Thresholds of Power
Power of Thresholds
I. Ramshini (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
O. Caso – Mentor (TU Delft - Building Knowledge)
H.F. Eckardt – Mentor (TU Delft - Teachers of Practice / AE+T)
Y. Söylev – Mentor (TU Delft - Building Knowledge)
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Abstract
Thresholds of Power investigates how contemporary perceptions of justice are shaped by the architectural environments in which judicial processes unfold, focusing on the Palazzo di Giustizia in Milan as a critical case study. Once a monumental expression of centralized Fascist authority, the building continues to influence how institutional power, opacity, and control are experienced today. The project situates this legacy within broader transformations of the courthouse as a building type, addressing emerging challenges such as digitalization, AI integration, transparency, and civic accessibility.
Through the lens of thresholds; understood as physical, symbolic, and procedural mediators - the research explores how architecture structures power relations and produces institutional subjectivities. Combining theoretical inquiry with spatial analysis, including user-flow mapping and design iteration, the project examines the courthouse as a complex civic infrastructure accommodating diverse and often segregated user groups.
The design proposal reimagines the courthouse as a more open, accessible, and publicly engaged institution, while maintaining necessary levels of security and efficiency. By balancing monumentality with inclusivity, the project offers an architectural response that places citizens at the forefront, reframing the courthouse as both a symbol and a facilitator of democratic participation.