Constitutional Court of South Africa, Supreme court in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, South Africa
The Constitutional Court of South Africa is the highest court in the country in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, consisting of a main building with a courtroom and adjoining service areas for administration and archives. The courtroom itself has seating for judges on a low platform, surrounded by wooden panels made from reclaimed doors of the old prison cells.
The judges met from 1994 initially in temporary premises until they moved into the newly built structure at Constitution Hill in February 2004. The complex was erected on the grounds of an apartheid-era detention facility that operated until the early 1980s.
The building carries the name Number Four because it stands on the site of the former Number Four prison block, where political prisoners were held. In the entrance hall hang knitted tapestries made by women from surrounding neighborhoods, showing scenes from community life.
Visitors can enter the building during weekdays and gain access to public areas such as the library and exhibition spaces. On some days guided tours take place, leading through the architecture and the history of the site.
In the courtroom, narrow horizontal windows at the base of the judges' bench allow a view of the feet of pedestrians outside. This design was meant to remind the judges that they serve the public.
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