Polk Stanley Wilcox’s main task was to design a thoughtful, contextual addition to the historic Federal Bankruptcy Courthouse. Our solution was to touch the building as lightly as possible by creating a light-filled glass circulation spine that incorporates the historic stone north building elevation into the interior circulation path. A comprehensive renovation of the interior and exterior of the existing building was also undertaken. The addition was designed to preserve the three most prominent facades, while expanding the building on the least significant side in a style and with materials sensitive to those of the existing building. The project consisted of rehabilitating the existing 60,600 square foot historic structure and a compatible addition of approximately 30,000 square feet that met the requirements of the National Historic Preservation Act, while also meeting the modern functional needs of the courts, ADA accessibility standards and new technology.
