COURT HOUSE FOIX
Court of First Instance, Magistrates court, Court of Commerce, Labour court, offices, court hearing rooms, defendants areas
The new courthouse adopts a circular geometric configuration allowing it to fit into the site without favouring one composition axis rather than another, so as to communicate with all the geographic, landscape or built elements of the near and far context. The project then stands as a strong and visible architectural and urban shape which reveals and structures the heterogeneous components of the site without denying them. Our plaza, a gentle, sinuous slope oriented towards the town centre, creates the special conditions adapted to the topographic characteristics to implement an identifiable, calm and progressive access route to the legal institution. This major outdoor space constructs a very strong relation with the surrounding landscape and "binds" the new courthouse to Boulevard du Sud. The courthouse hall, the "salle des pas perdus", is the direct extension of the gently sloping plaza. Crossing the circular figure of the courthouse from one side to the other, it becomes quite naturally the heart and federating element from which the various public activities are structured and organised.