Boston City Hall was just named one of the 10 most beautiful city halls in the US
Since it was built in 1968, Boston City Hall has gotten a lot of flak. The concrete behemoth was even named the ugliest building in the world in 2008.
Apparently, the staff at architecture and home publication Curbed disagree: they put Boston City Hall on their list of the 10 most beautiful city halls in the country. The list, released Thursday, places the building among the ranks of city halls in New York City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.
“It takes guts to design a city hall like no other—a blocky, geometric design that while imposing, is also heroic,” Curbed‘s Megan Barber writes, praising the building for its “bold, Brutalist charm.”
Ever since the controversial building was unveiled, it has been the subject of praise from some architects and outcry from the public, with some even calling for the city to tear the building down.
In its list, Curbed acknowledges that Boston City Hall may not be aesthetically pleasing, but says its design marks an important place in architectural history.
“Brutalism may not please everyone,” Barber writes, “but the architectural style captured a moment in time and, as such, Boston City Hall deserves recognition on this list.”
See Curbed‘s “The 10 most beautiful city halls in the U.S.” here.
