Global design firm Fentress Architects and its partners—TreanorHL and JE Dunn Construction—unveiled an inside look at the new $193 Million Johnson County Courthouse in Olathe, Kansas. Officials celebrated the opening of the 356,831-square-foot structure on January 7 during a virtual ceremony. The building incorporates 28 new courtrooms, flexible space for six to eight additional courtrooms, and supporting functions including a Law Library, Court Administration, District Attorney, Court Clerk, Help Center, Court Trustee, Justice Information Management, Sheriff’s Office and other services necessary to serve all judicial needs for the Johnson County community.
Designed by Fentress in collaboration with TreanorHL, the new courthouse blends modern, innovative architectural features with traditional elements to create a truly 21st-century and sustainable facility that will serve the community’s needs for the next 75 years, accommodate the expected growth of 10,000 residents per year, and fulfill the County’s goal to reduce energy by 30 percent. Aesthetic highlights such as a limestone-clad screen wall serves as a major design detail and defines the main entrance while paying homage to the materials and forms found in Kansas geology and history. Inside the courthouse, the “Emporium of Justice” is the facility’s main entrance and lobby where visitors pass through security.