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SAHARA Highlights: Justice

Jan 23, 2025 by SAHARA Co-Editors Jacqueline Spafford, Jeannine Keefer and Associate Editor Meral Ekincioglu
It seems timely to look at the architecture of justice, with the rule of law under threat in many parts of the world. From the imposing facades of 19th and early 20th century high court buildings, to the elegance of Niemeyer and Le Corbusier’s Palaces of Justice, to the simplicity of the personifications of Justice, these selections from the SAHARA collections illustrate the breadth of content, and the research interests of our members.

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1. Oscar Niemeyer, Tribunal Supremo Federal (Federal Supreme Court), Brasilia, Brazil, 1972. Photograph by Doriane Meyer, 2018.

A modernist building with large concrete arches and cascading water features flowing from protruding slabs into a reflective pool, surrounded by greenery.

 

2. Jeanne Gang / Gang Architects, Arcus Center for Social Justice, Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 2014. Photograph by Dell Upton, 2015.

A modern building with a cantilevered glass facade, curved stone walls, and integrated landscaping, featuring stairways and a minimalist design.

 

3. George Edmund Street et al, Royal Courts of Justice, London, England, 1868-82. A prime example of the decorative English Gothic style. Photograph by Richard Longstreth.

 

4. Palace of Justice, Damascus, Syria, 1850 (last renovation). Partially built on Ottoman-era structures, it housed the Ottoman army. Photograph by Nasser Rabbat. 

 

5. William LaBarthe Steel, with Purcell and Elmslie, Woodbury County Courthouse, Sioux City, Iowa, 1916-18. The interior of the Prairie-style building is decorated with murals by John Warner Norton; the one shown here is a tribute to the fallen soldiers of WWI.  Photograph by Jean France, 2000.

 

6. Le Corbusier, High Court of Justice, Chandigarh, India, 1952-56. Photograph by G.E. Kidder Smith.

 

7. Louis-Auguste Amos, Charles Jewett Saxe, and Ernest Cormier, Édifice Ernest-Cormier, Montreal, Quebec, 1920-26. Photograph by Aliki Economides, 2010.

 

8. MASS Architecture and Design, National Memorial for Peace and Justice, Montgomery, Alabama, 2018. The memorial recognizes the thousands of lynchings that took place in the United States. Photograph by Dell Upton, 2020.

 

9. Phra Sarocharattanimmaan (Saroch Sukkayang), Supreme Court, Ministry of Justice complex, Bangkok, Thailand, 1941-63. The columns represent the six ideals of the People’s Party:  independence, safety, economy, equality, freedom and education. The impetus for the construction of the Ministry of Justice complex was the repeal of extraterritoriality laws in 1939. Photograph by Lawrence Chua, 2012.

 

10. Frank Lloyd Wright, Hall of Justice, Interior atrium, Marin County Civic Center, San Rafael, California, 1966-69. The Civic Center was Wright’s largest, and last, public commission, and was completed after his death. Photograph by G.E. Kidder Smith.

Spacious atrium with a curved glass ceiling allowing natural light. First floor is open to the second, bridged by several traverses. The space features geometric design elements and symmetrical corridors.

 

11. Oscar Niemeyer (architect) and Alfredo Ceschiatti (artist), Tribunal Supremo Federal (Federal Supreme Court) with A Justiça (Justice) in foreground, Brasilia, Brazil, post-1956. Photograph by Lisa D. Schrenk, 2007.

 

12. Cass Gilbert, United States Supreme Court Building, Washington, D.C., 1932-35. View of the casket of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg resting in the portico. Photograph by Dell Upton, 2020.