first images of renzo piano's paris courthouse complex revealed

the first images of france’s new ‘tribunal de paris’ have been unveiled. designed by italian architect renzo piano, the building brings together the city’s various facilities — previously dispersed around the capital — to form the largest law courts complex in europe. situated within the urban development zone of clichy-batignolles on the northern edge of paris, the slim 160 meter (525 ft) tall scheme comprises stacked volumes, each clad with glass. the site is well connected by public transport, including the northern stretch of the city’s new tramway.

all images © sergio grazia

the new palais de justice has been documented in new images taken by paris-based photographer sergio grazia. renzo piano building workshop began working on the project seven years ago, and it is expected to fully open early in 2018. in developing the scheme, the architects sought to reduce the apparent scale of the building by breaking it down into four volumes of decreasing size. entry is provided to the lowermost structure — conceived as a ‘pedestal’ — via a 6,000 square meter (64,600 sq ft) plaza on the avenue de la porte-de-clichy.

the development brings together the city’s various legal facilities

50 desks within the reception areas minimize visitor waiting time, while three atria ensure that the space is filled with natural light. a system of vertical and horizontal circulation routes lead to the 90 courtrooms above. the subsequent three volumes, which contain around ten storeys each, include offices and meeting rooms: the second is the domain of the magistrates, the third of the public prosecutor’s offices, and the fourth and final volume houses the presiding judges.

the building is the largest law courts complex in europe

the stacked system results in large roof terraces — around a hectare in total — which have been landscaped and planted with trees and other vegetation. meanwhile, the building features a completely glazed façade — a cladding designed to reinforce the building’s message of transparency and ease of orientation. from an environmental standpoint, the project employs a range of strategies including the use of natural ventilation, the incorporation of photovoltaic panels on the façade, and the collection of rainwater. see designboom’s previous coverage of the project here.

the site is well connected by public transport, including the northern stretch of the city’s new tramway

a completely glazed façade is designed to reinforce the building’s message of transparency 

the project employs a range of strategies including the incorporation of photovoltaic panels

large roof terraces have been landscaped and planted with trees and other vegetation

the project is situated within the urban development zone of clichy-batignolles

RPBW began working on the project seven years ago, and it is expected to fully open early in 2018

project info:

status: completed
client: etablissement public du palais de justice de paris + bouygues bâtiment
design: renzo piano building workshop, architects

competition (2010-2011) —

design team: b.plattner (partner in charge), j.b.mothes, d.rat with b.akkerhuis, m.angelozzi, l.bot, n.byrelid, s.cloarec, s.crabot, j.franco, f.garrigues-cortina, s.giorgio-marrano, l.le roy, j.moolhuijzen (partner), p.pires da fonte; b.schelstraete; o.aubert, c.colson, y.kyrkos, y.chaplain (models)

consultants: SETEC bâtiment, berim (MEP); SETEC TPI (structure); eléments ingénieries (sustainability); RFR (façades); movveo (vertical transportation); majorelle (interior design, space planning)

design development (2012-2017) —

design team: b.plattner (partner in charge), s.giorgio-marrano, j.b.mothes, d.rat, a.belvedere (partner), g.chung, s.cloarec, b.granet, a.greig, c.guézet, a.karcher, m.sismondini with n.aureau, g.avventi, a.bercier, f.bolle, l.bot, a.boucsein, n.byrelid, j.chevreux, s.crabot, j.franco, n.grawitz, b.guimaraes, v.houeiss, n.maes, j.sobreiro, s.stevens, m.van der staay and t.heltzel, m.matthews ; o.aubert, c.colson, y.kyrkos, y.chaplain (models)

consultants: SETEC bâtiment, berim (MEP); SETEC TPI (structure); eléments ingénieries (sustainability); RFR (façades); movveo (vertical transportation); lamoureux (acoustics); m.harlé/j.cottencin (signage); cosil peutz (lighting); c.guinaudeau, aia ingénierie (planting); majorelle (interior design, space planning); ecotec (specification consultant); studio akkerhuis (consulting architect)