JUST. MILANO
Mediation Courthouse: Rebuilding Trust in Milan’s Justice System
M.J. Kroes (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
B. Groothuijse – Mentor (TU Delft - Berlage)
J.A.A. Woertman – Mentor (TU Delft - Teachers of Practice / AE+T)
M. Finagina – Mentor (TU Delft - Teachers of Practice / A)
A. Mulder – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Education and Student Affairs)
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Abstract
JUST. MILANO stands for justice, understanding, solutions, and transparency. It reimagines the role of the courthouse in contemporary society, addressing the urgent need for judicial reform in Italy, where case backlogs and low public trust weaken the justice system. The project introduces a new typology that prioritizes mediation, transparency, and civic engagement. Rather than reinforcing the image of justice as distant and formal, the building envisions the courthouse as an open, accessible space that fosters dialogue and understanding. At the core of the design lies mediation, an informal, collaborative process facilitated beyond formal judicial spaces. By spatially integrating mediation as a key component, the project offers a more efficient and human-centered approach to justice. The courtrooms are arranged linearly in a stacked layout, creating an efficient arrangement that minimizes travel distances while ensuring flexibility, clarity, and high-level security. This organization supports the clear separation between user groups the public, private, and secure, while allowing moments of visual connection throughout the system. JUST. MILANO is more than a building: it is a spatial manifesto for judicial reform, demonstrating how architecture can actively restore trust in justice and bring the institution closer to the society it serves.