Renfrew County Courthouse

The Renfrew County Courthouse renovation and addition enhances the 1860s landmark and reveals aspects of the adjacent historic registry and jail. A two-storey, light-filled atrium wraps the original courthouse, exposing the previously concealed jail, and presenting these weathered stone buildings in contrast to the contemporary materials and detailing of the new space. Where possible, the original spaces are given new lives: cells are reused as interview rooms; the registry building is reused as a law library, and its front façade is displayed as an artefact within the two-storey lawyer's lounge. The original jail walls are exposed in several courtrooms and the historic courtroom is fully restored. The result is an enriched public realm that uses the original elements as landmarks within the new court facility, embodying a contemporary judicial system built on tradition.