Address: Minna Canthin katu 64, FI-70100 Kuopio
Customer: Court of Appeal and Administrative Court of Eastern Finland
Artists: Jaana Partanen and Heikki Lamusuo
Pa-La team: Hannu Hoffrén, Outi Taskinen
Area: 132 m²
Material: digitally printed glass / sticker
Architectural planning: Architects’ office Heikki Castrén & Co / Annex and renovation: Partanen & Lamusuo Ltd
Partanen & Lamusuo Ltd has designed the renovation of the facilities of the Court of Appeal and Administrative Court of Eastern Finland, called Kuutio (Cube) and Suunnikas (Parallelogram). Additional space for Suunnikas was gained with a golden annex, Pilleri (Pill), whose glass surface is decorated with the "Justice, Equity, Equality" façade artwork.
The words justice, equity, equality are repeated in Olaus Petri's text from 500 years ago. Olaus Petri's Judge's Rules have constituted for over 360 years the introduction of a lawbook both in Sweden and in Finland. In the course of centuries, the Judge's Rules have become an essential part of Nordic legal tradition, and they are for a great part consistent with the present legislation as well. Particularly the included proverbs, old already at the time of writing, have become part of Finnish folklore, such as: ”What is not justice and equity, cannot be law, either.” Now these proverbs wind on the glass walls of the renovated buildings, continuing and animating the forefathers' philosophical ponderings in the middle of everyday. Minna Canth's memory gives further weight to these words, as the courthouse is located in Minna Canth Street, named after the proponent of noble principles.
Justice, equity, equality, façade artwork, Court of Appeal and Administrative Court of Eastern Finland, Kuopio 2016.
The artwork has been implemented as façade rasterisation, which protects the interiors from sunshine and gives a screen for taking care of sensitive matters. The raster areas of different sizes and the part covering the lower part limit visibility from table surfaces when seen from the outside from the multi-storey blocks opposite, making users feel safe.