A common challenge in existing courthouses is constructing a new courtroom to accommodate growth in judges. Many existing courthouses, especially older facilities, have space constraints such as narrow column spans, lack of secure circulation pathways, and lack of vacant and available space, which...

The judge’s bench is a primary element of courtroom design. The bench is usually elevated as a prominent central feature at the front of the courtroom. However, there is an emerging architectural movement to design more open and user-friendly courthouses. Why not consider lowering the judge’s bench...

 We’ve all heard it.Sitting all day on the job puts a strain on your back and on your physical well-being. Medical professionals warn that sitting for prolonged periods, and spending too much time overall sitting during the course of your day, can lead to cardiovascular disease with risks similar...

 The features of a courtroom help set the tone for the proceedings that take place within its walls. This article examines the design features that can make a courtroom feel user-friendly rather than intimidating and how a user-friendly courtroom might best support justice in a trial.

 I was once part of a courthouse planning team for a new courthouse. When we sat down to interview the short list of architecture firms, the first firm brought in a court planning consultant as part of their team. We were all impressed. They walked out the door, and the next architecture firm came...