Manchester Civil Justice Centre, Great Britain

Manchester Civil Justice Centre, Manchester, Great Britain

How many loving hearts are warmed by the words "Let's get married", and imagine what bad feelings they have after "We must divorce!" In Manchester city that bad turn in family life is more or less softened with the help of a magnificent building of Civil Justice Centre, which with its modern design and the positive energy breaks the bad stereotype of the "Court". It was constructed between 2003 and 2007 in the Spinningfields district by design of Australian architects from Denton Corker Marshall and engineers from Mott MacDonald. Due to "rumors", Barrie Marshall sketched the entire building by hand and very little has deviated from his drawings. The result was a remarkable work of architecture which was nicknamed "Filing cabinet" due to its distinctive cantilever floors at the ends of the building. Justice Centre provides 47 courtrooms in a sustainable 16-storey building, an 11-storey atrium and a spectacular 60m × 60m glass facade along the western edge. The elegant court complex is an exemplar of an innovative and well-executed sustainable design. The natural ventilation system is designed to maximize free cooling potential and comfort in mid-season. The building's "file drawers" create the illusion that the structure is rather unbalanced. In fact, the building firmly and stably stands on its foundation: the strongest hurricane just cut off a strip of aluminum from the roof of the building. Manchester Civil Justice Centre has won a long list of awards for its outstanding sustainability credentials, innovative engineering design and striking architecture.

By Lilit Khalatyan, www.building.am

Photos: www.worldarchitecturenews.com