Restore Oregon, the state’s leading organization committed to preserving historic structures, presented Hennebery Eddy with a 2019 DeMuro Award recognizing excellence in historic preservation. The firm’s rehabilitation and expansion of the historic Sherman County Courthouse in Moro, Ore., was honored during Restore Oregon’s annual Restoration Celebration on Nov. 1, 2019. The rehabilitation returned the landmark building to its original glory, including a new cupola that replicates the storm-damaged original. In addition, a thoughtfully designed annex complements the historic building and provides additional government and community services space.
The design team’s approach was fully rooted in historic preservation best practices. From the project’s inception, the team’s primary goal was that the new building complement the existing courthouse, granting it appropriate historic deference. This goal drove every aspect of the new building’s design, from location on the site and building height to material choices and window shapes. With more than double the square-footage of the original, the new building was carefully designed to minimize the impact of its mass and scale so as to not overwhelm the much smaller historic courthouse.
Additional images and information can be found on the project page.