Göta Court of Appeal wins Jönköping urban development award

Göta Court of Appeal and the Administrative Court of Appeal win the Jönköping Urban Design Prize and the prize in the Good Architecture category. FOJAB is behind the design of the court building, which balances respect and dignity with humility and openness.

The jury's motivation reads: A new public landmark has been created on the northern shores of Munksjön. The facade of the court building is skillfully designed and built up of deep, soft pillar modules that create a rich play of shadows and it contributes to the site with inviting seating niches. The solid architectural craftsmanship can be found in both exterior and interior details, as well as in the volume structure, where the building's twists and height variations between two and six floors interact with the surroundings. This is the last important piece of the puzzle in Jönköping's Urban Design Vision 1.0.

The court building connects the buildings along the western shore of Munksjön and the entrances open up towards Bastionsparken and Hamngatan. Around the building, there is space to stay and move around, which gives life and movement to the place. At the same time, the design of the facade limits visibility.

- A court building must be able to handle two conflicting objectives. On the one hand, it must be open to the public - openness is a cornerstone of our democratic society. At the same time, individuals' desire for privacy must be respected. We wanted to create a safe environment for people who may find themselves in a difficult situation. We are of course very pleased that the municipality of Jönköping appreciates the new court building and that it has taken its place as a landmark in the city," says Kjell Adamsson, architect in charge at FOJAB.

The building has ten negotiation rooms and around 180 workstations, as well as areas for visitors. The interior materials - stone and wood - evoke the forest of Småland. Two continuous atria with glass walls provide daylight far into the building and create a harmonious environment.

The developer is Castellum, which after taking possession sold the building to Vacse.

- We are grateful for the good cooperation with the architectural firm FOJAB, whose experience with court buildings made this project possible. It is a worthy building and a fine addition to the environment. The building is stately, modern and sustainable, among other things based on the choice of materials," says Project Manager Christan Nilsson at Castellum Jönköping.