The Judge Seymour Gelber and Judge William E. Gladstone Miami-Dade Children’s Courthouse was featured in the AIA’s Justice Facilities Review of the year’s “best in justice design.”
The Justice Facilities Review Jury “responded to the playfulness and placement of materials.” Designed by HOK to minimize stress for children and families, the facility features a tilted, pre-cast concrete “confetti wall” wall perforated with multi-colored windows.
Excerpted from the American Institute of Architects:
The Miami-Dade Children’s Courthouse is a landmark building, combining juvenile and family courts in a non-traditional and welcoming environment. Designed to minimize stress for children and families, the 14-story building includes 18 courtrooms and 16 supporting agencies, making it easy to access numerous key services in one central location.
The building is thoughtfully designed to enable an effective justice process for all participants. Agile courtrooms and related technology accommodate multiple case types and requirements, while colocation of staff and judiciary allows for collaborative team work. Five floors are designated as flexible space, readily accommodating changing departmental and partner organization needs. Three floors offer children and families stress-reducing centralized storefront locations for support agencies. High-volume public traffic spaces are conveniently located on lower floors for ease of community access. Visually inviting and easy to navigate, these spaces engage participants while evoking the civic importance and openness of the justice process.
Sustainability is integral throughout the building, with an emphasis on passive siting and facade strategies to mitigate tropical sun and weather. Local materials and techniques have also been extensively used for financial sustainability.