For nearly a century, the James M. Ashley and Thomas W. L. Ashley U.S. Courthouse has stood on Toledo's downtown Civic Mall as an elegant expression of democratic ideals, its neoclassical design reaching back to Greek and Roman precedent the way earlier generations chose to represent the values of self-government. Behind that dignified exterior, however, the building had grown too small for its work and lacked the safety and security features a modern courthouse requires.

To address that, the U.S. General Services Administration selected the design-build team of Bialosky, Whiting-Turner, and William Rawn Associates to modernize the historic courthouse and design a new 96,000-square-foot annex. Carried out through the GSA's prestigious Design Excellence Program, the project serves the full range of the court's work, housing the Bankruptcy, District, and Magistrate Courts, Grand Jury suites, the District Clerk, and offices for the U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Attorney.

For nearly a century, the James M. Ashley and Thomas W. L. Ashley U.S. Courthouse has stood on Toledo's downtown Civic Mall as an elegant expression of democratic ideals, its neoclassical design reaching back to Greek and Roman precedent the way earlier generations chose to represent the values of self-government. Behind that dignified exterior, however, the building had grown too small for its work and lacked the safety and security features a modern courthouse requires.

To address that, the U.S. General Services Administration selected the design-build team of Bialosky, Whiting-Turner, and William Rawn Associates to modernize the historic courthouse and design a new 96,000-square-foot annex. Carried out through the GSA's prestigious Design Excellence Program, the project serves the full range of the court's work, housing the Bankruptcy, District, and Magistrate Courts, Grand Jury suites, the District Clerk, and offices for the U.S. Marshals Service and the U.S. Attorney.

The result is two buildings that link arms and are experienced as a single courthouse, even as each remains distinct and true to its own time. A glass bridge connection ties the Annex to the historic Ashley, while transparent façades and generous daylight give architectural form to the openness at the heart of the judicial process. Throughout, the design celebrates Toledo's storied glass-manufacturing heritage and opens the building to views and connections across the Civic Mall.

The result is two buildings that link arms and are experienced as a single courthouse, even as each remains distinct and true to its own time. A glass bridge connection ties the Annex to the historic Ashley, while transparent façades and generous daylight give architectural form to the openness at the heart of the judicial process. Throughout, the design celebrates Toledo's storied glass-manufacturing heritage and opens the building to views and connections across the Civic Mall.

The exterior of the annex is deferential to the colors, materials, and massing of the Ashley, while introducing a confident, contemporary voice to the Civic Mall. It respects the older building by matching its cornice line to the Ashley's and setting its two upper stories back, so the new construction never competes with the original. The annex stone has been carefully matched to that of the Ashley, but the new building trades masonry for a great deal more glass, bringing welcome transparency to its halls of justice.

The exterior of the annex is deferential to the colors, materials, and massing of the Ashley, while introducing a confident, contemporary voice to the Civic Mall. It respects the older building by matching its cornice line to the Ashley's and setting its two upper stories back, so the new construction never competes with the original. The annex stone has been carefully matched to that of the Ashley, but the new building trades masonry for a great deal more glass, bringing welcome transparency to its halls of justice.

The four district courtrooms in the annex mark a thoughtful departure from tradition. Translucent glazing along one wall draws in natural daylight while preserving the visual and acoustic privacy that court proceedings demand. Each courtroom also features a free-standing witness stand, which clarifies the distinct roles of witness, judge, and court officials while giving the jury and gathered audience ideal sight lines to the proceedings.

The four district courtrooms in the annex mark a thoughtful departure from tradition. Translucent glazing along one wall draws in natural daylight while preserving the visual and acoustic privacy that court proceedings demand. Each courtroom also features a free-standing witness stand, which clarifies the distinct roles of witness, judge, and court officials while giving the jury and gathered audience ideal sight lines to the proceedings.

Along Spielbusch Avenue, the annex opens into a double-height atrium known as the "Glass Porch," marking the entrances to three District Judge courtrooms and one Magistrate Judge courtroom. By replacing the solid, impenetrable walls that once fronted the courthouse, the design fills the entry with light and lends warmth and transparency to an important civic space. Here, justice is genuinely on display for all to see.

Along Spielbusch Avenue, the annex opens into a double-height atrium known as the "Glass Porch," marking the entrances to three District Judge courtrooms and one Magistrate Judge courtroom. By replacing the solid, impenetrable walls that once fronted the courthouse, the design fills the entry with light and lends warmth and transparency to an important civic space. Here, justice is genuinely on display for all to see.

Together, the modernized Ashley and its new annex uphold the Design Excellence ideal of public buildings that offer "visual testimony" to the dignity, enterprise, vigor, and stability of the American government. At the core of each of those ideals is empathy, the respect for, understanding of, and trust in one another and in the system of government that binds the nation together. It is that shared trust, given architectural form, that a courthouse is built to serve.

Together, the modernized Ashley and its new annex uphold the Design Excellence ideal of public buildings that offer "visual testimony" to the dignity, enterprise, vigor, and stability of the American government. At the core of each of those ideals is empathy, the respect for, understanding of, and trust in one another and in the system of government that binds the nation together. It is that shared trust, given architectural form, that a courthouse is built to serve.