Page 36 - ARC5005_Book of Abstract_2019_24 Batch

Name: Prasanth E

Registration No: 19BAR0027

Topic Title: Justice in Equality: Architectural Design of Integrated District Court

Supervisor: Dr. Parthiban R

Synopsis

The thesis stems from the realisation that courts are the keystones that hold our modern democracies
in place. Court is the final destination of our modern citizenry to realise the rule of written law. The
proposed architectural design of new integrated district court complex in Amethi strives to
reimagines the physical form, and functionality of district courts as per the values of the 21st century
India. Unfortunately new court buildings are bad copies that reminisces the old colonial design; and
the old buildings are indeed tumbling down colonial buildings. Hence my aim is to demonstrate ‘a
holistic design prototype’ of new-age district court campus. Contemplating on the seemingly
complementing as well as repulsive relationship between physical and psychological accessibility;
somatic and social inclusivity; culture and gender; symbolism and semiotics; tradition and
technology, the thesis tries to set new standards of judicial infrastructure. The architectural design
will synthesis architectural theories, sustainability principles, and universal design, human-centred
design approaches, to propose a holistic design solution. The envisioned district court complex will
embody embodies principles of universality and inclusivity from point of view of physical
(architecture), symbolic as wells as semiotic accessibility, transparency and functionality.
The proposed site for integrated district court complex is in Amethi. The city is part of the Ayodhya
division in the historic significant Awadh region of Uttar Pradesh. The historic princely state of
Amethi was established a thousand years ago by Raja Sodh Dev Singh. Apart from troubled war
ridden history, the most notable point of Modern Amethi was the introduction of the railways by the
British. Today Uttar Pradesh is the largest state in India. The state government has proposed to set
up integrated court campuses across the state to facilitate easy access to the legal system within one
compound. The initiative will help speeding up the judicial process and reduce the time taken to
travel from one court to another. The state government has proposed four hundred crore honouring
the Supreme Court's instruction to setup new judicial campuses in 10 districts.
According vision of the government, the integrated building will house courts-rooms, judges’
chambers, a meeting hall, a video court, a parking area, a food plaza and a canteen. Relevant
residential buildings will also be constructed on the campus. The campus will have district,
subordinate, commercial, miscellaneous and tribunal courts, fast track courts, as well as lok adalat
courts. This architectural thesis aspires to present model judicial complex that not only addresses the
immediate infrastructural deficiencies but also sets a precedent for equitable, human-centred design
and technologically adept judicial spaces across India's diverse legal landscape.

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