European Court of Justice (ECJ) Expansion, Luxembourg

The European Court of Justice (ECJ), created in 1951, is a central institution of the European Union (EU). Its permanent seat (the Palais) is on the Kirschberg plateau above the city of Luxembourg.

The court has expanded with the development of the EU over the years and has extended its premises three times already, most recently in 1994. Now it is having to grow again; the ECJ must now adjust to the May 2004 enlargement of the EU from 15 to 25 countries which will require increased office space for new members and staff and greater courtroom capacity.

Total cost of the expansion and associated works is put at €343 million, financed by the European Investment Bank and Luxembourg's Banque et Caisse d'Epargne de l'Etat.

ECJ EXPANSION ARCHITECT

The latest expansion project has been designed by the French architect Dominique Perrault and the design has been developed in association with Luxembourg architects Paczowski et Fritsch. M Perrault is internationally known for his large-scale projects, including the much-discussed (and controversial) National Library of France.

Work on the expanded four-building ECJ complex involves the refurbishment of the main building and construction of a ring-shaped structure encircling the main building (which will accommodate the ECJ's judges and advocates general) as well as two adjacent 100m-high towers in which the recently expanded translation departments will be housed. The complex will be linked by passageways, to which an underground car park will be added. The interior of the existing Palais will be completely restructured with interior walls knocked through and will then house the main lobby, the principal courtroom and surrounding courtrooms. The architect says that construction of the two towers will create a new urban space which did not exist before, allowing an esplanade through which one can reach the heart of the system.

The new ring will surround the first Japanese-style Palais, which will, claims M Perrault, have the effect of reinforcing its historical presence with a new mass, with the ring serving as a "protection for a historical monument." The expansion is so designed as to emphasise the presence of the court by the two towers on the Kirchberg plateau, where the city's EU institutions are located. They will be visible from Luxembourg city centre, emphasising the links between the Grand Duchy, the court and other EU bodies.

ECJ EXPANSION BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS

The court project is under the contracting authority of the Administration des Batiments Publics of Luxembourg and is being implemented under the supervision of the Public Works Ministry of Luxembourg, in collaboration with the Court of Justice. Coordinator of the project is Geprolux SA, the Luxembourg subsidiary of the international turnkey organisation Paul Wurth, and civil engineering is by Gehl, Jacoby et Associés SA, Schroeder et Associés SA and TR-Engioneering SA.

The project, which began in 2003 with the removal of asbestos from the existing buildings and initial excavation works, is scheduled for completion in 2007 and will double the existing size of the Court. The total surface of the site involved is 76,000m², of which about a third will be for the translators in the towers. Some 10,500m² will be for the offices and premises of the President and court members and 23,000m² for the exterior public space. There will be 770 parking places.

Glass will be used, according to the architect, not for transparency but to allow light to enter the inside and "could be opaque because it is enamelled, silk-screened, or it could have blinds, double facades or runner systems on the inside or outside."

Geprolux, the project coordinator, says that excavation began last year and is now virtually complete. Construction has begun at one of the three main sites but many contracts have not yet been agreed and will be subject to EU-wide competition, the company says.

INTERIOR

Electrical engineering is by Bevilacqua et Associés, of Luxembourg, which is supplying escalators and information and emergency systems, and Felgen et Associés (lighting). Total cost is about €34 million. The wiring and supply of electrical equipment is not out of the ordinary for a project of this type in Luxembourg, according to the contractor.

Jean Schmit Engineering is installing heating and cooling equipment, including air conditioning. This will involve the installation of 16 air treatment units and four core water projection engines, each one rated at 1,500kW. The whole project will require 7,000kW of water-cooling capacity. The contractor says the requirements are normal for offices and banks in the city. Sanitary engineering has been contracted to RMC-Consulting of Luxembourg and "expert facades" to Ralf Bache.