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los angeles courthouse, usa

The primary structure comprises 11 tapered, vertical, steel trusses, which are fixed at the base and pinned at the connection with the roof plate. These propped cantilevers are stabilised laterally by a ring beam, which joins the trusses at roof level and by a secondary bracing system which consists of diagonal and horizontal tubes and a stainless steel mesh infill has been introduced at the rear chord of the main trusses.

The diagonal members of the bracing give the cone shape façade lateral stiffness to allow the glass wall to be a stand-alone structure, only depending on lateral support from the main building at roof level to distribute wind and earthquake loads. The bracing also provides support to the stainless steel mesh panels, which together create a system to protect occupants and the main building in the event of an external bomb blast.