United States Courthouse - Los Angeles, California

Upon its dedication in October 2016, the United States Courthouse currently under construction in downtown Los Angeles will support the United States District Court for the Central District of California and adjacent federal agencies. In the meantime, the project has the distinction of being among the only GSA Design Awards submissions to ever win an Honor Award in the On the Boards category. In the cubic geometry and pleated facade coming to life, jurors discovered solutions that are tailored to the building’s site, as well as underlying principles of urbanism, sustainability, and security which are applicable to federal courthouses nationwide.

Jurors particularly admired the relationship between the courthouse’s form and its important location near the Civic Center and Financial District. By cantilevering the 10-story glass cube well beyond its limestone-clad base, the design team created a band of shaded outdoor space for the surrounding plaza, supporting pedestrian use of the downtown streetscape. This shape also maximizes the construction and energy efficiency of the building perimeter, and embodies historic courthouses’ monumental presence in a forward-looking way. 

The technologies underpinning this concept are equally contemporary, and garnered further accolades. They include an earthquake- and blast-resistant structural system comprising a three-dimensional steel roof truss that cantilevers symmetrically beyond four robust building cores, as well as alternating ‘hot’ and ‘cool’ glass facade panels that are expected to reduce solar thermal gain by 47 percent without impeding views for building users. Respect for the occupant experience comes to the fore in multiple elements of the scheme, such as a secure outdoor courtyard that invites repose, a daylight-filled atrium where public circulation will take place, and double-height interior spaces that encourage interaction.