LeTaureau

The Cabildo is a great building. But was this used as a "city hall" or at the time, more like a statehouse. Not sure about that. I know the artisan who helped restore all of the beautiful plaster work and building in this landmark building. It looks really good, I was down in NO a few years ago.

Yes its in the offices of the BRA (Boston Redevelopment Authority). That model is so cool, I wish I had one of my own. Overall I like the building, but its just in the wrong place. Like others have mentioned Brutalism is better situated in softer context. The windswept brick wasteland that is City Hall Plaza is a vast missuse of urban space. Several years ago there were proposals to eliminate this area with an "urban forest", hotel and grass. There were also plans to extend hanover street through to cambridge st, which would have been great. But that plan died, like most great ideas, so we are left with an Aztec Tomb sitting in a red brick tundra.

Philadelphia's and San Francisco's are both great buildings, but they seem like copies of others that we have seen. Philly's is clearly modeled after Paris' Hotel de Ville (sans the tower) and San Fran's looks almost exactly like Paris' Hotel Des Invalides, right down to the lantern on top and gilded dome. These are two great examples of architecture in the US, but at the same time they are merely pastiches. Hotel De Ville, Paris France Hotel Des Invalides, Paris France What I think is a great example of architecture is Boston's new city hall. Hated by many, liked by handfuls, this fine example of modern brutalist architecture truly makes a statement, and at the time of construction pushed the avant-garde in directions not seen anywhere else. There must be other US city halls that look more modern, as I'm sure many were built in the 50's and 60's when beaurocracies swelled and needed more space. Here's a pic, what do you think? I like to hear people's opinions on this building