MEGA Studio | TU Delft | 2016
Completed as part of the multidisciplinary MEGA Studio, this project focuses on the comprehensive design, engineering, and construction management of a high-rise building in The Hague. Titled "The House of Justice," the tower accommodates a complex program including a courthouse, offices, retail spaces, a hotel, and residences. The architectural expression reflects this functional division, splitting the tower into two main volumes, the courthouse and the multifunctional building, which remain visually distinct yet externally connected.
As the designated Façade Designer, Bahareh developed specific envelope strategies for both volumes. For the multifunctional tower, she designed a skin that transitions from smooth surfaces at the lower levels to pronounced trapezoidal forms at the top. This geometric evolution creates varied balcony typologies tailored to each function while significantly enhancing the building's aerodynamic wind resistance.
In contrast, the courthouse features a flat, translucent façade designed to manipulate natural light. Light enters through engraved glass panels and is refracted by solar reflectors installed within a glass false ceiling. This sophisticated optical system illuminates the corridors and casts a symbolic, diffuse glow behind the judge’s bench, demonstrating how façade engineering can drive both environmental performance and atmospheric quality.