Comments on: New Courthouse Architecture

By: Jodha Hilldale

Jodha Hilldale — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:44:23 +0000

Hi,
I have just finished a sculpture of the Goddess Themis, better known as “Lady Justice” or “Blind Justice.” It is a plaque that is 4ft High and 2ft wide done in high bas relief. I am interested in selling it to courthouses to use in all those beautiful new buidings that are popping up all over the country. Does anyone have any clues as to how I can go about doing that? I can work with the foundry on changing the size so it can be much larger if that’s needed.

By: christopher d. schmidt

christopher d. schmidt — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:56:18 +0000

Courthouse design changes have been driven by the security needs, both passive and active. This is a nice article on the fedral courthouses. There is also a need for renovations and new designs of district as well as circuit courts. A majority of these are outdated in many aspects. We have been working with the State Court Administrators office to look at exising courts for security upgrades at a min.

By: J-Red

J-Red — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 04:59:03 +0000

Both federal courthouses in Maryland (Baltimore and Greenbelt) are pretty sharp too, though the picture of the Baltimore courthouse on the site here doesn't do it any justice. Link

By: Juanita Cutler

Juanita Cutler — Sun, 10 Sep 2006 20:59:34 +0000

Where can a person get hold of a list of Federal courthouses by name? That is, I am wondering how many are actually named after people, and who?

windyinwv

By: Adam

Adam — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 21:19:54 +0000

Just to clarify, the DC Circuit didn’t get a new courthouse, just a new “annex” to the old courthouse.

By: Ann

Ann — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 18:54:34 +0000

How may I get a list of architects in the southeast U.S. who specialize in courthouses?

By: Concurring Opinions

Concurring Opinions — Fri, 18 Nov 2005 09:44:46 +0000

More New Courthouse Architecture

I previously blogged about new courthouse architecture and old courthouse architecture. I have a few more leftover pictures of new courthouse architecture, so here they are:…

By: Concurring Opinions

Concurring Opinions — Thu, 10 Nov 2005 07:50:19 +0000

Old Courthouse Architecture

The other day, I blogged about new courthouse architecture. A few of the commentators said they had a soft spot for older courthouse architecture, which I share. Therefore, I thought I’d surf the web for some examples of older courthouses….

By: Kaimi

Kaimi — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 19:13:20 +0000

Phooey on all of these newfangled courthouses. Give me marble columns and an imposing staircase over modern architechture, any day. Pictures (via Google Images): http://img.lightreading.com/2005/03/69177_2.jpg http://www.wrybread.com/gammablablog/images/2-03/court-demo/firmest-pillar.jpg

By: Joe Liu

Joe Liu — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 17:33:05 +0000

Fascinating article. The diversity of the approaches is striking. Some of the courthouses look like generic office buildings; others look markedly different.

I have to admit that I have a soft spot for the old federal style and the consistency it offered (yes, despite the echoes of fascist architecture).

At the same time, I can see how the need to loudly announce a federal presence may not be as acute today. (I assume that the Oklahoma City bombing must have had some influence on this).

By: Paul Gowder

Paul Gowder — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 17:26:05 +0000

Speaking of nice courthouses in Virginia, the newish courthouse in E.D. Va (where I frequently find myself) is also very attractive. It resembles the Lexington one posted here, although it’s taller than it is wide, and it has a rather disturbing suicidal Lady Justice statue in front. (It looks like she’s leaping off a balcony, perhaps horrified at some really bad decision )

By: Alfred Brophy

Alfred Brophy — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 17:16:00 +0000

Those courthouses are beautiful. If you’re interested in the history of courthouses, there are a couple of recent, very fine books, Carl Lounsbury’s Courthouses of Early Virginia, http://www.upress.virginia.edu/books/lounsbury2.html

and Martha McNamara’s From Tavern to Courhouse,

http://www.press.jhu.edu/books/title_pages/3197.html