The Hampshire County Judicial Center is located in downtown Romney, West Virginia, in the fertile valley of the South Branch of the Potomac River. The 34,000-square-foot facility houses the County Circuit Court, Family Court, and Magistrate Court, as well as offices for the clerks and prosecuting attorney.
The design allows for a modern, secure facility that separates public spaces, staff, and detainee circulation areas. The key to the design was blending natural materials to complement the character and scale of the adjacent existing courthouse. One of the challenges associated with the project was a re-design during steel erection. The building was designed as a one-story with an alternative for a second-floor shell space. When funds became available, the owner relocated spaces to the second floor. Another design challenge was the monumental two-story entry portal with a glass façade opening onto a two-story atrium with a second-floor balcony.
