Related Projects
The concept of the façade design is to provide natural shading of the glass, responding to the changing locations of the tropical sun’s energy as it moves through the day.
A new 7-story courthouse will be the identity for the District Court, establishing a significant civic presence on the campus and a new public entrance. Its cylindrical shape accomplishes several important design goals: composition, volume, and solar exposure. Its scale is reduced from that of an equally-sized orthogonal building and the circumference presents less wall surface.
The first significant federal building, the Jose V. Toledo U.S. Post Office and Courthouse in Old San Juan, was built between 1911 and 1914. A major addition was constructed in 1938 to solve the need for expansion and is still in use today as the home for the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.
Following the possession of Puerto Rico by the U.S. Government in 1898, the need for public buildings on the island became apparent.
Federico Degetau Federal Building &
Clemente Ruiz Nazario US Courthouse
San Juan, Puerto Rico
MGA Partners was commissioned for a comprehensive twelve-month Study to consider short-term and long-term plans for the federal judiciary and related agencies on the present U.S. Government campus located in the suburbs of historic Old San Juan. While well-maintained, the existing courthouse and adjacent federal building have become tired, outmoded, and unable to handle the functions or proposed growth of the court.
Our work involved several key objectives: programming with the court for significant space expansion, assessment of the existing buildings in terms of useful space and viability, as well as solving serious security and circulation dysfunction. We studied nine separate development alternatives, ultimately recommending a phased program of renovations and a new annex for the District Court. The Study allows the GSA to introduce the plans to the United States Congress for funding.
Area
185,000 sf new construction
197,000 sf renovation