After designing Lyon County's new detention facility, VJA was hired in 2013 to study the possibility of expanding the courts function at the adjacent courthouse.  Renovating the existing building for two courtrooms proved to be difficult given the tight irregular column spacing, many interior mechanical shafts and the difficulty in securely moving prisoners from the adjacent jail into the courtrooms.  As a result, a concept was developed that included an addition to accommodate two modern, technically enhanced courtrooms and associated chambers on the third floor with existing areas remodeled to accommodate Court Administration, the law library, a hearing room and chambers for a visiting judge.  On the second floor, office space and a new county boardroom will be situated below, with a “footprint” matching the courtroom above.  In that way, the second floor can be remodeled to accommodate an additional two courtrooms in the future, a move prompted by the extremely tight nature of the site.