LA Federal Courthouse

The LA Federal Courthouse is a contemporary ‘floating cube’ structure with a prominent glass façade, located in Los Angeles’ Civic Center.

The 10-storey building houses 32 judicial chambers and 24 courtrooms for the US District Court of the Central District of California. The high-span front of the courthouse features the federal seal imprinted on the glass.

Brand: Benson

Architect: Skidmore, Owings and Merrill

Construction manager: Clark Construction

Client/building owner: GSA Western Region

The project

The concept

The building’s innovative structural concept cantilevers the glass cube above its stone base to give it the appearance of floating. Sustainability underpinned the courthouse’s design and the building incorporates a range of energy-saving features. It has achieved LEED Platinum certification.

What did we do?

We engineered, manufactured and installed the cleverly pleated façade, which contributes to the building’s sustainability. Transparent glass panels are positioned in the north and south facing pleats to maximise natural light, with opaque panels in the east and west facing pleats to minimise solar gain.

Key facts

Year completed

2016

Building height

67m; 10 storeys

Sustainability

LEED Platinum