Courthouse: Enhanced Office  

Updated: 
10-19-2018

Overview

The Enhanced Office space type primarily refers to ancillary offices, jury facilities, and other spaces attached to courtrooms such as the Judge's Conference Room, Judge's Robing Room, News Media Room, Service Unit, Private Toilet, and Equipment Storage, but excluding the Courtroom Public Entrance Soundlock. In addition, the Enhanced Office space type includes the office, storage, and workspace for the Court Reporter/Recorder, Deputy Courtroom Clerk, and Transcriber/Typist located at the court set by the courtrooms; and Jury Facilities including Jury Assembly Spaces, Trial Jury Suite, and spaces within the Grand Jury Suite, except for the Grand Jury Hearing Room. In order to comply with court-related standards, Private Toilets, Conference Rooms, and Service Units are included in the Enhanced Office space type rather than as separate space types. See also WBDG Federal Courthouse.

Office in the Harris County Courthouse

Office in the Harris County Courthouse, which dates to 1910.
Photo Credit: Nash Baker

Space Attributes

Enhanced Office space types can be differentiated from more general office space types because of increased attention to security and acoustical separations, and a high level of finishes in Judge and Jury areas. Typical features of courtroom enhanced office space types include the list of applicable design objectives elements as outlined below. For a complete list and definitions of the design objectives within the context of whole building design, click on the titles below.

Accessible

  • Private work areas must be adaptable to accessibility. It is recommended that private work areas be made accessible during initial design and construction to avoid more expensive alterations for accessibility in the future. Additionally, spaces should be designed with flexibility in mind to accommodate changing needs of the staff or users of the spaces.

Aesthetics

  • Finishes: Enhanced Office space types are generally finished with durable materials that reflect the seriousness of the judicial mandate and the dignity of the judicial system. Ambient lighting with dimmable controls and special accent lighting is typically used in Conference/Witness Waiting Rooms, and Jury Trial Rooms. Consider energy efficient lighting fixtures.

Functional / Operational

  • Occupancy: The Enhanced Office space types fall into the B2 occupancy classification with sprinklered construction. The GSA acoustical class is C1 for enclosed offices and Class C2 for open offices.

Productive

  • Special HVAC: Incorporate flexible, multi-zoned mechanical equipment with state-of-the-art controls and energy efficiency features. All court and judiciary-related offices must have individual HVAC controls, monitored from a central location. To control noise during all modes of operation, the systems must be provided with one or more of the following: sound traps and acoustical lining in duct work; low-velocity, low-static-pressure fan systems; and/or special low-noise diffusers.

Secure / Safe

  • Increased Security: Security planning is typically factored in at the beginning of the design process and should include a comprehensive approach to operational, technical, and physical safety methods. Court components and circulation patterns require varying degrees of security therefore, each specialized room or area should be planned separately. Typically, special attention will be given to adjacency and circulation. Public circulation requires a single controlled entry, but allows free movement within the building. Restricted circulation has a controlled interior entry and is limited to judges, court personnel, and official visitors. Additionally, cybersecurity needs to be addressed as a policy and implemented through education and training of staff and employees.

Sustainable

  • A holistic approach to sustainability and green building design strategies should be considered and planned for the whole building. However, individual spaces should also be designed and planned with natural daylighting, energy efficient lighting, healthy indoor air quality, and Low and/or No-VOC materials, furnishes, and finishes whenever possible. To save or reduce energy use, consider occupancy sensors, dimmable ballasts, and energy efficient task lighting. To increase occupant comfort, provide individual control of HVAC in these spaces, wherever possible.
Diagram of spatial relationship, accessibility, and circulation (SRAC) in a U.S. Court of Appeals and related offices

Diagram of spatial relationship, accessibility, and circulation (SRAC) in a U.S. Court of Appeals and related offices.
Image courtesy of U.S. Courts Design Guide

Example Program

A sample program is provided along with three floor plans (low, mid, and high rise).

