Rolls Building

Rolls Building
Muhammad Karns · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	Rolls Building
Location	City of London, London, England
Coordinates	51.5140°N 0.0887°W
Completion date	2011
Architect	Richard Rogers Partnership
Owner	HM Courts & Tribunals Service
Style	Modernist
Floor count	11

Rolls Building The Rolls Building is a principal civil court complex in the City of London housing specialist judicial work for England and Wales linked to Royal Courts of Justice, Chancery Division, Queen's Bench Division, Commercial Court, Admiralty Court, and Technology and Construction Court. Opened by senior figures from the Ministry of Justice and legal institutions, the building consolidated dispersed civil business from locations such as Lloyd's Building, Four Courts, and Guildhall into a purpose-built site near Temple Church and Fleet Street. It serves as a focal point for high-value litigation involving multinational corporations, sovereign states, and financial institutions including Barclays, HSBC, Deutsche Bank, and Goldman Sachs.

History

The project originated in proposals endorsed by the Lord Chancellor and the Lord Chief Justice to modernize accommodation for specialist civil judges previously sitting at venues including Royal Courts of Justice and temporary sites used during refurbishments. Planning approval followed consultations with the City of London Corporation, English Heritage, and Greater London Authority; construction contracts were awarded to firms such as Sir Robert McAlpine and overseen by the Building Research Establishment. The complex was completed in 2011 and inaugurated with participation from representatives of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, Court of Appeal, Judicial Office, and major legal bodies like the Bar Council and the Law Society of England and Wales. Since opening, the site has hosted lists involving parties from United States, China, Russia, India, and United Arab Emirates, reflecting London’s role as an international dispute resolution centre alongside institutions like the London Court of International Arbitration and the International Chamber of Commerce.

Architecture and design

Designed by the Richard Rogers Partnership (now Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners), the building employs a modernist vocabulary and engineering collaboration with Arup and facade specialists such as Curtain Walling Ltd. The scheme incorporates secure circulation for judges from private entrances used by members of the Judicial Appointments Commission and facilities reflecting recommendations from the Ministry of Justice estate strategy. Materials and detailing were influenced by precedents including the Lloyd's Building and the Barbican Centre, while landscaping and streetscape responses were coordinated with the City of London Corporation and the Thames Tideway infrastructure projects. Sustainability measures referenced standards promoted by the BRE Global and reporting aligned with the UK Green Building Council.

Role in the UK legal system

The complex hosts lists central to specialist jurisdictions: the Chancery Division for trusts and insolvency matters; the Commercial Court for international trade disputes; the Admiralty Court for maritime claims; and the Technology and Construction Court for engineering and infrastructure litigation. Judges who sit there include members of the High Court of Justice and specialist judges drawn from panels appointed by the Judicial Office and recommended in consultation with the Lord Chancellor; appeals proceed to the Court of Appeal of England and Wales and ultimately the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom when permission is granted. The building supports litigation involving multilateral institutions such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, World Bank, and disputes governed by instruments like the UNCITRAL Model Law and conventions administered by the International Maritime Organization.

Notable cases and judgments

Cases at the complex have encompassed high-value commercial disputes between banks such as HSBC Holdings plc and Credit Suisse, shareholder litigation involving companies like Royal Dutch Shell and BP plc, and state-related claims featuring parties such as Venezuela, Iran, and Ukraine. The facility has heard major arbitration-related court proceedings involving enforcement of awards from the International Chamber of Commerce, LCIA, and SIAC as well as jurisdictional challenges invoking the Arbitration Act 1996 and principles established in precedents such as decisions of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales and the House of Lords. Technology and construction lists have processed disputes concerning projects for contractors including Balfour Beatty, Kier Group, and Skanska; maritime lists addressed casualties and salvage matters with involvement from insurers like Lloyd's of London and clubs affiliated to the International Group of P&I Clubs.

Facilities and accessibility

The building provides hearing rooms designed for trials and interim applications used by senior practitioners from chambers such as Blackstone Chambers, Brick Court Chambers, and One Essex Court; ancillary facilities include secure judge suites, witness waiting rooms coordinated with Witness Service (Citizens Advice), and mediation spaces used by firms like Howard Kennedy and providers including Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution. Security and access control procedures were developed in line with guidance from the Ministry of Justice and the Metropolitan Police Service and include arrangements for electronic evidence presentation interoperable with systems used by institutions like the Royal Courts of Justice and the Crown Prosecution Service. Public transport links connect the site to Temple tube station, Blackfriars station, Farringdon station, and bus routes serving the City of London Corporation hubs; accessibility provisions comply with standards advocated by RNIB and Scope for users with mobility and sensory impairments.

Category:Court buildings in London