The Meadow Lake Court House, which opened in November 2010, received an Award of Merit from the American Institute of Architects’ Academy of Architecture for Justice in Washington, D.C. The award is a result of the Academy’s annual 2011 Justice Facilities Review (JFR). According to its website, the Justice Facilities Review documents best practices in planning and design for justice architecture. Functionality and community impact, sustainability and economic feasibility, as well as aesthetic achievements are considered essential elements for identifying the success of these projects. The JFR jury is composed of three architects, as well as three professionals from the fields of courts, detention/corrections and law enforcement, since how the building works is as important as how it appears.
