HIGH COURT NEW FUNCTIONS FOR THE CITY OF TIRANA Student: Supervisor:
Samaela Lala Branko Belacevic
Public buildings, specifically court buildings, represent unique and interesting type of construction. On one hand, for a large part of the society they represent a point of contact with the government, especially the judiciary branch, which in the eyes of the public, in its concrete form of court facilities has great symbolic value in terms of representing justice and equality among the various members of society. Conceived and typically designed as “sorting machines,” courts models have a very clear and distinct circulation. These buildings have a“strong program” which means that everything is built following strong rules. Throughout the Western world, courts are experiencing a quiet revolution. Neoclassical court buildings that are made of stone reflect the au| 250
thority and majesty of the law but, nowadays, they are being replaced by sleek modern buildings of glass and steel, providing comfortable office environments, efficient services and new ways of representing justice. Technology is transforming the work of the courts. While the courts are becoming more open and accessible, they are also simultaneously becoming more closed, with safety barriers and traffic isolation zones., As in any other country, even in Albania, courts are a key element to in enabling a state of law to function well. The objective of this project, as the court building itself, was to not adversely affect the human psyche. In this environment, many issues are judged and, in principle, the idea of judgment, especially in the Albanian mentality, is
very heavy and associations with it create a fear of judgment and guilt. The challenge of this project was the combination of all these elements, starting from actual principles to psychologically-created feelings. But what was the project’s primary aim. In terms of civil architecture, offer an architectural object that reflects the operation of the building as an instrument of justice for the state, while also providing a greater amount of natural light, minimal risk in terms of security and public safety within the premises, effective technology and maximally-used facilities, among other things. The main goal of this project is to show that architecture influences the human senses. In addition, such an object could possibly alter people’s perceptions and
their fear toward such institutions. The importance of a healthy society is the main idea on which this project was is based. This project offers a rich program for the building along with a program for the public’s use. It is a building dedicated to the entire system of justice, transparency, security rooms, which will be of a high standard, especially in terms of the elements a judge needs to build more transparent a trials within the norms of security levels. Technologies, materials, colors are used in such a way that buildings maintain its authoritarian image (which establishes justice), while at the same time inviting the public to interact and cooperate with it.