Buncombe County New Courts & Life Safety

Asheville, North Carolina

Facing capacity issues with their existing court facilities, as well as aging building and HVAC systems in an historic structure, Buncombe County selected Duncan + Hargrove Architects, PA, and SKA, to design a three-phase project. Phase I consisted of life safety improvements, Phase II involved the design of a new courts building, and Phase III included various interior upfits for different agencies and users. The owner’s goals were to: meet life safety requirements; retain the historic character of the courthouse; provide security, efficiency, and growth; and, maintain operations during design and construction. The result is a highly functional and sustainable court system, which meets the county’s capacity requirements for a growing population with a modern facility. SKA provided the LEED administrative services for this project.