Norrporten – Rättscentrum Örebro

Yellon designed Örebro Rättscentrum uniting the city’s law enforcement agencies in two adjacent blocks. The approximately 18,000 square meter property accommodates the District Court in Örebro, the Prosecutor's Office, the Police and the Prison and Probation Service.

The block’s exterior features cut corners and an accentuated tower, adhering to the detailed development plan. To emphasize the court’s independent position, we divided the block into two volumes with distinct characters, the Cube and the L-house. The Cube holds the District Court’s courtrooms. The L-house is the premises for the court’s administration, the Police, the Prosecutor’s Office and the Prison and Probation Service.

In the large-scale urban space to the northwest, the L-house rises and is a new and clear entrance at Örebro’s northern gate. The minimal footprint and the site’s busy location required a rational production method and a facade with minimal post-processing. Prefabricated concrete elements with a variety of color and shape were chosen, with all windows assembled at the factory.

Matrix patterns vary from braided, pleated to gently undulating shapes. The facades’ plastic effect and a classic arcade motif creates a rustic yet dignified expression that is modern and light. It also has an exciting shadow play throughout the day.

The building and individual premises are designed to meet high demands for accessibility, technology, logistics and safety. The block is connected to the adjacent police station by a footbridge and an underground passage, ensuring logistics, function and security.

The building adheres to the client’s high environmental goals regarding material selection and energy consumption. For instance, it is heated and cooled with a borehole layer, the ventilation is demand-controlled, and the lighting is presence-controlled and daylight-regulated. Together with a well-insulated and tight climate shell, purchased energy comes to a mere 18kW/m2 a year for heating, cooling and hot water. The building is the third in Sweden to be environmentally certified at LEED Platinum level.