Neighborhood Justice Center

Woodbury University

Arch 401 - Fall 2021

Instructor: Jordana Maisie Goot

Site Location: 400 S Central Avenue 90013, Downtown Los Angeles. The parcel location is that of Building 3, in the notated Upper South Site, per the Fourth & Central entitlement plans.

The Neighborhood Justice Center is a collaborative court program in partnership with city agencies and community groups, it represents progressive reform tot he current criminal justice system by addressing the primary issues facing the individual and not just their crime.

The design of the project follows the idea of opening up to the community and connecting the community to the Justice Center. With site and program analysis, the programs of Public vs. Controlled Access is organized in a specific way to create a central connection connecting the two. In efforts to attack mental and physical stress that many people have, the building creates a free breathable area, at the upper most level, for its inhabitants to relax and take a breathe. A diagrid facade with glass and timber panels, where timber panels are located at the lowest levels and travels up to glass at the upper levels create an “opening up” feeling exposing the interior to above.