Laurent de Sutter, Bas Princen, Thomas Greck, Thierry Henrard, Isabelle Leroy, Jos Vandenbreeden, Dirk Van Gerven et Benjamin Zurstrassen
Now that the State has finally decided to allocate a budget for the building's renovation, CIVA is pleased to invite you to the presentation of its book on the Brussels Palais de Justice, co-edited with urban.brussels.
Entitled Horta avocat de Poelaert and subtitled La Leçon du Palais de Justice, the book is the result of research on unpublished archives, and traces the building's construction history and the many transformations it underwent, particularly after the collapse of its dome in 1944.
The architectural analysis of the Palais is based, among other things, on a text by Victor Horta - published in this book for the first time - which attempts to restore the building to its original coherence and legibility.
A richly illustrated collective work, the book (designed by Boy Vereecken) also highlights the similarities between the Palais and Horta's work, looks back at the building's international influence and questions the building's possible inclusion on the World Heritage List.
A photographic commission by Bas Princen confronts traces of the past with recent interventions. Finally, a programmatic text examines the future of the building's judicial function.
Moderated by Nikolaus Hirsch and Yaron Pesztat