In the late 1920s, when the Cook County Criminal Courthouse was constructed, there was a trend toward building grandiose civic buildings in Chicago and beyond (Meisner). With its towering seven story structure and neoclassical elegance, the courthouse is certainly a stand out— not only in comparison to other civic buildings of the era, but amid the other correctional buildings that make up the 96 acre plot upon which the courthouse sits (Bogira).

Cook County Circuit Court: criminal courthouse Links to an external site. by Stephen Hogan Links to an external site./CC BY 2.0 Links to an external site.

The intent of the courthouse’s planning committee was to use its design to “increase respect for the dignity of the court and uphold the majesty of the law,” (Noel 19). Because Neoclassical style was thought to “symbolize principles of justice and democracy,” the committee chose it as the guiding design principle behind the courthouse (Craven). As will be further expanded upon in the “Classical Elements” subsection, the exterior of the courthouse is adorned with a fusion of Greek and Roman elements, the combined effect of which is, according to The Chicago Tribune, “to pay homage to law and justice,” (Meisner). Not only was this style common in the 1920s, but the idea of conveying a commitment to law and justice through this form of architecture was not new. For example, in the construction of famous American landmarks like the Supreme Court, the Founding Fathers used neoclassicism to convey a similar commitment to democracy as the Romans did (Craven). 

Panorama of United States Supreme Court Building at Dusk by Links to an external site.Joe Ravi Links to an external site./CC BY-SA 3.0 Links to an external site.

Similarly, the materials with which the building was created were also chosen with the intent to “present a stripped-down, cleaned-up face for justice,” (ArchitectureChicago PLUS). Bedford limestone from Indiana was used to construct the boxy exterior and the bison heads, statues, Doric columns, American eagles and other ornaments which adorn it (see the “Classical Elements” subsection for more information) (Hammett). The interior was approached quite similarly, again featuring marble, travertine and other materials evocative of Classical Greco-Roman architecture (Hammett).

As aforementioned, traces of the popular 1920s Art Deco style can be found in the courthouse as well, particularly in its geometric, symmetric shape (Encyclopedia Britannica). And while the exterior is replete with engravings and sculptures, its designers took careful consideration in avoiding “superfluous ornamentation,” (Hammett 157). This relative simplicity and the allusions to nature and animals on the building exterior likewise allow for an Art Deco label to be applied to the building (Encyclopedia Britannica). And while this style is considerably less of an aesthetic influence, its ability to connote an “elegance that symbolizes wealth and sophistication,” nevertheless fits within the planning committee’s intent for the courthouse (Encyclopedia Britannica).

Cochise County courthouse Links to an external site., Bisbee, Arizona/CC BY-SA 2.5 Links to an external site.   

This largely Classical Revival style with traces of Art Deco has received mixed reactions. Per Jason Meisner of The Chicago Tribune, the building is often deemed outdated—the antithesis of modern civic buildings like the sleek Daley Center. However, the building’s employees “prefer to call it old school,” suggesting that while the courthouse may be a relic of the past, it is evocative of a glamorous Hollywood-esque past (Meisner). And this ‘fit for a movie’ mentality is enduring. In 1929, The Chicago Daily Tribune called the structure “the new $7,500,000 de luxe Criminal court building,” (Meisner). Today, the brass and dark wood ornamentation on the interior makes the courthouse a popular set location for television shows and movies (Meisner).

Modern architectural trends notwithstanding, “a building like 26th and Cal would never fly” in the Chicago of today (Meisner). Whereas the Committee on New County Jail and Criminal Court Building considered the construction of “an architecturally beautiful Criminal Court building which will be a credit and an ornament to the County and City,” a paramount aspect of their construction plans, today’s halls of justice trend toward more nondescript aesthetics (Noel 43). The reason for this dichotomy is, according to former courthouse presiding judge Paul Biebel, that in 1929, “governments had the money to build not only in solid, grand style but also with an attention to detail and an eye toward beauty,” (Meisner). That is not the reality today.