RSHP

European Court of Human Rights

Project Partners
Ivan Harbour

Project Partners
Ivan Harbour

Date
1989-1995

Client
Conseil de l’Europe

Location
Strasbourg, France

Cost
£ 35 000 000

Overview

The European Court of Human Rights provides a landmark building for the ‘New Europe’ on a site some distance from the historic centre of the city and close to the river.

In terms of considering the client’s brief for the site, the very nature of the Court’s business suggests that its premises should be welcoming and humane, while preserving an appropriate dignity. Protecting and enhancing the quality of the site was another prime objective, while economy of operations and the creation of a ‘natural’ environment were equally important.

The basic diagram of the scheme was tested to the limits during the design process – particularly as a result of the collapse of the Communist Bloc by the late 1980s/early 1990s – resulting in the building’s office provision growing to some 50 per cent and areas of public space by 25 per cent.

The two main departments of the European Court, the Court itself and the Commission, occupy two circular chambers at the head of the building which are clad in stainless steel with secondary structural elements picked out in bright red. The entrance hall is filled with natural light and offers visitors views across the river and the ‘tail’ of the building is divided into two parts containing offices, administration and the judges’ chambers.

Data

Awards  
2015Architecture contemporaine remarquable

Team
Laurie Abbott, Peter Angrave, Eike Becker, Elliot Boyd, Mike Davies, Karin Egge, Pascale Gibon, Marco Goldschmied, Lennart Grut, Ivan Harbour, Amarjit Kalsi, Sze-King Kan, Carmel Lewin, Avtar Lotay, John Lowe, Louise Palomba, Kim Quazi, Richard Rogers, Pascale Rousseau, Yuli Toh, Sarah Tweedi, Andrew Tyley, Yoshiyuki Uchiyama, John Young

Project Partners
Ivan Harbour

 

Date
1989-1995

Location
Strasbourg, France

Gross Floor Area
28 000 m²

Co-Architect
Atelier d'Architecture Claude Bucher

Structural Engineer
Ove Arup & Partners / Omnium Technique Européen

Services Engineer
Ove Arup & Partners / Omnium Technique Européen

Quantity Surveyor
Thorne Wheatley Associates

Lighting Consultant
Lighting Design Partnership

Landscape Architect
David Jarvis Associates / Dan Kiley

Contractor
Campenon Bernard SGE

Acoustic Consultant
Sound Research Laboratories

Data

Awards  
2015Architecture contemporaine remarquable

Team
Laurie Abbott, Peter Angrave, Eike Becker, Elliot Boyd, Mike Davies, Karin Egge, Pascale Gibon, Marco Goldschmied, Lennart Grut, Ivan Harbour, Amarjit Kalsi, Sze-King Kan, Carmel Lewin, Avtar Lotay, John Lowe, Louise Palomba, Kim Quazi, Richard Rogers, Pascale Rousseau, Yuli Toh, Sarah Tweedi, Andrew Tyley, Yoshiyuki Uchiyama, John Young

Date
1989-1995

Location
Strasbourg, France

Gross Floor Area
28 000 m²


Co-Architect
Atelier d'Architecture Claude Bucher

Structural Engineer
Ove Arup & Partners / Omnium Technique Européen

Services Engineer
Ove Arup & Partners / Omnium Technique Européen

Quantity Surveyor
Thorne Wheatley Associates

Lighting Consultant
Lighting Design Partnership

Landscape Architect
David Jarvis Associates / Dan Kiley

Contractor
Campenon Bernard SGE

Acoustic Consultant
Sound Research Laboratories

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