Architecture for Justice
dal 29/3/2011 al 14/5/2011
Segnalato da
29/3/2011
Architecture for Justice
Bozar - Centre for Fine Arts, Bruxelles
Brussels Courthouse, Imagine the Future! The exhibition draws attention to the key questions of the debate about the future of the Brussels Courthouse, its architecture, its location in the city and its use. Which value must be attached to the symbolism of the place? How to reconcile safety measures and public access? Is the monumentality of the building a symbol for modern Justice?....
Curated by Joachim Declerck, Architecture Workroom Brussels
Coproduction: Belgian Buildings Agency, FPS Justice, BOZAR ARCHITECTURE
The Brussels Courthouse, a major architectural symbol in Brussels built between 1866 and 1883
by architect Joseph Poelaert, is hard to secure and complex to modernize. A particularly strong view is
necessary so that its modernization as well as the preservation of its listed features can be
handled at one time. This is the framework in which the Belgian Federal Government decided to
launch an international ideas contest during Belgium’s Presidency of the European Union designed to
examine possible future uses of the Brussels Courthouse and the surroundings of Place Poelaert.
On July 20 2010, the Belgian Buildings Agency and the Federal Public Service Justice launched an
international ideas contest named Brussels Courthouse, Imagine the Future!. The participants
had the opportunity to submit their ideas for two possible scenarios: a Courthouse (partially) keeping
its judicial functions and a Courthouse cleared of its judicial functions.
A jury assessed the 188 submitted projects and selected three laureates for each scenario. On
Wednesday March 30 2011, the prize-winners will be announced in the Centre for Fine Arts
(BOZAR) in Brussels. After the promulgation of the prize-winners, the exhibition Architecture for
Justice. Brussels Courthouse, Imagine the Future! will be officially opened. The exhibition shows
the laureate projects as well as a selection of other interesting ideas.
The exhibition draws attention to the key questions of the debate about the future of the Brussels
Courthouse, its architecture, its location in the city and its use. Which value must be attached to the
symbolism of the place? How to reconcile safety measures and public access? Is the monumentality
of the building a symbol for modern Justice? How to find a good balance between heritage and
to the building?
functionality? Which new interpretation can be given
The exhibition Architecture for Justice. Brussels Courthouse, Imagine the Future! will be open to the
public from March 31 until May 15 2011 in the Centre for Fine Arts in Brussels. Admission is free. All
the submitted ideas for the contest Brussels Courthouse: Imagine the Future can be seen on the
website www.brusselscourthousecontest.be from March 30 2011 (at 6.30 pm).
If you wish to attend the press conference, please register before March 25 2011 via
annelien.mallems@bozar.be
Press conference Wednesday 30 March at 11.30 am
Bozar - Centre for Fine Arts
23 rue Ravenstein, Brussels
Hours: Tuesdays to Sundays, 10 am-6 pm, Thursdays, 10 am-9 pm
Admission is free