After several years of construction and delays, 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.

The Los Angeles Federal Courthouse, image by Hunter Kerhart

A site tour organized last December has enabled SkyriseCities — through the lens of City Ambassador HunterKerhart — to take an exclusive look at the interiors and immediate surroundings of this $319 million building.

The Great Seal of the United States seen through the Courthouse facade, image by Hunter Kerhart

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.

Under the floating main volume of the Los Angeles Federal Courthouse, image by Hunter Kerhart

For security reasons, the new courthouse is slightly set back from the street, while rising atop a reinforced stone-clad base. 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 only entrance.

Looking out through the Courthouse's angled bays, image by Hunter Kerhart

At 10 storeys tall, the structure is wrapped in a highly efficient faceted curtain wall, whose north/south-oriented planes help reduce the solar heat gain by almost 50%. Indeed, those panes facing the sun are equipped with a solar screen, while the rest of the facade features traditional clear glass to bring in as much natural light — and outdoor views — as possible.

The Light Court in Los Angeles Federal Courthouse, image by Hunter Kerhart

As seen in the picture above, the core of the building boasts an expansive light well, also known as the "Light Court." It will bring further natural light to the 24 courtrooms and 32 judges' chambers, decorated with light-toned and reflective materials in order to enhance the sensation of brightness throughout the 60,000-square-metre facility.

Interiors of the Los Angeles Federal Courthouse, image by Hunter Kerhart

On the roof, 400 solar panels are expected to generate 507,000 kWh each year, used for both the cooling and heating processes of the building. This will be further supported with an emergency diesel generator in order to ensure the building's energy self-sufficiency.

LA Skyline behind solar panels on the roof of the Los Angeles Federal Courthouse, image by Hunter Kerhart

The new Los Angeles Federal Courthouse was also conceived to be convertible to the use of biomass materials which might, at some point in the future, enable the project to produce as much energy as it consumes.

View from the roof of the Los Angeles Federal Courthouse, image by Hunter Kerhart

What do you think about the design of Los Angeles' new Federal Courthouse? Tell us by leaving a comment at the bottom of this page or by visiting the dedicated Forum thread where more pictures of the project are available. Further information and renderings of the building can be found in our Database file, linked below.