SM&W Contribution
The eight-story Austin Federal Courthouse contains eight courtrooms, chambers for ten judges and administrative spaces. The original courthouse opened in the 1930s and outgrew its limits with the increased federal presence in Austin.
Shen Milsom & Wilke ensured that courtroom attendees couldn’t hear the holding areas and that prisoners couldn’t hear ongoing testimony. We reviewed the mechanical space redesign, complying with the U.S. Courts Design Guide as well as the U.S. General Services Administration’s Facilities Standards for Public Buildings Service. We verified adequate attenuation of anticipated sound generated by the exterior steel paneling, and we reviewed the architectural details for modified partition types. The courthouse was designed to be a high-performance green building, using less energy, water and resources than typical federal buildings.