Law in concrete: Institutional architecture in Brussels and The Hague

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Abstract

One of the most iconic and concrete encounters one can have with international law is to visit its institutional buildings. This article aims to shed light on the ambivalent aspirations reflected by the architectural design of the International Criminal Court in The Hague and the European Union buildings in Brussels. It provides a sightseeing tour through the architectural landscape of these two ‘legal capitals’ and explores the architectural embodiment of international law’s imaginaries through discussing three main issues: (1) the representation of values and needs; (2) embeddedness within the city; (3) audience expectations. It argues that the physical sites of institutional buildings and the public events that take place at these sites are not trivial to the practice of international law. These sites and the activities and interactions on their grounds (re)produce stories that affect our understanding of what international institutions are and what they mean to us. In particular in the international setting, where institutional legitimacy is not a given, the building’s architecture is an important means of communication. This article explores how the architectural design invites or discourages engagement and how it facilitates an encounter between the institutions and their multiple audiences.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)57-82
Number of pages26
JournalLaw and Humanities
Volume14
Issue number1
Early online date17 Feb 2020
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2020

Funding

During the opening ceremony the building was praised for its design and its importance for the further consolidation of the ICC as a permanent court that serves global justice. Both ICC staff and the municipality applauded its integration within the dune landscape, and the efforts to create a sustainable building with a small ecological footprint. Denis Olette, architect and director of Schmidt Hammer Lassen, noted that ‘[d]uring the opening, I talked to several employees at ICC, who told me how proud they are to work there. They now have a building that embodies their mission statement to the world.’ On the other hand, the project evoked criticism throughout the process, mainly with regard to the high costs. The project has been funded by the ICC States Parties, and its total cost, including the move, is around € 204 million, which vastly exceeds the initial estimated cost. Moreover, Maupas notes that ‘[m]any people are disappointed by the impersonal feeling of the place’, referring to the business-like appearance of the building. At the end of the day, the larger part of the building is office space; while the main tower houses three courtrooms and a media centre, the other towers are occupied by over 1,200 workplaces. The practical function competes with the spectacular message.

FundersFunder number
ICC States Parties

    Keywords

    • International law
    • Architecture
    • European Union
    • International Criminal Court
    • Legal Sightseeing
    • legal sightseeing
    • architecture

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