Letter from the Editor

We are pleased to bring you the Fall 2009 AAJ Journal. In this issue are articles addressing site selection and design. Selecting an appropriate site for a new justice facility is a difficult task, with large and small impacts on the immediate vicinity. Site design decisions can ameliorate the effect of the new facility. The articles in this newsletter issue touch on some the topics of concern that architects and jurisdictions must address in site evaluation, selection and design process.

Also in this issue are the following featured projects from the 2008 AAJ Justice Facilities Review:

Mecklenburg County Courthouse, Charlotte VA,
Old Post Office/Missouri Court of Appeals,
Richard Sheppard Arnold U.S. Courthouse Annex, Little Rock A
U.S. Courthouse, Alpine, Texas
Nashville Neighborhood Police and Traffic Facility, Fort Worth, Texas
Hamilton County Juvenile Services Center, Noblesville, Indiana

We hope that you enjoy this newsletter and encourage your comments. We are constantly looking for relevant and informative material, and invite all members to submit ideas for articles to aaj@aia.org.

Susan K. Oldroyd, FAIA

Courts

Site Selection for California Courthouses: Mapping the Future of Cities and Towns through a Collaborative Site Planning Process
Rona G. Rothenberg, FAIA

Selection of sites is a critical milestone in the planning process for public buildings. The criteria for locating facilities and the types of sites that are considered and acquired will leave a legacy for years to come, long after the building has been designed, constructed, and occupied. The choice of a site will affect the cost, placement, form, schedule, and completion of the new landmark structure, as well as the long term cost of ownership to the agency in charge. The site selection will also profoundly and irrevocably affect the future operations, be they courts, schools, city halls, county administrations, other agencies or branches of government. In this regard, the Judicial Council of California-Administrative Office of the Courts has developed and refined a policy for the selection and acquisition of property for court buildings. Read more...

Courtroom Technology

We all want cutting-edge technology available in the courtroom, but in today’s world, it is impossible to keep current. There is a valuable resource, the Center for Legal and Court Technology, with its mission to improve the legal process through appropriate use of state-of-the-art technology.

The Center for Legal and Court Technology (CLCT) located in the William and Mary Law School in Williamsburg, VA has created the McGlothlin Courtroom. The McGlothlin Courtroom is reported to be the most technologically advanced courtroom in the world.

In addition to leading the way in demonstrating new electronic technology, CLCT also leads the way in demonstrating new ways of making the courtroom accessible to those with a variety of disabilities. LIFT-U has participated with CLCT to provide wheelchair accessibility throughout the courtroom.

As you design your next courtroom, keep in mind that you can see the latest in courtroom technology all located in one place. Check out the Center of Legal and Court Technology.
http://www.courtroom21.net/

2008 JFR Profiles

Mecklenburg County Courthouse
Charlotte

Architect’s Statement
The new 542,000-square-foot courthouse consolidates judicial activities that previously were located in four separate facilities. Faced with continued population growth and space shortages, the county had a need for expansion. The designers sought to create both a building focused on the needs of the people who will use it and an expression of a new era for important civic activities within its prestigious walls. Despite the challenge of fitting an extremely large program into a very tight site, the new courthouse has now become a focal point and gateway to the city’s center. The façade incorporates local materials crafted to reflect both classical and contemporary details, and the scale and massing honors the city’s heritage while reflecting its vision for the future. Read more...

Old Post Office/Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District
St. Louis

Architect’s Statement
The renovation of this historic justice facility has spurred development of the city’s historic downtown. Built from 1872-1884, and designed by Alfred Mullett, the architect of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington D.C., the building was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1968, and in 2004 gained National Monument status. Though transferred from federal to state control prior to construction, GSA listed this building as the sixth most important historic property in its inventory. The completed renovation rehabilitated the architectural historical integrity obscured by modifications over the last 120 years; upgraded the engineered building systems to 21st-century standards; and provided interior improvements to accommodate 11 new tenants, the largest being the state’s Court of Appeals for the Eastern District. The solution balances security with openness and features restored original elements juxtaposed against modern materials and systems. Read more...

Richard Sheppard Arnold U.S. Courthouse Annex
Little Rock


Architect’s Statement
The project was originally envisioned as an expansion to the existing courthouse; however, after reconsideration and recommendations from the design team for the government to purchase an adjacent parcel of land, the program became an independent addition to the courthouse, a strategy that is more effective from both a functional and urban standpoint. The addition sits on the newly acquired parcel and extends from the existing facility to Broadway Avenue, creating sightlines from the prominent Broadway and Capitol intersection to the new complex. A landscaped public plaza running parallel to the project showcases a striking atrium entrance that provides a new main entry and which connects the addition to the courthouse. The design of the expansion draws the public into the space by creating an inviting atmosphere, one that celebrates the role of the judicial system in the city and in American democracy. Read more...

