# Boston City Hall Is Awesome **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 2, 2023, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boston-city-hall-is-awesome/979186 "2023-02-02T01:41:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boston-city-hall-is-awesome/979186/1 "2023-02-02T01:41:02Z")
I’m a lifelong resident of the Boston area. I was born shortly after Boston City Hall was built. [https://www.google.com/search?q=boston+city+hall&rlz=1C1CHBF\_enUS1037US1037&oq=boston+city+hall&aqs=chrome.0.0i271j46i131i175i199i433i512j46i175i199i512l2j0i512l6.7531j1j9&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#lpg=cid:CgIgAQ%3D%3D,ik:CAESW2h0dHA6Ly90MC5nc3RhdGljLmNvbS9pbWFnZXM\_cT10Ym46QU5kOUdjUmlTSy1ldUZSU1RIbk84SnNSTlNETi14ZjFFWXExVERtVU9YUGY5MTRPLTUydUVNaTU](https://www.google.com/search?q=boston+city+hall&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS1037US1037&oq=boston+city+hall&aqs=chrome.0.0i271j46i131i175i199i433i512j46i175i199i512l2j0i512l6.7531j1j9&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#lpg=cid:CgIgAQ%3D%3D,ik:CAESW2h0dHA6Ly90MC5nc3RhdGljLmNvbS9pbWFnZXM_cT10Ym46QU5kOUdjUmlTSy1ldUZSU1RIbk84SnNSTlNETi14ZjFFWXExVERtVU9YUGY5MTRPLTUydUVNaTU) As a young person, I thought it was ugly. I thought we could do better. But now, I think it’s amazing. Brutalism just needed its time. Long Live Boston City Hall. ETA: I wish I was better at links. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boston-city-hall-is-awesome/979186/2 "2023-02-02T01:51:41Z")
[Here](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/Boston_City_Hall_exterior_02.jpg)’s a link to a Wikipedia photo of the building. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boston-city-hall-is-awesome/979186/3 "2023-02-02T01:56:09Z")
I’m pretty sure that AT-ATs can dock at those sticky-out bits above the doors. 😉 (It _is_ a cool-looking building.) ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boston-city-hall-is-awesome/979186/4 "2023-02-02T01:56:15Z")
Brutalist architecture at its finest. Not my favorite style, but this quite an excellent example of the genre. Our city hall (Los Angeles) looks very old-fashioned in comparison! [![Imgur](https://i.imgur.com/MUi4Sr3.jpeg "Imgur: The magic of the Internet") ](https://imgur.com/MUi4Sr3) ---
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boston-city-hall-is-awesome/979186/5 "2023-02-02T02:10:20Z")
Your city hall looks like a dong. Ours looks like Batman’s HQ ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boston-city-hall-is-awesome/979186/6 "2023-02-02T03:01:17Z")
> [@OldOlds](#): > > Ours looks like Batman’s HQ Batman’s HQ wasn’t a parking garage ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boston-city-hall-is-awesome/979186/7 "2023-02-02T16:59:47Z")
Eh, I think San Francisco has you both beat. [![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/San_Francisco_City_Hall_2.JPG) ](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/San_Francisco_City_Hall_2.JPG) ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boston-city-hall-is-awesome/979186/8 "2023-02-02T17:00:22Z")
Honestly, _most_ architectural styles are better than Brutalism. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boston-city-hall-is-awesome/979186/9 "2023-02-02T20:31:03Z")
> [@OldOlds](#): > > As a young person, I thought it was ugly. I thought we could do better. But now, I think it’s amazing. Brutalism just needed its time. I think Boston City Hall is interesting to look at (One contemporary critic described as looking like “an Aztec Tomb”), but terrible to use. I’ve heard many complaints abouts its lack of space, dead-end hallways, and poor organization. I think of it as another “wasted space” building, with too many places that have pointless high ceilings, yet not enough floor space. And that’s a criticism independent of its Brutalist style, which I’m not a fan of. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boston-city-hall-is-awesome/979186/10 "2023-02-02T20:54:26Z")
