City of Glendale
17,000 SF
JOC
Prime Architect
2024
$2.5M
Project Director
Project Manager
Interior Designer
Architectural Associate
The transformed Glendale City Court Building is now welcoming both visitors and staff into refreshed and reimagined spaces. The DFDG team took on this modern revitalization with the City’s three main goals in mind: Increase efficiency, improve customer service and comfort, and enhance safety and comfort for staff and visitors.
The redesign extends beyond aesthetics and focuses on enriching the day-to-day experiences of the community members and the dedicated Court staff who serve them. For the City’s employees, the renovation introduced optimized workspace layouts equipped with modern finishes and ergonomic furniture to support their productivity and overall well-being.
Essential restroom upgrades for visitors and staff included enhanced ADA features that serve all community members with added restrooms to accommodate additional court capacity. To streamline court operations, the design facilitates virtual court sessions through advanced technology upgrades. Each of the five courtrooms received updated finishes, and one courtroom now includes moveable furniture to allow for enhanced flexibility during court proceedings.
Staff area upgrades were achieved by working closely with stakeholders to gain an understanding of their day-to-day operations, improving circulation, and opening up previously crowded and inefficient workstations. Additions included a new break room and lighter and brighter spaces for court administrators and judges’ chambers.
A key focus was the redesign of the front counters to enhance privacy and ergonomics. Attractive privacy screens now provide acoustic and visual separation between counter positions, creating a more accessible environment for staff and visitors and reducing reliance on previously inefficient communication devices for those with hearing impairment. DFDG’s comprehensive design approach has set a new standard for Glendale in public service counter design.
Initially planned as a multi-phased renovation, the City’s proactive staff devised a collective plan to temporarily relocate their administrative services. This strategy allowed the project to be completed within an impressive 10-month timeframe, which reduced construction costs and disruptions.
The DFDG team is honored to be a part of helping Glendale achieve their goals for a safe, welcoming, and efficient staff and customer experience.
The Glendale City Court Renovation is a comprehensive modernization of the 17,000 SF Glendale City Court Building. Completed in 2024,the project was guided by three goals set by the City: increase operational efficiency, improve customer service and comfort for the public, and enhance safety and wellbeing for both staff and visitors.
The renovation updated all five courtrooms with refreshed finishes, including one courtroom with moveable furniture to allow flexible use during proceedings. Virtual court session capability was added through advanced technology upgrades. Staff workspace layouts were reorganized and modernized, a new break room was added, and judges’ chambers and administrative areas were brightened and opened up. Front counters were redesigned to improve privacy and ergonomics, and restrooms were updated with enhanced ADA features and added capacity.
DFDG Architecture used project-specific planning strategies to support Glendale City Court Renovation’s operations, users, and long-term performance. The DFDG team worked directly with court staff to understand their day-to-day operations before making any design decisions. That process uncovered circulation inefficiencies and overcrowded workstations that had been limiting productivity. The redesign addressed those specific pain points, resulting in a workspace that better supports how the team actually works.
The renovated courthouse creates a noticeably better experience for members of the public who need to interact with the court system. Brighter, more welcoming spaces, improved counter privacy, updated restrooms, and virtual court options all reduce friction for visitors , particularly for those who may already be navigating a stressful situation.