U.S. Courthouse
Alpine, Texas


Jury’s Statement
This modest project works with a remote but exceptional site in a simple yet sophisticated manner. It incorporates security, climatic mitigation strategies, and local materials in a design solution that is grounded in the surrounding landscape. The dry-laid local stone walls, simple landmark entry rotunda, horizontally oriented wood detailing, and clear organization of the building components around an exterior courtyard all contribute to this relationship with the site. The use of the courtyard and its exterior covered walkway as the primary circulation and organizational device, instead of an air-conditioned interior route, is in alignment with its rugged context and the restraint that characterize the project’s strength. Read more...

Law Enforcement

Can Secure Facilities Be Good Urban Neighbors?
By Susan Bartley, AIA


In an urban setting, secure facilities are likely to sit by residential lofts, office towers or industrial buildings. If someone tells you that a police facility is being built next door to your home, what would your reaction be? Architects must ask themselves this question when designing a secure facility; community consensus is sought after, and security needs must be balanced with integration into the urban fabric. Consideration must be given to the public as more than just a facility user: the community’s investment in the project and the deserved return must be addressed.Read more...

2008 JFR Profiles

Nashville Neighborhood Police and Traffic Facility
Fort Worth, Texas

Architect’s Statement
Housing neighborhood patrol and citywide traffic divisions, the building brings a civic scale and dignity appropriate for the suburban community it serves. Expansive glass creates a towering lantern of safety and celebrates the transparent connection to the policing operations within. Brick, plaster, and steel panels reflect the mixed residential/institutional surroundings. The facility replaces aging buildings and is poised to be a catalyst for revitalization. The building’s orientation minimizes heat gain and maximizes daylight. Its placement allows for maintaining existing operations during construction. With parking below, the main level contains the public lobby, patrol and traffic areas, and officer’s “main street.” The upper level contains community spaces, fitness center, locker rooms, and lounge area. Public gardens lead to the lobby, while secure officer parking and entry are on the opposite side. To encourage interaction between patrol and traffic operations, shared facilities are centrally positioned, providing opportunity for dialog resulting in better law enforcement. Read more...

Corrections/Detention

Jail Site Evaluation and Selection
By Ken Ricci FAIA

Selecting a site is probably one of the most difficult tasks in planning and designing a new jail. The task usually involves a volatile mix of public controversy and technical and financial considerations found with few other public construction projects. Site selection is also one of the most important decisions in designing a new jail, because the site selected will affect the operations, cost, and appearance of the new facility.Read more...

2008 JFR Profiles

Hamilton County Juvenile Services Center
Noblesville, Indiana

Architect’s Statement
The design concept for the center provides a suitable environment for specialized educational programs offered as alternatives to incarceration. It also combines all juvenile justice services under one roof. To that end, the existing 22-bed detention facility is incorporated into a much larger, new facility offering a total of 149-residental beds grouped into independent housing units for shelter care, probation violators, secure detention, and maximum security. By providing more appropriate treatment environments for residents and non-residents, this multi-use facility is drastically reducing the county’s operational costs by eliminating out-of-county treatment, housing, and transportation. The architectural massing and design elements soften and identify different building components and confer a friendlier exterior. This state-of-the-art facility is designed for the fastest growing county in the state. Read more...

Highlights

Beyond the Horizon: The Next Generation of Justice
Participate in the AAJ Next Generation of Justice Conference Without Leaving Your Desk!

We are pleased to present a social networking site, http://aiaaaj.ning.com/, in conjunction with the Beyond the Horizon: The Next Generation of Justice conference taking place in Chicago. Don't miss this opportunity to interact with other attendees through blogs and discussion groups, post your own comments, and react to the knowledge that is being shared. You can create your own account and participate online at the AIA Academy of Architecture for Justice networking site.

Other Events

Designing Learning Environments to Rebuild Urban America

October 23–25, 2009, New York City

Rebuilding national infrastructure will drive U.S. economic recovery, and architects are critical to the effort to build and modernize our most basic source of future intellectual capital: our schools. “Designing Learning Environments to Rebuild Urban America” will explore the best opportunity in generations to strengthen educational facilities—with architects at the forefront.

New York City schools will be our living laboratory to examine history, trends, and innovations—both in construction and in educational theory and practice. Design professionals and educators will explore common ground and emerge with strategies to create learning environments that are both practical and inspiring. School tours will further inform our findings and help to foster a continuing dialogue.

Web Seminar

How to Be an Effective Partner in a Contractor-Led Entity: Learning Opportunities for Architects
Thursday, October 15, 2009, 2–3:30 p.m. ET