Territory on Trial

Abstract

The ‘Territory on Trial’ project investigates the spatial and territorial dynamics within courthouse architecture, focusing on the courtroom as a microcosm of broader struggles over power, access, and control. The courthouse, as both a civic and judicial institution, encapsulates a fundamental tension between authority and public openness. Within the courtroom, these tensions are made spatially explicit: it is the only space where all key actors are simultaneously present, each negotiating their own form of territorial control. The courtroom therewith operates as a condensed reflection of the courthouse at large, revealing how architecture mediates authority, visibility, and participation. Historically, the courthouse was not always an enclosed symbol of state power but a civic space of openness and dialogue. In ancient societies, justice was dispensed in public settings under trees or in open-air assemblies where the presence of the community was essential to the legitimacy of the process. The Athenians and medieval Europeans alike practiced law in spaces where nature, symbolized by the tree, stood as a marker of wisdom, stability, and impartiality. These open-air courts embodied transparency and collective accountability, ensuring that justice was both seen and shared. Over time, however, as legal systems became more specialized, the spaces of justice grew increasingly formalised and hierarchical. The modern courthouse, with its monumental facades, elevated benches, and rigid circulation, reflects a shift toward spatial segregation and control, reinforcing power structures through architectural means.

This thesis critically examines how such architectural hierarchies shape behaviour, social interaction, and perceptions of justice. It explores the ways in which spatial design can either sustain or subvert authority, asking what it means for a public building especially one so symbolically charged as a courthouse to be genuinely open and democratic. This continuing tension between ideals of accessibility and the practical imperatives of security and order lies at the heart of the inquiry. Drawing on case studies, theoretical frameworks, and spatial analysis, the research investigates how architectural form, scale, and materiality influence civic experience and shape the perception of justice. It questions whether the courthouse can evolve beyond its traditional typology to become a civic space of participation and engagement one that reflects not only authority, but also empathy and inclusivity. Within the context of Milan, with its layered legal traditions and increasingly diverse urban fabric, this thesis positions the courthouse as a lens through which to reconsider how architecture can embody the principles of equity, transparency, and public trust.

Ultimately, the project seeks to contribute to a broader understanding of how spatial design influences civic life and the social meaning of justice, offering new perspectives on how public institutions can balance dignity with openness, and authority with accessibility.