Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM), Los Angeles Federal Courthouse is designed to have a strong civic presence rooted in classic principles. The design features an innovative structural engineering concept that allows the cubic volume to “float” over a stone base while being one of the nation’s safest buildings.
The 633,000-square-foot facility will contain 24 courtrooms and 32 judges’ chambers. The building is designed to achieve LEED® Platinum certification, with sustainable features such as a serrated facade that maximizes views yet also reduces solar heat gain by nearly 50 percent. SOM’s design for the courthouse optimizes workflow and promotes efficient operations and maintenance.
The project's general contractor, Clark Construction Group brought specialty constructor Condor, Inc. on to the project to design and build the two identical reflecting fountains that are located on either side of the building's main entrance. Condor, in turn, brought Fountain Source onto the project to work with the project and assist with detailed design and construction oversight of the fountains.
The fountains are two elegant rectilinear, shallow-draft, stone-clad basins that evenly spill surface water over three sides. Black stone cladding was utilized to accentuate smooth water and to contrast with the courthouse's warm stone cladding. Basin floors are made up of smooth, multi-colored, stones closely set in vertical rows. Flow to each basin is introduced through inconspicuous floor inlets that are designed to calm the water to create a mirror-smooth surface. Any sense of movement is given by the subtle, light shimmering, over-spill of water on three sides of each basin to a hidden, below grade and stone covered, recovery rough system. All basin components are robustly fixed or mortar-set to ensure the fountains stand up to continuous usage, are easy to maintain and operate reliably for many years.
Project Team: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM) (www.som.com), AECOM (www.aecom.com), Clark Construction Company (www.clarkconstruction.com), Condor, Inc. (www.condor-inc.com) and Fountain Source Engineering and Design, Inc.
