The Antwerp Palace of Justice is a court building in Belgium, located on the site of the former Antwerp-South railway station. The building is built on the Bolivar Tunnel. It houses eight regional civil and criminal courts.
The building consists of six court and office wings radiating from a public reception area called Salle des Pas Perdus. Entrance to the building is via a grand staircase at ground level, rising over the Bolivarplaats tram lines.
Each of the 26 small and 6 large courtrooms is topped with shells, sail roofs or roof cones. These are designed to represent the sails of ships passing through the Scheldt, past and present.
While designing the building, Richard Rogers Partnership paid great attention to the environmental aspects of the project and the efficient use of energy. When designing the building, minimum impact on the environment was important. Therefore, the building was designed to utilize natural light and ventilation.
