The new building is located in downtown Utah, next to the historic neoclassical courthouse. These structures are linked by a landscaped terrace - a public space that simultaneously makes the facilities accessible to the public and separates them from the street - in accordance with security requirements.
The 10-storey cubic volume of the building with four identical glazed facades through which you can see what is happening inside, according to the authors of the project, personifies the clarity, order, dignity, the principles of equality before the law and transparency that distinguish the US judicial system.
The facades are shielded from the sun by aluminum screens, which, however, do not obscure the views from the inside of Salt Lake City, Wasatch Ridge and Great Salt Lake. They also did not interfere with filling the interior with sunlight, which was one of the key goals of the architects and allowed, among other things, the project to receive the "gold" LEED resource efficiency certificate. A three-story main lobby in the southwest corner of the building and a 10-story glass-roofed central atrium distribute light to the adjacent transit and public spaces.
The main premises of the building - the courtrooms - are located in its four corners and are illuminated by the sun through the glass facades. There are 10 halls in total, but eight more can be added, if necessary, by transforming from administrative premises (except for the offices of judges and the Clerk of the Court, offices of the bailiff service and other federal agencies are based in the building). The parking for the new and historic buildings is located on two underground levels.
