Friday, March 29, 2024
 

Architecture of Deconstruction


rmeier.jpg(Long Island Federal Courthouse, Richard Meier & Partners, Architects LLP)

Representations of lawyers, judges and courthouses abound in pop culture, and we are seeing more and more art projects that deal–directly or unfortunately–with law. Yet critical analysis of the physical structures of courthouses are not as frequently seen.


Isabel Abislaiman has recently reviewed a book which tackles the architecture of justice head on. Abislaiman notes that Steven Flander’s Celebrating The Courthouse A Guide for Architects, Their Clients, and the Public, brings together an anthology of writings by architects, lawyers, and judges (including a forward by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer), all of whom analyze the differing and diverse structural embodiments of law as well as the importance of transparency and context.

“Some authors are advocates for restoration and renovation of historic courthouses, which typically dominate the landscape of town squares. Others relish the physical and metaphorical dimensions of new building materials and design requirements such as glass walls to represent judicial transparency and openness and the removal of barriers to the physically disabled as literal symbols of accessibility….The importance of this book lies [in] how architecture can serve as our mirror to help us look at the way we practice law.”

 

Comments

No comments so far.
  • Leave a Reply
     
    Your gravatar
    Your Name
     
     
     

     
     
 
Legal

Clancco, Clancco: The Source for Art & Law, Clancco.com, and Art & Law are trademarks owned by Sergio Muñoz Sarmiento. The views expressed on this site are those of Sergio Muñoz Sarmiento and of the artists and writers who submit to Clancco.com. They are not the views of any other organization, legal or otherwise. All content contained on or made available through Clancco.com is not intended to and does not constitute legal advice and no attorney-client relationship is formed, nor is anything submitted to Clancco.com treated as confidential.

Website Terms of Use, Privacy, and Applicable Law.
 

Switch to our mobile site