Michigan Hall of Justice
Encyclopedia
The Michigan Hall of Justice, also known as the Michigan Supreme Court Building is a six-story structure at 925 Ottawa Street in Lansing
, Michigan
. It is constructed in the postmodern
style and faced with over 14,000 limestone panels. The building was designed by Spillis Candella and Albert Kahn Associates, Inc.
The building contains a total of 280000 sq ft (26,012.9 m²) houses the Michigan Supreme Court
, state court administrative offices and a 3800 sq ft (353 m²) learning center. The Michigan Hall of Justice is situated at the west end of the mall facing the Michigan State Capitol
and consists of a central entry framed by Doric columns and two curved wings. Above the entry is a three-sided bay that is capped by a glass dome. One-story colonnades extend from the two curved wings proving a covered area for pedestrians and helping to link the building visually to the Capitol.
In 1922, several state offices moved from the Capitol Building into the newly constructed Lewis Cass Building
and the Supreme Court expanded into space previously occupied by the State Library. The number of justices was reduced to seven by the Michigan Constitution of 1963, however the court continued to use these cramped facilities until 1970.
When the Lewis Cass Building opened, many in the Michigan Government recognized the need for expanded facilities to house the Supreme Court. In his master plan for Lansing created 1920-1921, urban planner Harland Bartholomew
included a stately court building at the west end of the capitol mall however, the Legislature took no steps to fulfill this portion of the plan.
The Supreme Court left the Capitol Building for temporary quarters in the Law Building, later renamed for Governor and Supreme Court member G. Mennen Williams
, on the capitol mall in 1970. It remained there for 32 years until moving to the Hall of Justice.
The groundbreaking for the Hall of Justice was October 12, 1999 and it was dedicated October 8, 2002. The lobby of the court chamber is on the sixth floor under the 16 ft (4.9 m) diameter glass dome. The chamber is to the rear of the building. The furnishings and design of the chamber are based on those in the 1871 chamber in the Capitol Building. The carpet design and colors are also based on those used in the original chamber. The ceiling is a low, coffered dome with celestory windows around its perimeter. The judicial bench and spectator seating are a dark mahogany.
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. It is constructed in the postmodern
Postmodern architecture
Postmodern architecture began as an international style the first examples of which are generally cited as being from the 1950s, but did not become a movement until the late 1970s and continues to influence present-day architecture...
style and faced with over 14,000 limestone panels. The building was designed by Spillis Candella and Albert Kahn Associates, Inc.
The building contains a total of 280000 sq ft (26,012.9 m²) houses the Michigan Supreme Court
Michigan Supreme Court
The Michigan Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is known as Michigan's "court of last resort" and consists of seven justices who are elected to eight-year terms. Candidates are nominated by political parties and are elected on a nonpartisan ballot...
, state court administrative offices and a 3800 sq ft (353 m²) learning center. The Michigan Hall of Justice is situated at the west end of the mall facing the Michigan State Capitol
Michigan State Capitol
The Michigan State Capitol is the building housing the legislative and executive branches of the government of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located in the state capital of Lansing in Ingham County...
and consists of a central entry framed by Doric columns and two curved wings. Above the entry is a three-sided bay that is capped by a glass dome. One-story colonnades extend from the two curved wings proving a covered area for pedestrians and helping to link the building visually to the Capitol.
History
When the Michigan State Capitol opened in 1879, it included an elaborately decorated chamber for The Supreme Court on the third floor. Court members and their staff originally occupied the rooms adjacent to the chamber in the east corridor. However, these facilities were quickly taxed beyond their capacity as the court had only four justices when it moved into these quarters and a fifth justice was added in 1887, increasing to eight in 1903.In 1922, several state offices moved from the Capitol Building into the newly constructed Lewis Cass Building
Lewis Cass Building
Lewis Cass Building is a state government office in downtown Lansing, Michigan named for Lewis Cass.-Government Agencies:State of Michigan government agencies located in Cass Building:*Department of Management and Budget http://michigan.gov/dmb...
and the Supreme Court expanded into space previously occupied by the State Library. The number of justices was reduced to seven by the Michigan Constitution of 1963, however the court continued to use these cramped facilities until 1970.
When the Lewis Cass Building opened, many in the Michigan Government recognized the need for expanded facilities to house the Supreme Court. In his master plan for Lansing created 1920-1921, urban planner Harland Bartholomew
Harland Bartholomew
Harland Bartholomew was an American urban planner. Although a civil engineer by training and disposition, Harland's career started just as the automobile production was about to take off, industrial development was booming and urban populations grew...
included a stately court building at the west end of the capitol mall however, the Legislature took no steps to fulfill this portion of the plan.
The Supreme Court left the Capitol Building for temporary quarters in the Law Building, later renamed for Governor and Supreme Court member G. Mennen Williams
G. Mennen Williams
Gerhard Mennen "Soapy" Williams, , was a politician from the US state of Michigan. An heir to a personal grooming products fortune, he was known as "Soapy," and wore a trademark green bow tie with white polka dots....
, on the capitol mall in 1970. It remained there for 32 years until moving to the Hall of Justice.