Judicious Design

摘要

Home to the University of Oregon, the city of Eugene offers breathtaking scenic views and sprawling bike trails. But natural beauty isn't all the city has to offer. Eugene also has its fair share of art and culture. Thus, when it came time to design a federal courthouse for this Pacific Northwest community, the goal was to showcase the latest in sustainable architecture, engineering and construction. When completed later this summer, the 262,000-sq.-ft. Wayne L. Morse U.S. Courthouse will certainly capture the fancy of passers-by with its three sweeping curved metal and glass facade pods, which house courtrooms and judge's chambers, or its atrium-linked two-story glass podium that contains the facility's administrative departments. But what's not readily detectable is the cooperation and coordination that made this smooth design and construction process a hallmark of the U.S. General Service Administration's (GSA) Design Excellence program.