Shenzhen Qianhai Justice Center

From ancient times until today, justice, equality and transparency are the key values of all legal structures, of jurisdiction itself. The Shenzhen Qianhai Justice Center transforms these values into tangible architecture. Combined with nowadays economic, ecologic and organizational factors, we had the unique chance to create a whole new kind of courthouses which represents justice in modern times. The Justice Center is the first finished permanent public building in Qianhai. Its volume is composed of two stacked and by 90 degrees twisted boxes. Buildings of such permanence and collective importance have always been based on such simple and clear lines, far away from blatant and banal effects of ordinary buildings. A quiet, dignified appearance is for us the key for creating a timeless and powerful landmark. Additional to the clear geometry, the material contrast of the skirt and the upper volume underlines the absoluteness of jurisdiction. The upper block, exuding a soft white light suspended in the air, cantilevers above the lower block on both sides. This gives the building a balancing gesture, deriving from the most vital inspirational image for this project: the scale - representing equality, stability and fairness of a legal system. While never being explicitly visible, the balanced scale and its connotations are omnipresent in the symmetry of this building’s floor plans, sections and elevations, from the overall façade patterns to even small details. The Qianhai Justice Center does not look like a scale, but the scale is its foundation. In probably only very few cases architects are lucky enough to reach even another level of cultural suitability: while this volume of two stacked boxes turned out to be the optimal figure on many architectural and structural levels already, it ultimately even resembles the Chinese character 中 (zhong) seen from above. This character stands for ‘center’, ‘middle’ and ‘China’ itself. The lower part of the Justice Center is the public service center, providing public litigation, reading, and complaint services. After entering the lobby, people can either go straight to the museum, exploring the development of temporary Chinese jurisdiction, or can casually walk the ramp up to 2nd floor, reaching the main trial hall which is located – like all trial rooms in this building – between two building-high Golden Walls. The ramp also leads downwards into the public service center. The upper part of the Justice Center is the trial and appellate court. Each floor is made up of a public area, the trial area, and an office area, all clearly separated. The transition floor between the two volumes accesses the roof gardens overlooking both the Qianhai Bay and the Justice Square.