ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the ways in which the production of design guidance has been influenced by the inclusion of user voices in debate. It also examines who has been consulted about court design by those responsible for the creation of centralised standards, the form that consultation took and whether the views expressed had an impact on the drafting of standardised guidance and design practice. The chapter seeks to engage in debate about how meaningful consultation with the public has been. It demonstrates how the senior judiciary and the Bar have managed to maintain their cultural and social capital in the courtroom. The chapter looks closely at the dynamics of consultation about court design and to the equally important issue of the hierarchy of users that evolved. Discussions with court staff and other courthouse users took place during post-occupancy evaluations of completed buildings.
