Maury County Judicial Center

Location:

Columbia, Tennessee

Status: 

Completed Fall 2024

Size:

58,000 SF

Client:

Maury County Government 

Shop Team:

James Kennon
Meredith Bardill
Katherine Kennon
Cary Sweat
Mya Rashada

Project Collaborators:

General Contractor: BELL Construction Company
Structural Engineer: EMC Structural Engineers
MPE Engineering: LEE Company
Civil Engineer: Civil Site Design
Landscape Architect: Civil Site Design  

The new Maury County Judicial Center provides a much-needed space, security, and accessibility upgrade to the existing historic courthouse in the heart of downtown Columbia. The architect WORKSHOP team worked closely with the users and County Commission to develop a plan that addresses the needs of the growing county while also being mindful of constraints.

Consideration was given to the exterior detailing by pulling inspiration from the character and brickwork that the historic square exudes and begin to shape a new hub for the County Judicial System a few blocks away from the existing Courthouse.

Careful planning went into making efficient spaces that also respected security and safety of both staff and the public while balancing the need to move detainees in the secured areas to and from court proceedings. The workshop also strived for flexibility in the design as well as maintaining natural lighting in workspaces for building occupants. Each of the 6 courtrooms provides 4 associated meeting rooms to facilitate private areas for attorneys to meet with clients. This privacy also gives a nod to the County’s rich history as historic images provide a light filtering film for the glazing into the meeting rooms from the public concourse. Egress stairs within the secure staff area were designed to be inviting to encourage usage with natural light and a carved wall that serves as a guardrail. Staff break areas are provided on each level, meant to give a tucked away location to decompress and pause, while also being central and shared to encourage staff fellowship.

 Courtrooms were designed to meet growth needs as well as provide flexibility inside the bar area. Detainees being brought to court for proceedings can be brought up directly from the holding area into their assigned courtroom, without disrupting flow in the public or secure staff spheres. The Jury courtrooms on the upper level have a mix of layouts, with 1 traditional side jury configuration and 2 Virginia Revival Model (VRM) Jury box layouts. The VRM layout centers the Jury in front of the Judge’s bench, emphasizing their importance in the judicial process.

The Workshop team worked carefully with a limited budget for interior finishes to balance creating a judicial yet uplifting environment with the demand for durable finishes that a heavily used public space requires. This was primarily achieved through signage/graphics and paint/wallcoverings. The overall interior color palette is representative of the exterior tones of brick with warm neutral shades adding depth and complexity. Accent colors are used to distinguish each floor and transaction window as a wayfinding device in the neutral-toned design scheme.

In addition to the historic image privacy film used on conference windows; elements from other eras and County buildings were incorporated. Pews from the historic courthouse were refinished and integrated into public corridors for seating. The new facility sits on the site of the former Columbia Daily Herald building which was constructed in 1968 but poorly maintained. Before being demolished, the team was able to remove light fixtures which were then incorporated as accent lighting in each courtroom vestibule.