ENHANCED OFFICE

Tenant Occupiable Areas Per Set SF Each Small Courthouse Medium Courthouse Large Courthouse
Sr. District Courtrooms          
    Witness/
    Attorney Conference Room
2 150 300 600 1,200
    Public Waiting Area 1 400 400 800 1,600
    Equipment Storage 1 100 100 200 400
  Ancillary Facilities          
    Judicial Staff Toilets 1 50 50 100 200
    Court Reporter/Recorder Office 1 150 150 300 600
    Court Reporter/
    Recorder Storage
1 50 50 100 200
    Shared Work Room 1 50 50 100 200
    Transcriber/Typist Workstation 1 50 50 100 200
  Jury Facilities          
    Jury Room Soundlock Entry 1 50 50 100 200
    Juror's Toilets 1 100 100 200 400
    Coat Closet 1 20 20 40 80
    Trial Jury Room 1 350 350 700 1,400
    Service Unit 1 20 20 40 80
    Audio/Video Equipment 1 10 10 20 40
    Sworn Jury Custodian 1 50 50 100 200
District Courtrooms          
    Witness/
    Attorney Conference Room
2 150 300 600 1,200
    Public Waiting Area 1 400 400 800 1,600
    Equipment Storage 1 100 100 200 400
  Ancillary Facilities          
    Judicial Staff Toilets 1 50 50 100 200
    Court Reporter/Recorder Office 1 150 150 300 600
    Court Reporter/
    Recorder Storage
1 50 50 100 200
    Shared Work Room 1 50 50 100 200
    Transcriber/Typist Workstation 1 50 50 100 200
  Jury Facilities          
    Jury Room Soundlock Entry 1 50 50 100 200
    Juror's Toilets 1 100 100 200 400
    Coat Closet 1 20 20 40 80
    Trial Jury Room 1 350 350 700 1,400
    Service Unit 1 20 20 40 80
    Audio/Video Equipment 1 10 10 20 40
    Sworn Jury Custodian 1 50 50 100 200
Magistrate Courtroom Facilities          
    Witness/
    Attorney Conference Room
2 150 300 1,200 2,400
    Public Waiting Area 1 400 400 1,600 3,200
    Equipment Storage 1 100 100 400 800
  Ancillary Facilities          
    Judicial Staff Toilets 1 50 50 200 400
    Court Reporter/Recorder Office 1 150 150 600 1,200
    Court Reporter/
    Recorder Storage
1 50 50 200 400
    Shared Work Room 1 50 50 200 400
    Transcriber/Typist Workstation 1 50 50 200 400
  Jury Facilities          
    Jury Room Soundlock Entry 1 50 50 200 400
    Juror's Toilets 1 100 100 400 800
    Coat Closet 1 20 20 80 100
    Trial Jury Room 1 250 250 1,000 2,000
    Service Unit 1 20 20 80 160
    Audio/Video Equipment 1 10 10 40 80
    Sworn Jury Custodian 1 50 50 200 400
Bankruptcy Courtroom Facilities          
    Witness/
    Attorney Conference Room
2 150 300 600 1,200
    Public Waiting Area 1 400 400 800 1,600
    Equipment Storage 1 80 80 160 320
  Ancillary Facilities          
    Judicial Staff Toilets 1 50 50 100 200
    Court Reporter/Recorder Office 1 150 150 300 600
    Court Reporter/
    Recorder Storage
1 50 50 100 200
    Shared Work Room 1 50 50 100 200

Example Construction Criteria

For GSA, the unit costs for enhanced office space types are based on the construction quality and design features in the following table . This information is based on GSA's benchmark interpretation and could be different for other owners.

Relevant Codes and Standards

The following agencies and organizations have developed codes and standards affecting the design of enhanced office spaces. Note that the codes and standards are minimum requirements. Architects, engineers, and consultants should consider exceeding the applicable requirements whenever possible:

Additional Resources

Publications

Others

Building Types: