What's that huge, staircase-shaped tower to the north of Paris, near Clichy-la-Garenne?

If you've been walking around the north of Paris, or from a high vantage point, you've probably already noticed this strange building whose architecture is reminiscent of a giant staircase. It's the Tribunal de Paris: we tell you more about this unusual tower.

Your eyes go back to Porte de Clichy and... there's a tower climbing up the steps? This is the Tribunal de Paris, the monumental staircase-shaped courthouse designed by Renzo Piano and inaugurated in 2018. What's it really for, who occupies it, and why is its stair-climbing design so intriguing? We explain, playfully.

The Paris Courthouse, perched at Porte de Clichy in the Batignolles area, is no ordinary skyscraper. Europe's first judicial center in terms of volume, with 38 floors and a height of 160 m, this building of superimposed staircase blocks draws an original silhouette against the Paris skyline. Designed by Renzo Piano and due to open in early 2020, it will house the civil and criminal courts, the public prosecutor's office and the criminal investigation department.

Why a giant staircase?

The original design is based on a staggered stack of volumes: each upper floor is slightly recessed, forming a series of terraces. This architectural style, by Renzo Piano, allows :

more natural light, especially in the huge central atrium ;
hanging gardens or balconies offering a green urban space;
symbolic transparency: justice is no longer hidden behind walls, but on display.

What's inside?

On a public tour (Monday-Saturday, ID required), you'll discover :

an open entrance hall on the Robert-Badinter forecourt, leading directly to the hearing floors;
bright, multi-level "pas perdus" rooms, the heart of the building;
a total of 90 courtrooms, over 30,000 m² of office space, and a daily footfall of 6,000 to 7,000 visitors and professionals.

What exactly is its function?

The courthouse now houses :

The tribunal judiciaire, formerly the TGI, as well as 20 tribunaux de proximité and the tribunal de police ﬁn 2018;
The tribunal des affaires de sécurité sociale and other specialized courts;
The Paris public prosecutor's office and specialized departments, including anti-terrorism ;
The regional criminal investigation department, in a building adjacent to 36, rue du Bastion.