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# 1. City Hall

Built in 1927, Pasadena’s City Hall is recognized as a national historic landmark. Modeled after cathedrals in Europe, the beaux-art design reflects an elegance and sophistication original to Pasadena. Buildings of note in the Civic Center include the Civic Auditorium, Public Library, Post Office and the now-unused YWCA, designed by Julia Morgan who also created Hearst Castle.

Currently undergoing seismic retro-fit construction, City Hall is still a must-see: a classically beautiful example of art and function, frozen as architecture.

http://www.cityofpasadena.net/cityhall/history.asp

National Historic Landmarks Program
National Historic Landmark designation is an official recognition by the Federal government of a historic property’s national significance. Today, fewer than 2,500 historic places bear this distinction.

National Register of Historic Places

BEAUX ARTS

What is Beaux Arts?

- from about.com

Pronunciation: bO-zär'; or bO-zar' (French)

In French, the term beaux arts means fine arts. Based on ideas taught at the legendary École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, the Beaux Arts style flourished between 1885 and 1920.

Combining ancient Greek and Roman forms with Renaissance ideas, Beaux Arts is an eclectic Neoclassical style. Colossal masonry buildings are highly ornamented with garlands, flowers or shields. Often you'll find a profusion of columns, pilasters, balustrades and window balconies. Because of the size and grandiosity of these buildings, Beaux Arts became the favored style for court houses, museums, railroad terminals and government buildings.

Photo by Matt Rosenberg

The Beaux Arts movement was also concerned with formal design and city planning. In the United States, these ideas inspired planned suburbs with vast parks and wide, manicured boulevards lined with large, showy houses.

Beaux Arts architecture fell out of favor by the mid-20th century. The massive, elaborate buildings were considered ostentatious. Frank Lloyd Wright called them "Frenchite pastry" (In the Course of Architecture). However, later in the 20th century some postmodernist theorists awakened a new appreciation for Beaux Arts ideas.

The New York Public Library, New York's Grand Central Terminal and the Boston Public Library are celebrated examples of the Beaux Arts style. The firm of McKim, Mead & White was known for designing lavish private homes using Beaux Arts ideas.

www.about.com

photos by Michael Durand