Kapolei Judiciary Complex • Kapolei, O‘ahu, Hawaii The Kapolei Judiciary Complex serves as a centralized facility providing proper venue for the resolution of a wide diversity of family court and other matters in an efficient, dignified, fair, and timely manner. It has the flexibility to respond to the changing judicial needs of the community and meet projected future growth demands. It also symbolizes the community’s commitment to the safety, well being, and fair treatment of children and families. The Kapolei Judiciary Complex contains 12 non-jury courtrooms primarily for Family Court and one large Circuit jury courtroom. Combined with the new courthouse is a new 60-bed Juvenile Detention Facility. The courthouse contains administrative and support functions such as juvenile and adult client services, and public-interface functions such as fiscal and legal documents transactions. Judges’ chambers and staff areas are securely housed on the top floor. The discrete circulation systems allow judges, staff, and detainees move with privacy and security. The courtroom design indicates each person’s role in the proceedings. From carefully placed benches, the judges can clearly see the faces of the people whose situation they are considering. The design reflects a thoroughly Hawaiian response for a civic facility. Design expression comes from the traditional Territorial architecture in Kapolei from this modern institution with its state-of-the-art court operations technology and practices, and from the local culture of O‘ahu expressed through commissioned public art. Five grand art glass windows by Doug Young, a Hawaii artist, are positioned to align with the public waiting areas for each courtroom.
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Sculptor Leland Miyano’s impressive stone pieces in the landscape anchor the community to its voyaging past. The kapa-inspired design embedded in the building exterior, designed by the architect, encompasses the family, community, and the cosmic
laws of heaven, people, and the land. The ceiling designs for the courtrooms and waiting areas, with lights in a circle, are a gentle reminder of the Hawaiian custom of ho‘oponopono (righting a wrong through group effort).
