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The building was designed largely around human traffic flows. The departments with maximum public visitation are on the first and second floors, while the upper floors can expect lower public volumes. Both entrances provide public access via security checkpoints with scanning equipment. Three separate circulation routes for the public, the inmates, and the judicial staff provide increased and simplified security.

The five-story building's exterior is of natural stone and two colors of brick. The first two levels align with nearby buildings and to continue an unbroken street edge, while the upper three floors are set back.

While the setbacks serve to support daylighting, and reduce the apparent building scale for pedestrians, they also seem to break away from the intended design references. The disconnect is amplified by a variety of mock arches, exaggerated moldings, and squarish horizontal window openings. As a whole, the exterior development of the building does not achieve the matter-of-fact integrity expressed by exemplary buildings of the historic American West.

Energy-efficient indirect lighting, calculated to work in conjunction with extensive daylight, provides consistent and comfortable light levels for employees.

Other energy features allow employees to control their environments to accommodate varying interior conditions, within prescribed limits. Occupancy sensors automatically adjust room lighting.

Larimer County Commissioner Jim Disney admits to giving the architects a seemingly impossible task, "to design a building that was new, modern, effective, and efficient." In spite of that, he says, "it looks like it has always been there and fits the downtown."

The main entrance to the Larimer County Justice Center creates an unbroken street edge while the upper three recessed floors allow for abundant daylighting. Lisa Hillmer/Fentress Bradburn Architects The west entrance faces geyser fountains arranged among a setting of natural rock groupings. Lisa Hillmer/Fentress Bradburn Architects In the Larimer County Justice Center, the railing patterns and shapes were designed to relate to the building's exterior design. Indigenous cherry wood is used throughout. Lisa Hillmer/Fentress Bradburn Architects Security checktometers at the main entrance. The Justice Center offers separate circulation routes for the public, inmates, and the judicial staff. Lisa Hillmer/Fentress Bradburn Architects Judge's bench crafted from cherry wood. Lisa Hillmer/Fentress Bradburn Architects The geyser fountains and natural amphitheater, as seen from the fifth floor. Lisa Hillmer/Fentress Bradburn Architects   Click on thumbnail images to view full-size pictures.