United States Courthouse, Federal courthouse in Downtown Austin, United States.

The United States Courthouse is an eight-story steel-and-concrete building clad in cream-colored limestone, with a cubic form and geometric exterior details. It fills the block between Fourth, Fifth, San Antonio and Nueces Streets, set back 50 feet on a concrete plinth. Its main entrance is at the northeast corner, and a paved plaza with benches and shade trees fronts the eastern facade.

Austin's previous federal courthouse, built in 1936 under the Public Works Administration, could not handle the caseload of the growing city. The General Services Administration hired architects in 2002 and bought a downtown parcel in 2004, then demolished the derelict "Intel Shell" on it in 2007. Ground was broken in September 2009 with Recovery Act stimulus funds; the building opened on December 3, 2012, after costing $123 million.

The lobby and jury assembly room are divided by The Austin Wall, a 784-square-foot stained-glass mural by Clifford Ross. Its upper part is a composite of brightly colored hanging panels; the lower black-and-white section doubles as a set of doors. The work reproduces high-resolution photographs of the Texas Hill Country, made with Franz Mayer & Co. of Munich and digital printing.

Visitors should expect security screening when entering the building, with multiple entrances available for public access. Elevators connect all floors, making it easy to reach courtrooms, and guests are asked to follow courthouse rules and maintain quiet conduct.

The lobby's 784-square-foot stained-glass mural, The Austin Wall by Clifford Ross, separates the lobby from the jury assembly chamber. Its upper part is a composite of brightly colored hanging panels; the lower black-and-white section doubles as a set of doors. It reproduces high-resolution photographs of the Texas Hill Country, made with Franz Mayer & Co. of Munich and digital printing.