Klaipėda Courts House

The equivalent of the English word court originates from the Latin hortus, meaning a closed garden. We can infer the origins of the court as a gathering of people aiming to reach an agreement: ‘The earliest courts [...] were probably clearings in the forest.’ These connections allow for a meaningful interpretation of the territorial context – lines of trees surround the building on both sides like a forest clearing. The main gathering spaces, the courtrooms, are arranged centrally, visible from the inner atrium. The silhouette and façades of the courthouse undulate in response to the avenue of trees, embodying the concept named Iustitia Fluctus.

The building’s façades are covered with architectural lace, balancing on columns, creating organic glass openings resembling water ripples, surfaces stirred by the wind. Inside, red bricks characteristic of Klaipėda city are visible from the building’s exterior, ensuring harmony of the new volume with the urban environment. The planned structure envisages three separate zones – public, administrative, and special security – enabling the confidential operation of the Klaipėda Courts House.

The public representative space is created by the main facade of the building along Kaunas Street, forming a clearly legible entrance area of the building while also enriching and emphasizing the avenue of trees stretching along the edge of the street. The greenery on both sides of the plot is preserved, complementing the entrance area and public space along Kaunas street on the representative side of the building, and forming natural outdoor spaces for the building’s employees in the inner part of the plot.

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