SUPREME COURT

The Supreme Court of the Philippines 2016 Competition Entry

Contemporary yet modest, secured yet accessible. The new Supreme Court building is a technology-driven structure, whilst maintaining its simplicity and openness - conveying modernity without intimidating its stakeholders. The prominent horizontal lines, vertical louvers, floating volume, and distinct roof line gives a familiar Filipino character to the building and accentuates its importance as one of the bastions of democracy.

The complex sits on a higher plane from the main entry affording it a distinguished yet porous facade that creates a welcoming atmosphere for users and draws them within the space. The scale of the development is brought down by creating horizontal slices, minimizing the imposing sensation of high vertically dominant spaces. This emphasis on the horizontality of the building creates a more welcoming civic complex. With the provision of oblique columns that balances the mass, it pays homage to Filipino indigenous architecture through formal cues, but more importantly, environmental considerations of proper cross ventilation and natural lighting. This topographic lift creates new void areas that will serve as civic spaces for people to gather and socialize.

The distinct play on roof lines also highlights the importance of tropical elements for shelter and protection unique to our region. The facade is kept to a clean white to signify purity, fairness, and integrity, in line with the hue of the current Supreme Court in Manila. Wood is used sparingly on the exterior but at precise locations to add warmth to the space. A natural and neutral palette with warm wood accents kept consistent throughout the interior spaces to exude calmness and tranquility that encourages rational discourse.