Marion County Public Defender Agency

Indianapolis, IN

“We are a public agency, nothing fancy, but we have an idea, and we want better working space.” The Chief Public Defender of Marion County challenged us to move his juvenile division from downtown Indianapolis to a previously abandoned school, which our firm had recently converted to become the 37 Place Community Center. Working with a City Council approved budget, we committed ourselves to create great architecture for a government agency, an architecture that inspires and promotes top-notch staff retention and recruitment.

Awards

2016 American Institute of Architects - Indiana Merit Award

Empty conference room seen through glass sliding doors, with a woman walking past. The room has a round table, black chairs, and a logo on the wall indicating it's a public defender's office.
Close-up of a red door with a metal handle, partially open, revealing a gray door frame and edge.
Modern office conference room with black chairs around a black table, wooden ceiling, glass walls, and a red door.
Interior of a public defender's office with a glass door, a reception desk, a waiting area with a black chair, and a hallway leading to offices
Long corridor with white walls, red doors on the left, glass walls and doors on the right, gray carpet, and ceiling linear lights.
View through partially open red doors into a small offices with black chairs, a windows with a view of trees, and a red vase with flowers on the windowsill in one office.
Modern office waiting area with black chairs, glass walls, and pendant lights, featuring a red door.

Photography

Lesle Lane of Studio 13