Freiburg District Court New Building

The extension of the District Court serves as a new reception building, creating a flowing transition between old and new in the courtyard of a listed perimeter block. A scaled building volume and a coarse-grained red porphyry plaster facade with deeply cut wall openings integrate the new building harmoniously into its historic surroundings.

From the main entrance, visitors enter a light-filled entrance hall. Its large glazed north facade features a work of art-in-architecture by artist Jo Schöpfer: polygonal coloured surfaces that contrast pleasantly with the muted natural colours of the hall and meeting rooms. Seating niches here and in front of the rooms on the upper floor invite participants to discuss the proceedings before and after a hearing.

The top two floors are mainly offices for judges and judicial officers. One detail that demonstrates the suitability of this area for everyday use, but also the pursuit of simple, sustainable solutions, is the summer night cooling using a specially developed door-gap ventilation system.

The interplay of many other holistically designed details creates an aesthetic and user-friendly building on a human scale.