The new US Courthouse under construction in downtown Cedar Rapids was designed by OPN Architects and William Rawn Associates of Boston, Massachusetts. William Rawn is a very distinguished architect, considered one of the top architects in the country with countless awards and honors to reference. Despite his wide scope of work including several well-known and prominent buildings, he seems to be more modest and understated than other prominent architects who have attained fame outside of the industry for their signature design pedigrees.
William Rawn Associates is a surprisingly small firm with just over 30 professionals, with an impressive portfolio. Since discovering the firm I have always had an appreciation for their work. Clarity of design and attention to materiality and details sets the firm apart. I really enjoy the way wood is used in so many of their proejcts, especially in the form of horizontal slats for sun shading or screening. These will be incorporated into Cedar Rapids’ new courthouse for sun screening and aesthetics purposes in the courtrooms.
Below is a link to an article from last year in the Boston Globe profiling William Rawn and his impressive career. He designs beautiful buildings that also function well and serve the client’s needs. Cedar Rapids is fortunate to have Rawn collaborating on such an important new building.
> Boston Globe: The Architecture of William Rawn
> William Rawn Associates