23. December 2008

Golden veil

The Principal Courtroom of the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg

Sophisticated shapes, created in noble fabrics and elegant materials, have always been an expression of self assurance. In fashion, the crinoline is a timeless symbol of style and elegance, of discreet concealment and overt presentation. Perhaps it was this range of expressiveness that inspired the French architect Dominique Perrault in his design for the ceiling cladding in the principal courtroom of the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg. Like a colossal, overhanging crinoline, a multilayered golden cowl floats beneath the four completely glazed facades. The complex geometry and noble aesthetics of this protective canopy called for much more than conventional materials could possibly provide. Once again, Perrault found the perfect solution in a metallic architectural fabric made by GKD – Gebr. Kufferath AG. Using the gold-coloured anodized spiral mesh type Escale 5 x 1, he applied his reductive design vocabulary to create the magic of the veil.