As an important ideal for an institution responsible for maintaining justice, transparency became the key concept for Renzo Piano in designing the Maison de l’Ordre des Avocats. The glazed facade and clear structure puts all activity inside on display.
The building is located so that it fits and references the neighboring Paris Courthouse that was completed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop in 2017. The new house for the Paris Bar Association will include a 170-seat auditorium, a library, the offices of the Bar Association and CARPA (the Lawyers' Pecuniary Payment Fund) and the board room.
The structure is made up out of a system of steel masts and tension rods located on the two sides of the building that meet at the nose. Part of the building is located directly above a metro station. Large cantilevers on the ground floor supported by two slim steel columns intend to further increase the transparency.
