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Architects: Varda Studio
- Area: 4100 m²
- Year: 2018
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Photographs:Creative Photo Room
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Manufacturers: Rabel Aluminium Systems, Knauf
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Lead Architect: Andreas Vardas, Birute Vardas
Text description provided by the architects. The design aims to create a continuation of the street elevation between the two buildings, inserting like an abstract form, which maintains the general scale of the street and the area and showcase the human scale as well. The proposed building extends lengthwise of the plot, using atriums to allow natural light enter the building.
The circulation was a crucial factor that influenced the form, creating a dynamic layout to the plan. The organisation was suggesting separate circulation paths for the judges and staff from the public.
The design brings together all these parameters and creates a clear composition of volumes with simple materials and various details, complementing the functions of the building with expressive openings.
The building welcomes the public on the ground floor with an entrance towards the street. The large openings create a bright space with a south orientation. The height of the space is complementing the staircase, which appears as a sculpture and suits perfectly the function of the building. The external wall shades the internal space from the sun, having the openings creating an interesting relation with the light.
The court rooms are located along the corridor on both levels. Each court room has an individual office for the judge and for the secretary with private sanitary space. The court rooms are equipped with bespoke furniture, as per the requirements of the employer, following the aesthetic of the building. Each room has windows looking towards the building’s side in order to have access to sunlight. Corridors on the external sides of the building allow the judges, secretaries and other members of the staff to move discreetly from the public.
Two central atriums contribute to the natural light in the corridors. On the ground floor, there are green spaces with vegetation, which are accessible to the users of the building.
The two basement levels are provided for parking space, for the members of the staff and public accordingly. The entrance is located on the North part of the plot, separately from the pedestrians’ access from the main street to the south.
The construction of the building is conventional, with a reinforced concrete structure designed according to the European Codes. The envelope is brickwork with an external thermal insulation system. Internal division uses a drywall construction system with plasterboard.
The use of external thermal insulation combined with aluminum windows with low thermal permeability contributes to the high energy performance of the building. The sector of the building with the exposed concrete facing the street appears as a monolithic volume rising from the perforated white mask of the ground floor. The distinct openings of the ground floor are reproduced on the corners of the first floor.
The new pedestrian bridge connects from the proposed building with the existing building. The bridge is elevated from the ground, combing a metallic roof and vertical louvers for protection from the weather.
