THE COURTHOUSE

Located in the up-and-coming Zuidas district, the new Amsterdam Courthouse exudes approachable authority adhering to the principle that the judicial process is a public matter.

KAAN Architecten designed the stately yet inviting institution f
or public discourse through a collaborative DBFMO* contract overseeing the building''s funding, construction, maintenance, and property management.

The Courthouse: Public Architecture is entirely produced and compiled by the building''s arch
itects. Through original essays and articles, they take us behind the scenes to unveil the Courthouse as the ultimate gesamtkunstwerk - both a project and a process. These in-depth analyses are visually documented by rich illustrations, construction
photographs, and technical drawings.

Additional dialogues with client representatives, Courthouse spokespersons, and Amsterdam''s urban planners, lend a voice to untangle and explain the demands of a public building, architectural conceptual
ization, and public-private partnerships.

More than being the first and most comprehensive look at the Amsterdam Courthouse, this book is a statement and a call for more open, collaborative designs made to last in the community they serve.r/>

*Design Build Finance Maintain Operate