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NAME Orange County Courthouse REF. NO. 232
ADDRESS 30 Civic Center Plaza
CITY Santa Ana ZIP 92701 ORANGE COUNTY
YEAR BUILT 1968 LOCAL REGISTER CATEGORY: Landmark
HISTORIC DISTRICT None NEIGHBORHOOD None
NATIONAL REGISTER CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION None NATIONAL REGISTER STATUS CODE Not Applicable
Location: Not for Publication Unrestricted
USGS 7.5” Quad Date: T R ¼ of ¼ of Sec : B.M.
Prehistoric Historic Both
ARCHITECTURAL STYLE: International Style
DESCRIPTION/BACKGROUND RELATED TO PERIOD ARCHITECTURE:
The architectural style terminology is adapted from the National Register Bulletin 16A
The International style is one of the styles of the Modern Movement that spans loosely from 1890 to 1970. The International style
reached its zenith between 1915 and 1945. It is characterized by a complete absence of ornament and by forms in which effects of
mass and weight are minimized for the sake of an effect of pure volume; compositionally it is balanced and seldom symmetrical.
Identifying features include flat roofs, smooth and uniform wall surfaces, windows with minimal exterior reveals (which are perceived
as continuations of the surface in another material rather than holes in the wall), and windows that turn the corner of the building. The
style also uses the cantilever principle, both carrying upper floors outside the supporting columns and for balconies and other
projecting features. Wall surfaces are of any material, but generally plastered and painted white on the early vocabulary. Concrete is
almost never exposed. Horizontality and rectilinearity predominate in the style.
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CONSTRUCTION HISTORY: (Construction data, alterations, and date of alterations)
Alter light cover over jury box September 18, 1969
Alterations to Room B-292 offices December 31,1969
Add tobacco stand January 20, 1970
Alter jury boxes April 2, 1970
New Japanese garden July 31, 1970
New utility tunnel September 14, 1970
New security wall, 2nd floor November 18, 1970
New guard booth January 14, 1971
Alter office area April 11, 1971
Add and alter Plaza of the Sun August 13, 1971
Alter office, room 277 October 26, 1971
Add judge office & jury box, jury assembly June 6, 1972
Interior partitions, Veterans Service office June 20, 1972
Remodel room A200-A204 July 14, 1972
Alter sheriff-prisoner security October 2, 1972
Remodel courtrooms, 3rd floor October 5, 1972
Partitions in room 282, jury room May 18, 1973
Remodel men’s detention, 2nd floor July 26, 1973
Alter ceiling for remodel September 11, 1973
Alter 1st floor clerks spaces April 30, 1974
Remodel Sheriff’s information booth November 26, 1974
Remodel detention area, 3rd floor May 8, 1975
Remodel clerk’s office April 11, 1982
Alter offices September 23, 1982
Alter District Attorney’s office, 2nd floor July 25, 1983
Divide courtroom, 3rd floor August 31, 1983
Remodel room 286 January 20, 1984
Remodel Public Defender area January 31, 1984
Remodel District Attorney’s office January 31, 1984
Alter holding cell, 2nd floor April 18, 1985
Remodel Marshall’s office September 15, 1986
Interior alterations to lobby area September 27, 1988
New 8-foot roof mounted antenna July 17, 1989
RELATED FEATURES: (Other important features such as barns, sheds, fences, prominent or unusual trees, or landscape)
Reflection pool on the north elevation, currently drained.
DESCRIPTION: (Describe resource and its major elements. Include design, materials, condition, alterations, size, settings, and
boundaries.)
The Orange County Courthouse is composed of 4 juxtaposed volumes: A main, vertical volume, which is an eleven story, rectangular
tower, and three horizontal volumes which vary from two to three stories high and wrap around on west and south sides of the main
volume. A freestanding enclosed stair shaft, clad with solid white porcelain enamel panels on all elevations, is connected to the main
tower by exit balconies that cantilever from the main building.
The tower is finished with horizontal bands of windows and solid curtain wall that wraps all elevations. An additional exterior layer,
composed of a variety of louver systems is added on the north and south elevations. The system on the north elevation consists of a
narrow, full height ribbon of closely spaced horizontal metal louvers and 10 large, full height, vertical, porcelain enamel fins that
cover three-quarters of the elevation. The system on the south elevation consists of vertical metal louvers, which at one time were
movable and cover from the top edge of the building and stop at the third level. The east and west elevations of the tower are clad
with solid white porcelain enamel panels on three-quarters of the width.
The volume to the Northwest of the tower is a two-story wing that is finished in the same materials as the tower and has large vertical
porcelain fins that cover the north elevation. The west elevation is covered with closely spaced, full height metal louvers that were
movable at one time. This wing is connected to the tower by a covered entrance with exposed extended steel braces clad in
aluminum.
The horizontal three-story volume to the southwest of the tower is finished with the same exterior materials as the tower and
introduces the use of rough, rectangular stone veneer installed in a vertical pattern on the south and the lower portion of the east
elevations. This wing also has an additional exterior layer composed of large, fixed vertical concrete louvers on the west elevation
and bands or horizontal, closely spaced metal louvers on the east elevation.
The minor rectangular volume attached to the rear of the tower is a two-story wing. The east and west elevation are of solid stone
veneer, and the south elevation is covered with full height, vertical fixed concrete louvers. A third floor appears to be currently under
construction.
