ENG |
This project endeavors to denude the figure of the courthouse of its daunting character and to make a building that is as user-friendly and publicly accessible as possible. As a metaphor for the transparency of the judicial system, the building reveals the inner workings of the courthouse to the public eye. A large planted plaza is at the heart of the site, and all publicly accessible spaces are located around this garden. The District Court and the Family Court are separate but face each other through the garden. All the courtrooms are accessed from a shared atrium hall overlooking this garden, and all the courtrooms benefit from natural light. Administration and offices are placed in a suspended volume which shades the central garden plaza. Organized around a series of patios, the offices maintain a visual connection with the public realm below.