This is a new 18,500 SF civil courthouse to serve the L A County Superior Court system. Located in the city’s newly planned Civic Center complex, the Spanish Mediterranean architecture compliments the new city hall. Rather than the typical boxy court building, we developed four courtrooms and facilities that open onto a landscaped courtyard. The lush landscaping provides a securable natural oasis for social events and is an alternative to the hallway inside the building. By configuring the courthouse in this way, we decreased the size of the facility about 22%, resulting in significant cost savings to the city.