I recently attended a gala at the historic Surrogate’s Court in New York City—a stunning Beaux-Arts landmark that, for an evening, transformed from a courthouse into a space for celebration and community. Standing beneath its grand arches and marble columns, I couldn’t help but think: why shouldn’t our civic buildings serve the public in more ways, more often?
As architects and designers, we are tasked with creating spaces meant to last for decades, even centuries. That longevity demands flexibility and foresight.
Expanding the Role of the Courthouse
Courthouses are central to civic life, yet often remain underused outside of court hours. Across the country, that’s beginning to change.
- Special events: Some courthouses, such as the Surrogates Courthouse in Manhattan, offer their spaces for rent to companies and individuals to host galas, festivals, weddings and community gatherings—bringing new audiences into civic architecture while generating revenue for preservation.
- Educational and civic programming: Courthouse lobbies and public spaces increasingly host naturalization ceremonies, community events, talks on legal history, and youth outreach programs that connect citizens to civic life.
- Art exhibitions: Temporary art shows, such as one in a Manhattan federal courthouse sponsored by the Organization of Independent Artists, bring creativity into spaces once reserved for solemn proceedings.
- Public plazas as event zones: In downtown Miami, the plaza surrounding the Miami-Dade County Courthouse and Cultural Center is used for concerts, festivals, and civic gatherings,transforming a traditional civic space into a lively community hub.
- Federal initiatives: The U.S. General Services Administration’s Art in Architecture Program furthers this mission by commissioning public art for federal buildings, including courthouses. These installations celebrate local culture and reassert courthouses as expressions of democracy and creativity.
Design Features for a County Courthouse of Public Spaces
When we design courthouses, we should envision them not just as places of law but as a foundation of community connection.
Architects can prepare for public use by integrating flexibility and safety into the design itself:
Civic Plaza
- Purpose: The plaza serves as both the courthouse forecourt and a civic gathering space.
- Size: Minimum 8,000 SF for small county courthouses; up to 15,000 SF minimum for larger courthouses where public events are common or where multiple entries must be accommodated.
- Design Elements: Include durable pavers, shaded seating areas, accessible ramps, and modest landscaping.
- Security Integration: Use Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles—clear sightlines, low landscaping, and controlled vehicular access.
- Court Operations: Provides secure standoff distance (minimum 50 feet) from the building for blast protection and public queuing.
- Community Use: Configured to support ceremonies, public addresses, concerts, or farmers’ markets. Integrate bollards, benches, or planters as discreet perimeter barriers rather than imposing fences.
Lobby
- Purpose: The courthouse lobby should act as a civic threshold—welcoming yet secure.
- Size: Minimum of 5,000–8,000 SF or 3–5% of total gross square footage (county courthouse design standard).
- Design Elements:
- Atriums or staircases to create civic presence and accommodate large gatherings.
- Double-height volume (20–30 ft ceiling) to emphasize openness.
- Durable materials such as terrazzo flooring, laminated safety glass, and acoustic ceilings.
Public Rotunda featuring Dale Chihuly’s glassblown art at Tacoma Union Station Federal Courthouse Building
Public Amenities and Support Spaces
- Purpose: Support visitors, jurors, and the public while enhancing usability for community events.
- Size- 1,000-6,000 SF (county courthouses)
- Café or coffee kiosk: ~400–600 SF
- Public restrooms: ~400–800 SF
- Information desk and digital kiosk area: ~200 SF
- Mother’s room ~100 SF
- Outdoor terraces or balconies: ~1,000 SF to extend event use beyond the building’s core.
- Public art area: ~500-1,000 SF dedicated wall area or corridor within the plaza or lobby for interpretive art, rotating displays to feature local artists, educational panels, or historical displays.
- Corridors or mezzanines above the atrium for spectators and gathering spaces overlooking main halls with seating.
Secure Circulation
- Purpose: Create a layered access system that protects judicial operations while accommodating flexible public use.
- Design Elements: Clear separation of public, staff, and restricted circulation zones to keep after hours occupants away from staff and restricted zones with the following elements:
- Design public spaces on the first two floors adjacent to the lobby for public and event access.
- Provide secure separation between staff and public spaces with entries that close after hours so occupants cannot wander into staff areas.
- Provide digital keyed entry and access systems between public and staff spaces.
- Control elevator access to restrict accessibility to only floors open to the public.
- Monitor elevator lobbies, circulation and building perimeter with high tech cameras.
These features allow courthouses to remain secure, functional, and adaptable—welcoming public engagement without disrupting daily operations.
Renting Courthouses for Public and Private Events
Many courthouses now make parts of their buildings available for public and private use and with this knowledge, architects and designers can prepare the building for such uses:
- Federal courthouses (GSA-managed): Require formal event permits and strict security protocols, often including fees for on-site officers.
- State and county courthouses: Managed locally, these are typically more flexible and community-oriented in their rental policies.
- Historic or decommissioned courthouses: No longer used for trials, they often function as museums, cultural centers, or dedicated event venues.
- Available spaces: Most rentals focus on lobbies, rotundas, atriums, and plazas rather than courtrooms.
- Facility rental programs: Many counties now maintain formal rental guidelines outlining costs, security requirements, and approved event types.
The Future of Civic Design
When civic architecture invites the public in—literally and symbolically—it strengthens the bond between citizens and their institutions.
Courthouses can and should serve as platforms for community connection, not just legal proceedings. By extending their function beyond the courtroom, they reclaim their place as true civic centers—spaces that embody justice, community, and culture all at once.