Justitiepaleis Antwerpen

Justitiepaleis Antwerpen is a courthouse in Antwerp, Belgium, with a roof shaped by ship-like sails. The building is also called the Butterfly Palace.

It stands above the Bolivar Tunnel on the former site of Antwerp-South railway station. The building spreads into wings around the central public hall.

The hall, known as the salle des pas perdus, links courtrooms, offices, entrances, and the street. Wooden roof lining remains visible from this bright public space.

Thin stainless steel covers the roof outside, while the sails bring daylight into courtrooms. Their form recalls ships on the Scheldt.

Richard Rogers Partnership, VK Studio, and Arup developed the international architectural design. The courthouse contains civil and criminal courts, judges’ chambers, lawyers’ rooms, offices, and a library.

Natural ventilation and rainwater reuse shape the building’s environmental approach. Green embankments shield Bolivarplaats from motorway noise and pollution.

Roof-shaped plane trees stand in front of the courthouse on Bolivarplaats. Security rules leave the gardens visible only through glass.

De Frietzakken, meaning chip bags, refers to the sails’ distinctive appearance. The building presents Antwerp’s modern architecture through light, space, and transparent connections.