The architecture of courts in Portugal and Scotland

Robson, Peter and Branco, Patricia and Rodger, Johnny; (2019) The architecture of courts in Portugal and Scotland. In: Research Handbook on Law and Courts. Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd, Cheltenham.

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Abstract

The past century has seen a significant expansion of dedicated courtroom buildings in two separate but comparable countries, Portugal and Scotland. The architecture of both countries embodies different national and civic values. In the case of Portugal, two particular types of building are encountered with design driven by the varying demands of central Government. The first of those types comprises structures erected during the period of the dictatorship from 1926 to 1974 with a stress on the nobility of justice through monumental buildings with accompanying decoration and symbols of justice. The more recent period has seen a less homogeneous approach with both purpose-built and adapted buildings often providing spaces of mediocre quality, limited decoration and justice-related symbols. In Scotland the earlier 19th century buildings followed the design preferences of local professionals and what was produced were, for the most part, either classical Greek temples of justice or neo-Baronial strong houses of the law. In both cases the buildings were typically unadorned by symbols of justice. Recent centralization has altered that flexibility. In the 21st century in both Portugal and Scotland the expressed need to reduce expenditure on such public services, through the device of court reform, is in danger of altering the role of the courts as expressions of national or civic spirit. Here governments are seeking to economize in a way which contrasts with more expansive and design-centred approaches taken in such countries as France and the United States.

  • Item type:Book Section
    ID code:66845
    Dates:
    Date
    Event
    1 March 2019
    Published
    Notes:This is a draft chapter. The final version will be available in Research Handbook on Law and Courts, forthcoming 2019, Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd The material cannot be used for any other purpose without further permission of the publisher, and is for private use only.
    Subjects:Law > Europe
    Fine Arts > Architecture
    Department:Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HaSS) > Strathclyde Law School > Law
    Depositing user: Pure Administrator
    Date deposited:07 Feb 2019 03:17
    Last modified:11 Apr 2024 00:13
    URI:https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/66845
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