According to Tom Maine, his workshop project speaks "the language of the tape." Indeed, curved long panels define both the exterior and interior of the building. They are made of stainless steel on the outside, cherry and chestnut wood on the inside. They serve as the personification of the "connective tissue" of the "body" of the building, give it grace and originality, linking the building with its surroundings and drawing a person into its orbit. Such an architectural solution for a government agency with awe-inspiring and even awe-inspiring functions is an achievement of the US General Purpose Administration, which has been running a “Design Excellence” program for 10 years, recruiting the country's leading architects to construct various buildings for official institutions. If not for this program, the new building in Eugene would be another variation on the Washington Capitol theme.
It should be noted that Maine used a technique typical of neoclassical American courts in his construction - a wide staircase leading from street level to the main entrance to the building raised above the surrounding buildings. But, unlike the traditional stone stylobate, the lower tier of the Oregon complex is made of glass. There are various office spaces that the visitor can access by walking down the stairs from the main lobby. Three volumes are placed on this transparent and weightless base, where courtrooms are located, sheathed with stainless steel panels and intertwined with ribbons of the same material. A total of six halls are clad with wood paneling from the inside. The architect spent several months in consultation with the local judiciary to make the interiors of these premises comfortable and open to humans. The acoustical qualities and the view of the front of the hall for spectators from the back rows are brought to near ideal values. These classrooms also have windows with views of the city and the surrounding mountains, which is generally a rarity for American ships.
The center of the interior space of the new complex is marked by a glazed atrium, the ceilings of which are supported by dynamically placed pillars. From it you can get into all the tiers of the building.
Thus, the achieved goal of both the architects and the customers was to create a new type of courthouse - reminding that the state and its laws exist for a person, and not to suppress his personality.
