Giattina Aycock Architecture Studio Justice Projects
JEFFERSON COUNTY FAMILY COURT
Constructed in 1926, Jefferson County’s Family Court was the first court building in the South erected specifically to serve the needs of the family. After 70 years of service and growth, the building had deteriorated to the point where very little of the original interior remained. The exterior was intact; however, portions of the site had been sold over the years and metal pre-fabricated buildings encroached upon the once-prominent courthouse.
The owner’s goal was to replace or refurbish the existing courthouse while constructing a significant addition of new courts on the site. Giattina Aycock Architecture Studio, Inc. designed a plan to retain the historic structure and use it as the symbolic entrance to the Family Court System and to house associated office functions. A three-story addition was designed at the rear of the original building to house the courts, probation services and secured parking. The architects convinced the owners to reacquire surrounding properties, demolish the metal structures and restore the integrity of the Family Court campus.
The existing courthouse was U-shaped with an open, unused lawn. As the historic image of the courthouse, the original entrance was left in place. The lawn was replaced with a two-story skylit atrium with a monumental stair to waiting rooms and courtrooms at the second floor of the addition. The spaces are designed to be soft and contemplative with natural palettes. Each courtroom is accessible directly through a private, secure corridor for escorting juveniles to and from the adjacent detention center out of the public view.
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