Elevator Lobby

Unlike most elevator lobbies, this area of the Thomas J. Moyer Ohio Judicial Center serves as more than just a portal to upper floors. The styles in this lobby illustrate how art has transformed throughout the millennia, from classic designs to highly stylized Art Deco.

The elevator door panels feature bas relief bronze decorations by sculptor Paul Fjelde. Male and female figures on the east doors correspond to the four elements of earth, wind, fire and water. Each pair is seen holding objects or engaged in activities that symbolize the different elements. Complementing the four elements on the west elevator doors are the same male and female figures seen carrying out tasks corresponding to the four seasons. The precision and stylized forms on the door panels are prime examples of Art Deco design.

The focus on nature is continued on the walls of the stairwells located within the elevator lobby. Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture, is depicted in a larger-than-life mosaic on the south wall. Opposite Ceres is Vulcan, the Roman god of fire. These two mosaics were designed by Rudolf Scheffler and symbolize core sources of income for the Ohio economy: agriculture and industry.