Gerechtsgebouw, Modern courthouse in Hasselt, Belgium.

The Gerechtsgebouw is a judicial complex next to Hasselt station, overlooking Monseigneur Broekxplein. It consists of a six-storey office building and a twelve-storey tower, designed by the architects' group TWINS: Jürgen Mayer with a2o architecten and Lens°ass Architecten. Its faceted dark volumes are clad in pale triangular and polygonal panels framing dark glass, and its shape evokes a hazel tree.

The foundation stone was laid in December 2008 and the building began operations in May 2012. It consolidated multiple scattered judicial facilities across the city into one central location.

The name Hasselt comes from Hasaluth, an old word for hazel forest, and the building's design echoes this origin through its architectural form. Visitors can see how the structure interprets the city's natural heritage in modern materials.

The building sits right next to the train station, making it easy to reach by public transport. Underground parking is available if you arrive by car.

The building's shape refers to a hazel tree: Hasselt comes from the Germanic Hasaluth, meaning hazel grove, and the courthouse is nicknamed De Hazelaar. In April 2015 it won the jury prize in the municipal and government buildings category at the A+ Awards of the online platform Architizer.