Those charged with delivering new courts in the UK - not least the fabled Commercial Court - might do well to cast an eye over to Belgium where, last week, court design moved on a step or five.

Antwerp's £86 million new law courts, designed by the UK's Richard Rogers Partnership, were opened by King Albert II, and house 36 courtrooms plus offices, chambers for judges and lawyers, a library, cafeteria, and great public hall (the space traditionally known as the 'Salle des Pas Perdus'), linking six radiating wings of accommodation. There is an emphasis on transparency in the design - justice being seen to be done and all that, especially in light of accusations of corruption in the Belgian legal system in recent years - thus the building is also not overbearing in size, unlike the Palais de Justice in Brussels. The roof structure, crystalline in form, links the paraboloid roofs that cover the courtrooms. These roofs are also meant to reflect Flemish paintings of barges passing through the countryside, which is rather nice.


In the way of new buildings, such as the new Welsh Assembly (also designed by Richard Rogers), it aims to be environmentally friendly, with natural light used to optimum effect in the courtrooms, rainwater recycled, and low-velocity ventilation. It would be nice to think that such imagination and effort went into constructing courts in the UK.