Calgary Courts Centre

Calgary Courts Centre is the largest court facility in Canada, and is located in Calgary, Alberta. It was constructed by the Government of Alberta and provides over 1 million square feet (90,000 m²) of court and office space.HistoryConstruction began in late 2004, and is now complete. Development of the east block began in the Fall of 2007. It included a 700-stall underground parkade, an urban park, and the demolition of the Court of Queen's Bench facility.The prime consultant for the building was Kasian Architecture and Interior Design Ltd working collaboratively with design architect Carlos Ott and is built by the Cana construction company with the security system being installed by Convergint Technologies. The structural engineering was provided by Stantec. On completion, the north tower's 24 floors will stand 129 m (423 ft) high. The project has a budget of 300 million dollars and will host 73 courtrooms, judicial chambers, and facilities for 180 security personnel and approximately 360 government, library and external agencies staff.AmenitiesThe complex has incorporated many post-9/11 security measures into its design, such as large steel barriers that can be raised to prevent cars from entering the glass atrium. One difference between the CCC and conventional buildings is its ability to withstand structural damage. The structure has been designed to remain standing even after 2/3s of the exterior columns on the first six floors have experienced failure. This is possible because each tower contains more structural steel than both of the 52 story Bankers Hall towers combined, rendering the building virtually airplane-proof. The courtrooms feature bullet-proof judges' benches, jury boxes, and witness stands.