Activating Public Space

by cchlebda

According to the article “Modern Courthouses and the New Green,” the idea of a courthouse in the square is specific to American society (Dibble 30).  A courthouse square can slow down the courthouse entry approach for visitors, helping them to orient themselves on the site with or without an over-sized, imposing facade like those used in many modern (i.e. large, glazed atria) and colonial courthouses (i.e. portico with pediment and columns). Also, a square can create a welcoming atmosphere, visually inviting the public to enter the courthouse. The law exists for the people, so the courthouse and the space surrounding it should be designed to invite the public to participate in the law.

The idea of bringing people to the courthouse through urban design, i.e. through the creation of usable, public space directly adjacent to the courthouse, was of particular interest to me as I researched historical and modern precedents. I looked for examples that would demonstrate a variety of ways to activate the courthouse square.

One of the modern courthouses I researched was the Alfred A. Arraj Courthouse in Denver Colorado. The architects of this courthouse, HOK and Anderson Mason Dale Architects, created a urban space at the front of an entry pavilion that encourages passersby and users of the courthouse to enter the square and stay. The square features fountains, planters, and benches, all of which contribute to a pleasant and inviting atmosphere, while also providing security against vehicular threats to the courthouse.

Another way to incorporate alternate public uses into the space surrounding the courthouse is deomonstrated in the Colonial-era Boston Town House. The Town House was originally located at the center of Boston in the middle of a public square. It was a two-story building with courtrooms on the second floor and a market on the ground floor. By incorporating this alternate, mercantile use into the courthouse, the designer(s) encouraged an always active atmosphere around the courthouse.

Works Cited

Dibble, Tim and Fiona Cousins. “Modern Courthouses and the New Green.” The Court Manager 22.4 (2009): 30-41. National Association for Court Management. Web. 3 Sept. 2012. <www.nacmnet.org>.

Defining the Words Our Country Stands Upon

by pdgaither

Justice :

Justice – n. 1) fairness. 2) moral rightness. 3) a scheme or system of law in which every person receives his/ her/its due from the system, including all rights, both natural and legal.

Obstruction of Justice – n. an attempt to interfere with the administration of the courts, the judicial system or law enforcement officers, including threatening witnesses, improper conversations with jurors, hiding evidence or interfering with an arrest. Such activity is a crime.

Law :

Civil Law – n. 1) a body of laws and legal concepts which come down from old Roman laws established by Emperor Justinian, and which differ from Englishcommon law, which is the framework of most state legal systems. In the United States only Louisiana (relying on the French Napoleonic Code) has a legal structure based on civil law.

Common Law – n. the traditional unwritten law of England, based on custom and usage, which began to develop over a thousand years before the founding of the United States.

Due Process of Law – n. a fundamental principle of fairness in all legal matters, both civil and criminal, especially in the courts. All legal procedures set by statute and court practice, including notice of rights, must be followed for each individual so that no prejudicial or unequal treatment will result.

Rights :

Civil Rights – n. those rights guaranteed by the Bill of Rights, the 13th and 14th Amendments to the Constitution, including the right to due process, equal treatment under the law of all people regarding enjoyment of life, liberty, property, and protection. Positive civil rights include the right to vote, the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of a democratic society, such as equal access to public schools, recreation, transportation, public facilities, and housing, and equal and fair treatment by law enforcement and the courts.

Constitutional Rights – n. rights given or reserved to the people by the U.S. Constitution, and in particular, the Bill of Rights (first ten amendments).

All definitions were taken from Law.com from the legal dictionary.

I wanted to take somewhat of a deeper look into the words that give us, as Americans, our freedoms. These words are the real foundation of every courthouse. They must be upheld and abided by for the judicial system to function properly. In particular I take a lot from the due process of law. It states that for every single person, there is protection and fairness “especially in the courts.” I think that this is something that needs to be displayed within the design of the courthouse. Courthouses are the backbone of our freedoms and what unites us under the same laws and expectations of peace and rightness.

COURTHOUSE FACADES: Possibilities other than “Official Style”?

by workbymariahroth

When one speaks of courthouses automatically the image of a classical façade of columns and pediment come to mind.  With this visual also comes the thought of not a very public inviting space.  However, in this era of design is it possible to reinterpret a typical courthouse façade and make it more inviting to the public?

Historically, the exterior design of courthouses is composed of a high plinth, classical columns, raised pediments and is typically colored white.  The white color is often just a product of the material being used, often times granite or marble.  These materials are often used to signify the importance and high quality of the building.  These materials and design are often why the public doesn’t feel as invited into this space that should be theirs.  Interestingly though, not all historic courthouses take on this “official style”.  Dating as far back at early 1700s in the United States courthouses strayed from this popular notion.  One particular example that looks nothing like a courthouse and more of a plantation home is the Queen Anne’s County Court House, located in Centerville, Maryland.  Courthouses come in many different varieties of design, however historically it has always been the classical “official style” that has been ingrained in everyone’s mind.  Therefore in this modern era is it possible to redesign the notion of what a courthouse looks like to the public?

Google “modern American courthouses”, the result: some modern but still that classical “official style” everyone knows of.  Though, take some time to actually research the subject and you will find that there are quite a bit of modern courthouses, they just aren’t well documented (yet) or known.  Such examples of modern courthouses are: Wheeling Federal Building and US District Courthouse (Wheeling, West Virginia!), Sandra Day O’Conner US Courthouse (Phoenix, Arizona), Lloyd D. George Federal Courthouse (Las Vegas, Nevada), Federal Building and US Courthouse (Islip, New York), Wayne Lyman Morse US Courthouse (Eugene, Oregon), US Federal Courthouse (Brooklyn, New York), US District Courthouse (Orlando, Florida).  These are just a few of the examples of modern courthouse within the US, look outside of America and one can find many more.

So even though we are designing contemporary/modern courthouses can/will this change the notion of the courthouse to the public?