A Courthouse Sprouts Curves and Color

Like any major construction on the nation's front lawn, the annex's design went through a long list of reviews and approvals for aesthetics and safety. The courthouse has advanced safety features, including a frame intended to ensure that a single blast wouldn't cause the entire building to collapse.

But the structure does not look like a fortress. Unlike the original courthouse, a dour 1952 building, the annex features large windows and even flashes of color, such as slate blue and Cherokee red.

Rowe said the building's large windows represent openness, clarity and justice.

The annex runs north along Third Street NW, perpendicular to the old building. The two buildings meet at a large atrium, where pedestrian bridges connect each floor. A spiral staircase that connects to each of the bridges provides a central focus and an alternative vertical pathway.

Rowe said the biggest design challenge was fitting the new annex onto a relatively small space. He said it also was difficult to match up the floors in the two buildings. The old courthouse was one of the first to be built in the era of air conditioning, so hallway and office ceilings are half the height of the imposing courtrooms.

The new courtrooms are equipped to handle trials involving multiple defendants, with seating in jury boxes for 12 jurors and six alternates, he said. In the old building, jury boxes hold 14 people; alternates sometimes sit near attorneys. The annex also has new chamber areas for District Court and appellate judges.

The annex and planned renovations to the old courthouse will also provide a more secure facility for judges and the public and improve access for the disabled.

Many of the lawyers, judges, staff members and visitors who use the building say they appreciate the additional breathing room and the sun-drenched cafeteria, which is a vast improvement over the old one in the basement. But some say that the new courtrooms have poor acoustics and less room for spectators and that the craftsmanship does not seem up to the standards of the old courthouse and nearby buildings built to last the ages. Others say that the annex's design lacks the gravitas that should attend a federal courthouse.

Workers are now tackling finishing details such as decorative covers for the posts that surround the building. All of the judges have moved their offices, said a spokesman for the General Services Administration, which constructs and manages federal buildings.

Judicial officials are planning an official dedication, but no date has been set.