A reflection pool, which is currently drained, is located on the north side of the tower. The reflection pool to the south has been
redesigned to a garden area with a dry riverbed.
The distinctive features that identify this as a Modernist building developed in the International Style, include: the use of rectangular,
clean volumes; the absence of ornamentation; the use of reflective materials on the exterior finishes, such as glass, reflective metals on
the exterior louvers and entry columns; the use of porcelain panels as an exterior finish; and the use of water. The use of natural
materials, such as stone veneer on the exterior is typical of a modernist building of the late vocabulary.
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HISTORIC HIGHLIGHTS:
Richard Neutra, Registered Architect, designed this building in 1966. This was the last major public commission in the west coast
done while he was still president of his architectural firm. Richard Neutra was an Austrian born American architect, known for
introducing and popularizing the International Style into the American Architecture, especially on the west coast. As the leading
modernist residential architect between 1927 and 1949, he created a modern regionalism for Southern California, which combined a
light metal frame with a stucco finish to create a light effortless appearance. His interpretation of the International Style concepts
placed California in the international architectural forefront. Mr. Neutra received the American Institute of Architecture’s Gold
Medal, which is the greatest honor from the Institute, posthumously in 1977
Robert Lowrey, Registered Architect, of the Santa Ana architectural firm of Ramberg and Lowrey Architects, produced the
construction documents for this building based on the design and specifications by Richard Neutra. Robert Peterson of Jones-Peterson
Landscape Architects prepared the landscape plans for the Courthouse. The builders were J. B. Allen & Co. and Dillingham
Construction Corporation.
RESOURCE ATTRIBUTES: (List attributes and codes from Appendix 4 of Instructions for Recording Historical Resources, Office
of Historic Preservation.)
HP 14 Government building
RESOURCES PRESENT:
Building Structure Object Site District Element of District Other
MOVED? No Yes Unknown Date: Original Location:
STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: (Discuss importance in terms of historical or architectural context as defined by theme,
period, geographic scope, and integrity.)
This multi-story government building is located in the Orange County Civic Center, which is a formal, urban setting that houses State,
County and City government agencies. The government center was developed in the 1960’s and 1970’s. This center reflected the
importance of Santa Ana as the County seat. This building was one of the first to be built at the center. Its design incorporated many
of the design elements developed earlier in Richard Neutra’s architectural vocabulary. Some of those design concepts incorporated in
the courthouse include the indoor-outdoor design and placing people in relationship with nature or, extending the architectural space
into carefully arranged landscapes. The integration of a reflection pool at the front and rear entry and placing transparent glazing
around it allows the quietude and calming effect of water to be appreciated when approaching the building as well as while in the
building. This feature was intended to allow the merging of the inside with the outside in a seamless manner. Unfortunately, this
design element no longer exists as a reflection pool, but as a garden. Another design feature commonly used by Modernists, including
Neutra, was the repetition of elements. Here the repetition of elements can be seen in several scales. In the larger scale this can be
seen in the use of full to partial height louvers on all wings of the complex. In a smaller scale, this can be seen in the use of a series of
exposed extended beams at the front entry; these are set in the reflection pool and were intended to appear to be emerging from the
water. The use of large porcelain panels as an exterior cladding material, in which an element is repeated on all elevations of the
complex, is another example of the repetition of elements. One of Neutra’s design concepts used in most of his projects, was the
integration of the latest technology into his buildings. In the courthouse, he incorporated the use of computerized and motorized
louvers, a design feature he perfected on the Los Angeles County Hall of Records. Currently, the louvers are no longer operational
due to maintenance issues.
SUMMARY/CONCLUSION:
This building has a distinctive architectural style. It incorporates the design elements that are characteristic of a Modernist building in
the later expression of the International Style. The distinctive features that identify this as a Modernist style building include the use
of rectangular, clean volumes, the absence of ornamentation, the use of reflective materials on the exterior finishes, such as glass,
reflective metals on the exterior louvers and entry columns; the use porcelain panels as an exterior finish; and the use of water. The
use of natural materials, such as stone veneer, on the exterior is typical of a modernist building of the later vocabulary.
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OWNER AND ADDRESS: County of Orange C/0 Ken King, Senior Property Agent, CEO-Real Estate
1300 S. Grand Ave., Suite A
Santa Ana, CA 92705
RECORDED BY: (Name, affiliation, and address)
Lucy Linnaus
City of Santa Ana, Planning Division
20 Civic Center Plaza M-20, Santa Ana, CA 92702
DATE RECORDED: December 7, 2000
SURVEY TYPE: (Intensive, reconnaissance, or other)
REPORT CITATION: (Cite survey report and other sources)
REFERENCES: (List documents, date of publication, and page numbers. May also include oral interviews.)
National Register Bulletin 15 and 16A
County of Orange, Environmental Management Agency, Building Department Records
County of Orange, Public Facilities & Resources Department, Plans Room
Mr. Dion Neutra, The Neutra Organization, electronic correspondence
Richard Neutra and The Search of Modern Architecture by Thomas Hines
EVALUATOR: __________________________ DATE OF EVALUATION:
EXPLANATION OF CODES:
• National Register Criteria for Evaluation: (From Appendix 7 of Instructions for Recording Historical Resources, Office of
Historic Preservation)
Does not meet National Register Criteria for Evaluation or Criteria Considerations per Bulletin 15
• National Register Status Code: (From Appendix 2 of Instructions for Recording Historical Resources, Office of Historic
Preservation)
Not Applicable