Mexico’s Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN) commissioned Fernando Romero to design the new National Institute of Judicial Studies, a school training Mexico’s next generation of judges and civil servants. The building is designed as an institution aiming to modernize and advance productivity, challenge current perceptions of the judicial system, and inspire future judges to achieve excellence in jurisprudence.

Located across from the Supreme Court building in the Doctores neighborhood, the most active seismic area in Mexico City, the site calls for a robust yet elegant design and structural approach that can withstand severe earthquakes. Fernando Romero proposed a single volume of three split-levels that shift inwards to create outdoor space at each level, with louvers wrapping the entire structure to filter sunlight and protect from the elements. The building’s exterior palette and materials are referential to the surrounding federal district buildings, yet contemporary and high performance. A generous public plaza in front of the building signifies an approachability and civic concern of the building and its occupants.

Each level has a range of flexible learning environments, with interiors consisting of glass partitions and light colors to create the feeling of transparency and approachability. The upper levels house a range of spaces for individual and group studies, including mock courtrooms, classrooms, and faculty and administrative offices. On the ground level, the building’s flexibility becomes apparent with multi-purpose rooms that can be combined or partitioned to create a range of options for lectures, meetings, and events.

A particularly desirable feature is the ability to open these rooms to an outdoor plaza to accommodate overflow crowds, serve as an event space for large gatherings, or for day-to-day use by faculty, administration, students, and visitors alike. The building also features a secure underground parking level.