I wouldn't worry too much about WZMH. It looks like the RFP hasn't closed, and as per the IO site, there are two bid teams, and each has a big international player:

Plenary Justice:
  • Architects : WZMH Architects, Perkins Eastman, and CGL Ricci Greene
Ellis Don Infrastructure:
  • Architects: NORR Ltd, and Renzo Piano Building Workshop
I would guess that WZMH and NORR both fit into these teams as horsepower and local license firms. I think your design vision will come from the bolded firms.
 
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Great shot of the UFO's, ADRM. Seriously, your photos of the downtown just remind me how much the cityscape is evolving especially when viewed from interesting vantage points. From someone who doesn't live in Toronto I truly appreciate the photography on UT so much.
 
This is an office building recently built in Seoul, designed by Renzo Piano.
If Renzo's design wins, I feel like we'll get something that resembles this:

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It's more or less the same size in terms of height (110m) and area.
As I hear it, like Toronto, Seoul recommended improvements to the public space, so Renzo incorporated a piloti to the design :

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So much is similar to Toronto - they even found archaeological artifacts during excavation, of which are now incorporated as part of the
public space :

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The archaeological "museum" continues inside the building :

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This is just what we need in my opinion.
Let it be Renzo Piano...
 
The main argument here is that bail hearings will be harder for families and lawyers to get to. Not a strong point in my opinion. You mess up - your family has to take a taxi or wake up earlier.
A valid concern I suppose.
 
I think that's a better argument for creating better public transit options for people in underserved neighbourhoods than anything else.
 
I'm actually curious as to why the plan would be to consolidate all court functions....EXCEPT bail in the new downtown building.

There's no arguing that the new downtown building will be among the most accessible, particularly by transit of any in the city.

Given that the land is already in public hands for the new building, why not just add....2 more floors? to deal w/the bail function? Wouldn't that be more cost-efficient and accessible?

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On the argument of the Finch location being particularly problematic, it does strike me as managing not to be next to the new Finch West Subway Stn, an area where real estate is relatively affordable, and certainly isn't very central on either a north-south or an east-west axis.

On balance, I don't think its unreasonable to ask for a location that would be more accessible to the majority of Torontonians.

I hasten to add, as pointed out above, bail is a proceeding point that occurs prior to one being convicted of anything, so a location should not be 'punishing'.
 
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