New Courthouse Combines Classical Gestures with Regional Character

As the prime architect, lead judicial design architect, and co-lead design architect in association with ERO Architects, HDR helped deliver a new seven-story courthouse in Edinburg, Texas. The new Hidalgo County Courthouse replaces the seriously deficient 1950s structure and provides the capacity to address current needs with infrastructure to allow for future growth. 

The new courthouse is designed to accommodate:

• 24 District and County Courtrooms and one Court of Appeals
• District and County Clerks
• Jury Services, Public Defender and Indigent Defense
• Hidalgo County Bar Association
• Detention spaces provide spaces for defendants in custody within the ground floor central holding; additional space is allocated to each court floor
• Shell space for six additional future courts

In the great tradition of placing the courthouse on a grand square at the centre of a city, the new Hidalgo County Courthouse sits in the heart of the city of Edinburg. The chosen site closes and diverts US Hwy 281 to create an enlarged two-block downtown square coordinated with the City of Edinburg Downtown Master Plan. The  courthouse project includes a central utility plant within a separate building on the site, a single security screening area, secure parking for judges and elected officials, along with a loading dock area, parking, and a food court for the both public and staff.

The design of the courthouse creates a contemporary expression of the character, culture, heritage, and landscape unique to the Rio Grande River Valley, combined with the classical gestures of courthouse architecture. The arrival sequence begins with native plant materials, a Talavera tile inspired brise soleil made of water-jet cut metal scrim, and large-scale porcelain panels reminiscent of City Hall’s brick. Embracing the culture of the area, the design pays homage to the land, the people, and the history of the Rio Grande Valley. The courthouse aims to become the jewel of Edinburg, just as the Rio Grande River is the jewel of South Texas.