Siting:
Not a strong town-planning concept: the form of the building is not very sympathetic to the site. It still appears as if it were not necessorily developed for this site, and would be equally appropriate on some other site. The landscaping plus the plaza development of the site leaves much to be desired.
Internal Planning:
The excellent, well organized plan shows considerable improvement over first submissian. The Jury could find little ta criticize, except poar natural lighting conditions in basement. The Council Chamber and its relation to the Mayor, Aldermen, etc. is one of the best, most thoroughly thought out and developed solutions.
Exteriors:
The original square form of the building in the Preliminary Stage was more effective and had greater symbolism. The set-bock of the main and mezzanine floors produces an effective colonnade space, but this colonnade is not in good relationship to the floors above. The additional "expansion" floor improves the proportions of the building, but would be most difficult to accomplish successfully. The facade is restless due to the multitude of columns, which also induce the wrong sense of scale. The indentation of the corners was considered to be poorly conceived. The final model represents the building as sombre and uninspired. The Preliminary Stage model had much greater potentials in symbolism, scale, proportion and sparkle.
Interiors:
The public interiors achieve great dignity of space as places for the coming together of the people. Except for its lowness, the Council Chamber is most effective in its impressive but subdued expression.
Structure:
Satisfactary and reasanable, except for the two raws of columns so close together around the perimeter: these did not seem justifiable either aesthetically or structurally.
Over-all Concept:
Basically, the concept foiled in its lack of a positive symbolic expression of a city hall (it is an excellent office building); it also lacked sympathy with its site and its surroundings. Repeatedly, the Jury returned to reconsider it because of the excellent and very complete planning and the impressive interiors. Withaut a doubt this entry had the best graphie presentation. However, the Jury cantinued ta find it wanting in character and site planning.
(From jury report)
14 scanned / 13 viewable
- Photograph of Model
- Photograph of Model
- Plan
- Plan
- Plan
- Plan
- Elevation
- Elevation
- Section
- Sketch
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