Report: A Building with a Symbolic Character –The New Law Courts in Antwerp
Antwerp has a new landmark. The city skyline has been transformed by a striking roof structure that resembles a series of shining waves. The new law courts, designed by Richard Rogers in collaboration with the Belgian architects VK Studio, have dramatically changed the view from the city centre. Ivan Harbour, the project architect for the Rogers office, planned the new building to form a catalyst for a larger urban development in the so-called “new south” of Antwerp. The law courts complex was not designed simply as a spectacular monument, though; it was to form a gateway to the city and a link between the old urban centre and the new development areas. The architects emphasize that they were not trying to achieve a new “Bilbao effect”, but sought to create a transparent structure that could be used as a courthouse for the foreseeable future. In a hundred years from now, according to Rogers, the building may be used for a completely different purpose. In the meantime, the architects hope that it will help to direct movement from the old part of the city to the new development areas.
