Title: Nathan Deal Judicial Center
Location of Proejct: Atlanta, Georgia
Project Completion Date: 03/28/2021
Firm Name: SSOE|Stevens & Wilkinson

Short Description: The Nathan Deal Judicial Center is the first state building in the history of Georgia devoted entirely to the judiciary. The seven-story, 224,500SF facility houses the Supreme Court of Georgia, the Georgia Court of Appeals, and newly created state-wide Business Court. This significant facility was designed to complement the State Capitol Building (Edbrooke and Burnham, circa 1889) and expand the Capitol Hill District across Capitol Avenue. The classical architectural approach symbolizes the dignity of the courts from the beginnings of the republic, the placement and orientation of the building is directly on axis with the dome of the State Capitol.

Architect's Statement: Designing the first state building dedicated to the judiciary brought many design challenges, including programming for a rapidly growing state, site selection, and ultimately working with a site separated from the "Capitol Hill" state governnment district by the downtown interstate connector and complex Capitol Avenue and Memorial Drive intersection. In addition, advancing sustainability was a key design attribute. From water-saving systems and fixtures to using a hybrid mechanical system to selecting regionally sourced materials, building orientation, and window locations for daylighting and views, and being good stewards of the State's resources was integral to the design solution.

Several sites were studied around the Capitol Hill district for functional, symbolic, and economic parameters. Ultimately, the site of the abandoned Ben W. Fortson, Jr. State Archives & Records Building at 330 Capitol Avenue was chosen based on these important criteria. The 5.8-acre property is a strategic and highly-visible location at the corner of I-20 and the I-75/I-85 Connector. The design integrated and worked with the constraints of the Capitol Ave Bridge spanning the I-75, I-85 Connector, and its abutment structure. This site allowed for a visual link to the Capitol Hill district and potential long-term improvements to Capitol Avenue, creating a new vibrant, pedestrian link.

The solution utilizes an oval plaza framed by trees that leads to the public entrance, its border paved with Georgia marble reclaimed from the Archives Building. The siting of the building is also considered passive security attributes, including crash-rated gates and fencing, building setbacks, lighting, and surveillance. The lateral axis of the building is directly on axis with the State Capitol Building, allowing for a direct visual connection to the center of state government. Long-term planning suggests a large vehicular traffic circle be developed on the Capital Ave and Memorial Drive intersection to further enhance the visual and pedestrian connections between the project site and "Capitol Hill."

The design utilized the site's topography to conceal secured Justice and Judges' parking underneath the building while lifting the main public entrance and floors high enough to relate to "Capitol Hill. The 7-story building reaches 146 feet above the ground, and its arcing north facade, highly visible from the Capitol complex and adjacent expressways, communicates the dignity and stability of the Courts with the restrained Classicism that has long symbolized American justice.

The main facade, clad in limestone-colored precast concrete above a Georgia granite water table, has a colonnaded screen as its centerpiece. It is comprised of four 42-foot-tall columns, bringing daylight into the atrium; the columns and the 68-foot-tall arched window behind them recall the central figure of the Georgia State Seal. Three bronze doors below the colonnade lead to the single-story lobby, which gracefully accommodates security needs; from there a double stair ascends to the second-floor atrium, a sixty-foot-high light-filled elliptical room around which the building's courtrooms, judicial chambers, conference center, and offices are organized. In total, the central atrium reaches 112 feet in height and visually connects six floors.

The Court of Appeals occupies a courtroom on the second floor; across the atrium, a terrace offers views of the Capitol and downtown Atlanta. To address future growth of the Court of Appeals as the State's population grows, there is space for nine future chambers (3 panels of 3 Judges) in addition to the 15 current chambers (5 panels of 3 Judges).

The Supreme Courtroom, located on the sixth floor, is entered through an oval lobby centered on an oculus that looks down into the atrium below and a large arched window that offers views toward the city. Both courtrooms have stained hickory paneling, a species native to Georgia; the Supreme Court Room is dignified with a screen of ionic columns rendered in Georgia marble. Vaulted ceilings and clerestory windows inspired by Classical precedents endow the modern courtrooms with balanced light and superior acoustics and connect them to longstanding design traditions of judicial architecture.

Sustainability was a key driver of decision-making and systems and material selections throughout the design and construction process. From water-saving systems and fixtures to the use of a hybrid mechanical system, to the selection of Georgia-based materials, to building orientation and window locations for daylighting and views, incorporating the State's resources was an integral part of the design. This approach also carried over into the interior design, where all new furniture was purchased on state contract. A significant amount of the chamber furniture was also reused from existing chambers for their historical value. Sustainable strategies included enhanced commissioning for the building systems and exterior envelop. Water use reductions for systems and fixtures, energy modeling, and life cycle cost analysis were utilized to help achieve a 3 out of 4 under the Georgia Peach Green Building Rating System.