U.S. Federal Courthouse
San Diego’s new federal courthouse covers 2.6 urban acres with a build program that links new and existing federal buildings. The architectural massing on the courthouse combines a slender and elegant 16-story tower that rises above a transparent and translucent building base. The tower is clad in layers of terra cotta and glass composed in response to the program and orientation. The ultra-thin massing supports sustainable design strategies to daylight most of the building, including the courtrooms which receive filtered daylight from both the east and the west.
The San Diego Federal Courthouse was awarded Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED) Gold certification from the US Green Building Council.