OMA designs new Palais de Justice in Lille

The architectural firm OMA has designed a new Palais de Justice in Lille, France, situated on the site of the former Vauban fortifications. The 24,000-square-meter project aims to integrate modern judicial needs with the city's historical fabric.

Departing from the binary organizational model used in the city's 1966 courthouse, the new design utilizes a tripartite structure. Large courtrooms are located on the ground floor surrounding the 'salle des pas perdus'. A central triangular tower houses smaller hearing rooms, while administrative offices are contained within a surrounding hexagonal ring. This geometric composition reflects an evolution in judicial practices that require more complex spatial articulations between public and administrative functions.