ArchtRoom

UK based Zaha Hadid’s new civil courts building in Madrid is set to become the focal point of the new urban complex which includes designs from fellow UK architects Foster + Partners. So as to create a better collective experience, the design for the Civil Courts of Justice inserts public space in its core - integrating it by connecting it with the campus’s public circulation. As a result, the Civil Court of Justice design shifts from being a component of the overall system to becoming its pivoting point, helping to organise the entire urban masterplan complex. The envelope of the 74,500sqm building is composed of a double-ventilated façade. The exterior layer of the facade is composed of metallic panels which respond to environmental and program conditions. These panels shift from open to closed and from flat to extended depending on the circumstances affecting them. It is also envisaged for the metallic panels on the rooftop incorporate photovoltaic cells. Inside the building, a spiralling semi-circular atrium is developed around the courtyard where all public space evolves. The project is due for completion in 2010




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