Boston City Hall looks like where hopes of good government go to die. The complex as a whole did spawn a good song. _Well we’ve got a lot, a lot, a lot of hard work today_ _We got to rock at the Government Center_ _To make the secretaries feel better_ _When they put the stamps on the letter_ - Jonathan Richman ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boston-city-hall-is-awesome/979186/11 "2023-02-02T21:33:07Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I think Boston City Hall is interesting to look at (One contemporary critic described as looking like “an Aztec Tomb”), but terrible to use. Yeah, most reports from people who work there is that it’s not a very good use of space, nor is it comfortable. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boston-city-hall-is-awesome/979186/12 "2023-02-02T21:40:12Z")
I’ve played a lot of Fallout 4, and I’ve never seen that building. (The brick building in the background, however is packed with super mutants!) It reminds me of a grander version of a courthouse I’ve visited that the locals all claimed was ugly. [![](https://www.ilsos.gov/images/archives/will.jpg) ](https://www.ilsos.gov/images/archives/will.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![themapleleaf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/themapleleaf/32/14349_2.png) [@themapleleaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/themapleleaf)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2023, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boston-city-hall-is-awesome/979186/13 "2023-02-02T23:30:06Z")
With all due respect. That is uglier than a mortal sin. It reminds me of some of the monstrosities that were erected along Dundas Street in Toronto in like the 70s. No accounting for tastes, and all that. ---
**Author:** ![Fair\_Rarity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fair_rarity/32/153_2.png) [@Fair\_Rarity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fair_Rarity)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boston-city-hall-is-awesome/979186/14 "2023-02-03T00:17:25Z")
Every time I see Boston City Hall and it’s been a while, it takes my breath away in its hideousness. It’s so grotesque that I must forget to preserve myself. ---
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boston-city-hall-is-awesome/979186/15 "2023-02-03T00:17:47Z")
I’ve never played Fallout 4, but I’m surprised they wouldn’t include City Hall. It’s a real presence in the city, whether one likes it or not. ---
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boston-city-hall-is-awesome/979186/16 "2023-02-03T01:14:42Z")
50-year resident of the Boston area here. I’ve been to City Hall four times. The first time was to get a marriage license (big mistake). The second time was to pay a traffic ticket. The third was to watch the 2006 World Cup final on a huge screen set up on City Hall Plaza, with my France going up against thousands of Italy fans from the North End. The fourth time was to see Ronnie Spector play at City Hall Plaza. That made up for the other three times. Other than that, I avoid the place like the plague. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boston-city-hall-is-awesome/979186/17 "2023-02-03T01:17:33Z")
City Hall Plaza is quite nice. Too bad it’s near City Hall. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boston-city-hall-is-awesome/979186/18 "2023-02-03T12:58:50Z")
> [@OldOlds](#): > > Your city hall looks like a dong. > > Ours looks like Batman’s HQ Agree on both points. Just because you can build it, does not mean that you should ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boston-city-hall-is-awesome/979186/19 "2023-02-03T18:18:28Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > The complex as a whole did spawn a good song. Government Center used to be Scollay Square, where Charlie’s wife would hand him a sandwich on the M.T.A. ---
**Author:** ![ASL\_v2.0](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asl_v2.0/32/3525_2.png) [@ASL\_v2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASL_v2.0)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boston-city-hall-is-awesome/979186/20 "2023-02-03T18:32:24Z")
> [@OldOlds](#): > > Long Live Boston City Hall. Exactly what someone whose mind, from childhood, has been warped by growing up beneath the oppressive shadow of brutalist architecture _would_ say. So I guess it checks out. But seriously, I think it looks pretty good. Only the reddish-brown brickwork at the base detracts somewhat from the overall effect. Like if they built the Lincoln Memorial on top of an exposed pile of rubble. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boston-city-hall-is-awesome/979186.md?page=2)