Photo © Clark Construction Group
After several years of construction, the new Los Angeles Federal Courthouse is approaching completion. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (SOM), the cubic glass-clad structure intends to become one of America’s most environmentally friendly, as it aims for a LEED Platinum certification. Part of a larger redevelopment scheme impacting the entire downtown area of Los Angeles, the new Federal Courthouse is successfully replacing an empty lot, located only a few blocks away from Frank Gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall. Solidly anchored within the city’s grid, the building’s strong civic presence will soon be supported by a drought-tolerant landscaped plaza facing the courthouse’s entrance.