| Address | Parkes Place East |
| Town or city | Parkes, ACT |
| Country | Australia |
| Coordinates | 35°17′56″S 149°08′08″E |
| Current tenants | High Court of Australia |
| Groundbreaking | September 1975 |
| Construction started | April 1975 |
| Completed | April 1980 |
| Opened | June 1980 |
| Inaugurated | 26 May 1980 by Queen Elizabeth II |
| Cost | A$46.5 million |
| Owner | Australian Government |
| Height | 40 m (130 ft) |
| Dimensions | |
| Other dimensions | 24-metre-high (79 ft) atrium |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 11 |
| Floor area | 18,515 m2 (199,290 sq ft) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Christopher Kringas |
| Architecture firm | Edwards Madigan Torzillo Briggs |
| Structural engineer | Miller Milston and Ferris |
| Services engineer |
|
| Quantity surveyor | DR Lawson and Associates |
| Main contractor | PDC Construction ACT Pty |
| Awards and prizes | Canberra Medallion, The Royal Australian Institute of Architects (1980) |
| Other information | |
| Number of rooms | Public Hall 3 Courtrooms |
| Website | |
| hcourt | |
| Official name | High Court of Australia, King Edward Tce, Parkes, ACT, Australia |
| Type | Listed place |
| Criteria | A., E., F., G., H. |
| Designated | 22 June 2004 |
| Reference no. | 105557 |
| References | |
The building was constructed from 1975 to 1980 and opened by Queen Elizabeth II, on 26 May 1980. Its international architectural significance is recognised by the Union of International Architects [UIA]. It received the Australian Institute of Architects Canberra Medallion in 1980 and the national Enduring Architecture Award in 2007. It was added to the Commonwealth Heritage List in 2004. The Court and its Principal Registry were transferred to the new building and the first sitting in this location took place in June 1980. The majority of the court's sittings have been held in Canberra since then.