ARCH TOUR FEST: Los Angeles Federal Courthouse 2026
Photo Credit: Bruce Damonte
ARCH TOUR FEST: Los Angeles Federal Courthouse
Please note that there will be a TSA style bag check when entering the courthouse so, please plan accordingly.
The design of the new United States Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles is both modern in spirit and rooted in classic principles of federal architecture. It uses traditional architectural elements such as processional steps, grand public spaces, and enduring materials like limestone to achieve a strong civic identity. Envisioned as a “floating” cube, the building employs an innovative structural engineering concept that cantilevers the glass volume above its stone base, making the courthouse contemporary in material, technology, and form.
The tour will include the outside of the building, the interior light court (ground level, levels 9 & 10), the outdoor courtyard space, and a courtroom.
Tour Led By
Garth Ramsey, AIA, Associate Principal Bio: Garth Ramsey is an Associate Principal in SOM’s Los Angeles studio. With over three decades of design and technical experience, his developed skills in conjunction with his strong communication and leadership abilities, allow him to excel in a wide spectrum of project roles and responsibilities. Garth‘s recent work includes the new Building for the Permanent Collection at LACMA and the United States Federal Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles, California.
Prior to joining SOM, Garth assumed a leadership role for a large-scale mixed-use development in Houston, Texas, the new British Columbia headquarters for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Vancouver, Canada and the Long Beach Courthouse, a 600,000-square-foot P3 project, where he functioned as the project team co-lead and principal consultant coordinator.
Architect: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM)
Building Credits
Architect, SOM
Construction: Clark
AIA CES: 1.0 LU|HSW Approved
Learning Objectives
- Discuss how the courthouse strengthens the civic identity and contributes to the urban fabric of downtown Los Angeles.
- Explore how natural lighting was utilized throughout the building to enhance the visitor experience
- Understand how the pleated façade design responds to solar exposure and enhances building performance.
- Learn how the “floating cube” form was realized through innovative structural engineering and construction sequence planning.
- Study the sustainable strategies behind the courthouse’s LEED® Platinum certification.
