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Beverly Hills City Hall
Beverly Hills City Hall was built in 1932 by architect William Gage in the style of the Spanish Renaissance. It is located at 455 N. Rexford Dr. in Beverly Hills. The architecture is beautiful, but favors function over form. The building is actually quite a usual example of a municipal building from that age, with a low base symbolizing the servitude of the government for the people that elect the officials, and a domineering eight story tower, which represents the free market enterprise that is the cornerstone of American economy. But even with its traditional aspects, the beauty of the Spanish tiled dome and gilded cupola make the City Hall a wonder to behold for tourists and architectural afficionados alike.
Though the Hall is almost eighty years old, it appears like a new building from all accounts. This may be due to the complete renovation it received in the 80s. Due to a worn out appearance and the failure to meet California state codes for earthquake safety, the city spent $110 million to renovate and expand not only the Hall itself but the surrounding complex. This included the construction of a brand new Civic Center, all under the design of architect Charles Moore. This project brought City Hall into the new millennium with a full cleaning of the dome, restoration of the floors, walls, and ceilings inside, and the addition of a new public library. The Civic Center, City Hall, the library, and the police and fire departments are all connected with a series of elliptical courtyards, guiding the visitor from one building to the next with a spirit of art and natural beauty.
Moore indicated he felt the design would appear as beads on a string, and indeed this analogy can be seen from aerial photographs.
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