As the Neihu Second Office Building of the Shilin District Court primarily serves civil cases, it welcomes far more everyday visitors than the court’s main campus. With this in mind, our aspiration for the building’s public art program is to transform the space into one that not only feels welcoming but also invites reflection—an environment that offers the public a fresh and meaningful experience of what a courthouse can be.

For a democratic nation, the rule of law and moral cultivation must go hand in hand; neither can be neglected. In today’s society—marked by materialism and frequent violence—the emphasis on moral norms and self-reflection is more important than ever. To help the courthouse maintain its solemn atmosphere while also fostering harmony and integration, we proposed the following four themes as the core concept for the public art project at the Neihu Second Office Building of the Shilin District Court:

Fairness · Justice,
Humanity · Forgiveness,
Morality · Ethics,
Democracy · Rule of Law.

Through these themes, we hope that visitors coming to the Neihu Second Office Building for official matters will encounter a courthouse unlike the ones they have known—discovering art throughout the lobby, corridors, and staircases. Within this warm, harmonious, and culturally rich environment, visitors will also sense the Shilin District Court’s dedication to creating a meaningful public space.

This public art project consists of two parts.First, through selection and acquisition process, 68 artworks were installed in public areas such as the second- to fifth-floor corridors (“Court Art Gallery”) as well as the lounges for litigants and lawyers.Second, through an invited competition, one set of three-dimensional works by artist Tsai Ken was selected for installation at the outdoor plaza entrance, and one set of two-dimensional works by artist Wu Dar-Kuen was chosen for the large feature wall in the double-height space on the second floor.