Israel Opens New Justice Ministry Building with Public Square for Protests in Jerusalem
At the end of July, Israel inaugurated the new Justice Ministry building in Jerusalem's National Quarter, approximately three and a half years after Justice Minister Yariv Levin introduced a controversial judicial reform plan that sparked widespread protests. The new facility consolidates the ministry's previously scattered offices across Jerusalem and Tel Aviv into a 65,000-square-meter complex housing about 1,600 offices, including the offices of the Justice Minister, the State Attorney, and the Government Legal Advisor, Gali Baharav-Miara.
Designed by the architectural firm Man-Shinar Architects and urban planners, the building is part of a broader renewal of the Ben Gurion complex, known as the National Quarter, which includes key government institutions such as the Prime Minister's Office, Bank of Israel, Ministry of Finance, Knesset, and the National Library. The project features a new public plaza called National Square, located at the intersection of Eliezer Kaplan Street and Wolfson Boulevard, designed by landscape architects TeMA. This plaza includes an urban amphitheater with covered seating facing a biological water pool and serves as a central open space connecting several government buildings.
The Justice Ministry building itself is situated on a slope and includes a secure, green courtyard reserved for employees, separated from the public plaza by a glass wall for security reasons. The design emphasizes transparency and modesty, avoiding fences and using architectural elements to meet security needs. The complex also incorporates commercial frontage along Nataniel Lorch Street to activate the area beyond government use.
The building includes an auditorium, library, conference rooms, dining facilities, and underground parking. It features a mix of Jerusalem stone cladding and extensive curtain walls, with aluminum sunshades to address climatic conditions. A 20-story tower rotated 45 degrees stands out as a landmark at the site’s northwest entrance.
The project was executed under a DBOT (Design, Build, Operate, Transfer) public-private partnership model, which has faced criticism for prioritizing commercial interests over public benefit. However, architect Amir Man highlighted that this model allowed adherence to the original high-quality design and budget constraints throughout the project. The new Justice Ministry building aims to be open and accessible to the public, reflecting a balance between security and transparency, and is ready to serve the judicial system amid ongoing public debate about its role.
