April 6, 2005

AIA Project of the Month -- New courthouse: secure in its openness

Photos by Frank Ooms Seattle’s new U.S. Courthouse clearly divides the functions of justice, placing courtrooms front and center. Evenly sized and stacked in the main tower, they are flanked by judicial chambers and backed by the low and long “office bar” to the right. Half of the full-block site is dedicated to an inviting — but secure — public space.

In the news, courts are places of high drama. Some have been spectacular crime scenes, from the truck bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma City 10 years ago, to the recent shootings in Atlanta.

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Previous columns:

• AIA Project of the Month: 'Providing delight in a very ordinary box', 03-09-2005
• AIA Project of the Month: Re-booting design at UW, 02-09-2005
• AIA Project of the Month: A look back at some of 2004's standouts, 01-12-2005
• Project of the Month: New Belltown office breaks the dental mold, 12-08-2004
• AIA Project of the Month: Roxbury Estates delivers high design on a limited budget, 11-03-2004
• AIA Project of the Month: The forest clears for a transparent temple, 10-06-2004
• AIA Project of the Month: For seniors: services and rooms with a view, 09-01-2004
• AIA Project of the Month: Architect faces tough clients: his partners, 08-04-2004