Brussels Courthouse – International Ideas Contest
This contest has expired. More information about the final results will be published when they become available.
Winners Announcement Expected: January-March 2011
The Brussels' Palace of Justice is a symbol for the power of Justice, dominates the skyline of Brussels and is a window to the past. Yet the stately justice building is hard to secure and to modernize.
In this context and taking into consideration the Belgian chairmanship of the European Union, the Belgian Buildings Agency and the Department of Justice are holding an international ideas contest under the name of ‘Brussels Courthouse: Imagine the future’.
Imagine the future for the Brussels Courthouse and its surrounding area.
Objective
The goal of the contest is to develop a vision about the future of this Courthouse. This vision will be expressed in one or more rough ideas regarding an architectural and urban project for the building and the surroundings of the Poelaert square. Rather than on finished urban development or architectural projects the contest focuses on ideas involving the functions of the Palace of Justice such as the future judicial or other functions of the building and the surroundings of Poelaert square.
The proposed projects need to take into account the monumental value of the building as well as the significance of this location in a present-day context. The line of approach is kept as wide as possible.
The participants may cover one of the following two scenarios:
- or the Palace of Justice with a (partially) judicial function as, e.g., the Court of Appeal (civil department), the Court of Cassation, the office of the public prosecutor, the Court of Assizes and the bars;
- or the Palace of Justice without any sort of “judicial” function.
Projects will be assessed according to the following criteria:
- the relevance of the answers developed in the project to the problem,
- the feasibility of the idea,
- the novelty of the idea,
- the quality of the project presentation and the quality of integration in the environment of the Poelaert site, either by contrast or by analogy.
Prizes
An amount of 60,000 euros will be divided under the 2 scenarios in the course of which each scenario will be rewarded as follows:
- 15000 euros for the winner
- 10000 euros for the runner up
- 5000 euros for the third laureate
The Belgian Buildings Agency will support traveling expenses and accommodation expenses of the prize - winners invited on the day of the award ceremony and residing outside a radius of 200 km around Brussels (two hotel nights in Brussels). This applies only to the official representative of the team (individual appointed by the team).
Rules
- The contest is meant for professionals from all countries, either active in the field of architecture, urban planning and Justice or engineers, market development engineers, artists, … as well as schools active in these fields.
- One can enter the contest individually or in group.
How to enter?
You must register for the contest on the official website by filling in the online application form.
Projects must be submitted to the following address:
Regie des BâtimentsMr. Jean-Marc Helson
Avenue de la Toison d'Or 87 boîte 2
B-1060 Brussels
Belgium
All projects must be handed in till 16th November 2010 at the latest.
