Downing Centre - DCJ / BGIS

While the closure presented significant disruption and many challenges for the NSW Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ), it also created a rare opportunity to undertake substantial refurbishment works while the building was fully offline.

 We were engaged by BGIS and DCJ to deliver an accelerated upgrade of key public areas and selected internal spaces within the Downing Centre. The brief focused on refreshing and modernising public-facing environments and support spaces during the shutdown, improving functionality, accessibility and user experience while respecting its heritage nature.

The Downing Centre is a complex civic facility comprising public waiting areas, courtrooms, jury rooms, judges’ chambers, and support staff offices across multiple levels. Works were required to be delivered under an extremely compressed program, with limited design completed at the time of engagement and no traditional pre-construction phase. We were required to mobilise immediately and deliver works concurrently across seven levels to meet the critical completion deadline.

Design and construction progressed in parallel, supported by a full-time architect on site to enable immediate design decisions and streamlined approvals. Regular site and design meetings, frequent site walks and clear change management processes ensured alignment between DCJ, consultants and our team throughout the fast-paced program.

Key elements of the refurbishment included new joinery and wall panelling throughout, feature ring lighting, and upgraded lighting across all refurbished areas. The works also delivered new hydration stations and enhanced ground-floor amenities.

The space now incorporates refreshed parents’ and first aid rooms, alongside the first dedicated male and female multi-faith rooms introduced within NSW courthouses. Additional upgrades included improvements to meeting rooms and the reduction and rationalisation of existing ceiling bulkheads, enhancing overall spatial quality and improving access to natural light.

Being a heritage building, there were many latent conditions and limited existing documentation, with many drawings dating back to the 1980s. A two-week building-wide power shutdown during the construction period added further complexity, with no lifts, lighting or power available. To mitigate impacts, our team pre-loaded materials, furniture and equipment where possible, implemented temporary flood lighting across work areas, provided a temporary generator for critical functions, and relocated the site office during the blackout period.

Sustainability considerations were incorporated where feasible within the accelerated program, with existing materials and furniture assessed for reuse and redistribution to minimise waste and reduce landfill.

In partnership with the Department of Communities and Justice, the team navigated a complex heritage and live government environment under crisis-driven conditions, applying agility and close collaboration to deliver the project on time and to a high standard, returning this pivotal judicial building better than ever within a matter of months.