Belgium Court of Justice, Hasselt Building, Images, Architecture, West 8 Masterplan Project

Belgium Court of Justice Hasselt : Architecture

Belgian Building – design by J. MAYER H. Architects

13 + 11 Sep 2013

New Court of Justice, Hasselt

Design: J. MAYER H. Architects

New Court of Justice, Hasselt, Belgium

photo : Filip Dujardin

September 13th, 2013 marks the opening of “Court of Justice” in Hasselt, designed by the architects team of J. MAYER H. Architects, a2o-architecten and Lensºass architecten. After finishing the exterior skin already in 2011, the interior was completed in spring of 2013.

The new court of justice is an open, transparent building with direct public access, combining the Court of Justice with a university library and auditoriums for the faculty of law. In keeping with the building’s logistical requirements and safety provisions, the structure is divided into three separate units: courtrooms, the library for students and an office tower with a 64-meters-high panorama restaurant on top from which offers a panoramic view of the city of Hasselt and its surroundings.

photo : Filip Dujardin

Based on a master plan by West 8, the former railway station site has been restructured with a park, public buildings, offices and hotels, as well as urban residential blocks. The team of J. MAYER H. Architects, Lens °Ass and a20-architecten have realized one of the two high-rise buildings, “the new court of justice”, a structure that stands as a contemporary urban landmark of the new district.

photos : Filip Dujardin

References in the design process point to both the image of the “tree”, the hazelnut trees in the City of Hasselt’s coat of arms, and steel structures in the once industrial- and Art Nouveau-influenced area.

photo : Filip Dujardin

New Court of Justice in Hasselt – Building Information

Client: n.v. SOHA (Stedelijke ontwikkelingsmaatschappij Hasselt) – Autonoom Gemeentebedrijf Hasselt + Euro Immo Star)
Architects: J. MAYER H. Architects, a2o-architecten, Lensºass architecten
Construction Company: T.H.V. Hasaletum nv (Democo nv – Cordeel nv – Interbuild nv)
Tenant: Regie der Gebouwen
User: Federale Overheidsdienst Justitie
Square Footage: 20.763 m² above-ground spaces (Offices, Meeting-Rooms, Library, Reception, Cafeteria, Court rooms) 4.694 m² Underground spaces (Archive), 3.384 m² Underground spaces Parking Lot
Construction Time: Oct 2008 – Sep 2013
Address: Parklaan, 3500 Hasselt, Belgium
Project-manager: Eurostation NV
Structural Engineering: M. & A. Van Wetter BVBA
Technical Engineering: Eurostation NV
Controlling and Fire Protection: Seco CV
Photographers: Filip Dujardin, Philippe van Gelooven, Bieke Claessens

photos : Filip Dujardin