YELLOWKNIFE - The $40 million courthouse planned for the legislative precinct looks like a box store, not a major public building, in the opinion of Yellowknife architect Wayne Guy.

"It's not very sympathetic to the spectacular site," Guy concluded after examining the site plan and a photo of a model for the low-slung, two-storey building that sprawls across a granite knoll on the shore of Frame Lake.

The site plan for the 5,600-square-meter building shows parking spaces for 75 cars in three lots placed between the NWT Legislative Assembly and the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre.

"It reminds me of a big boxstore," said Guy, whose proposed collaboration on the project with renowned Metis architect Douglas Cardinal was turned down in favour of the design by PSAV Architects of Yellowknife "It does not have the dignity of a major public building."

Guy said the government should have established a design competition for the courthouse - a process that would have required architects to be paid to submit a design to a panel of judges.

"There should be an opportunity for public discussion; the public needs to be engaged in the process. If you're spending $40 million and the building is intended to last 100 years, it's not good enough to simply do a competent design."

According to government estimates, the building alone is estimated to cost $30.9 million. Land, site preparation, design, servicing and furnishing will add another $10 million.

PSAV won the $3.9 million contract to prepare site plans and design the building in November 2005. Keith Sanders, principal architect with PSAV, said the design was "well-received" by the government committee overseeing the project.

Sahtu MLA Norman Yakeleya, a critic of the new courthouse, was surprised that MLAs have not been provided with drawings or details on the project, which has been delayed for two years to allow for construction of two schools.

"This is just a concept; it's not much to go by," Yakeleya said after viewing a copy of the documents provided by Justice Department spokesperson Meghan Holsapple upon request from

Yellowknifer.

Holsapple said the photo and site plan are the only available views of the new courthouse. Sketches that architects often use to illustrate their designs were considered "too expensive," she said.

Yakeleya said he wants a full briefing on the project from Justice Minister Brendan Bell before the legislature's Social Programs Committee.

"I still think the money would be better spent on programs to keep people out of the justice system," Yakeleya said.