The Pasadena City Hall: An Observation of Architecture

The Pasadena City Hall Complex is a very significant building at its site, at the center of downtown Pasadena, California for a variety of reasons; it’s the seat of local government and has a special and expensive civic place which developed due to several factors. Included in this essay for the reader is a detailed physical description of the building, surrounding grounds, and fountain. This will impress upon the reader the magnitude of the civic center and also afford details of the architecture that are not perceived easily through photographs or text alone. Features that may only be noticed if you have been to the site in person will be revealed for any who have not as yet had the privilege, likewise an attempt will be made to reveal interior spaces and traffic patterns as well. There are architectural features of this structure that make it one of the most important buildings in the area for reasons including, cultural, economic, and artistic basis. Additionally, there is a section devoted to the timeline of the buildings life-cycle and structural components, their integrity, and the renovation project that has been most recently been undertaken and completed.

The building was completed from a Bakewell & Brown (architecture firm) design after a two year construction in 1927 and is a beautiful marvel of its time. Many designs were submitted for competition to form the plans for the 3 planned buildings of the civic center, the city hall, the civic auditorium, and the public library (L.A. Times, Aug. 1925). It was very expensive to build (approximately 2.3 million in circa 1925 dollars, plus another 1.2 million for the prime Pasadena land), and it was begun with formally securing funds for construction by holding a public bond issue of 3.5 million. City Hall is the central building in the civic downtown area of Pasadena. The City Hall portion cost 1.3 million dollars in its time period; in 1925 dollars this was a considerable sum (L.A. Times, 1924).


It’s a European style building with a large garden, wide surrounding boulevards and an intricate fountain is concealed within the grounds. The firm that submitted the winning drawings drew on Italian renaissance (the classical or early period as opposed to the baroque or high renaissance period) producing a structure that is smaller in scale, but similar in appearance to St. Paul’s Cathedral in London(online, www.ci.pasadena.ca.us). Other sources relate it to the Spanish mission style that is popular in the Americas, in particular in places where Spanish missionaries began colonies (online, www.laavenue.com/cityhall.htm). This is because elements are similar in the styles and both the Spanish Colonial styles and the Italian Renaissance styles are both descended from the Romanesque period and contain elements of architecture commonly used in all roman towns. The most precise classification however is a Palladian style.

The architects emulated the style of Andrea Palladio, a well known 16th Century Italian architect who designed many several famous complexes including St. Giorgio Maggiore in Venice, which The Pasadena City Hall happens to share many elements (online, www.ci.pasadena.ca.us). Palladio in turn was known, along with devotees of Spanish Colonial architecture to follow the style of the Roman architect Vitruvius (Jackson, 2007). Vitruvuis is responsible for many engineering aspects present in the forum and wrote the architectural treatise called, “De Architechtura”, which is the only Roman manuscript on architecture that survives from the classical period (Jackson, 2007). Several large dais like steps lead up to the buildings facade, which is facing west at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains includes neo-classical arches with details like poured concrete coats of arms, and pediments have huge lions heads and other California themed decorative designs like dolphins and artichokes. There is a large barrel vault with coffer patterns in the ceiling which have flower designs set inside the coffers. There are pilasters whose design is Corinthian on the second level and above, but the grand columns of the facade and first level are Doric style. The structure is steel covered with stone and concrete, with main decorative elements having been poured into forms for their creation. There is also a massive dome which is steel with tiles like fish scales and 4 small towers which are copper plate over steel. The overall shape of City Hall is a rectangle which is hollow and holds a courtyard in the center which has roses, trees, and succulent plants planted around a fountain. The dimensions of the rectangle are 351 feet north and south and 242 feet on the east west axis. The building has 235 separate rooms and has terracotta tile floors that are set into the floor around the facade and the bell walk that surrounds the courtyard. The roof of the structure is red Cordova tile (online, http://www.ci.pasadena.ca.us/).

The dome at its maximum height reaches 206 feet and the building is comprised of five stories, two of which have higher ceilings than normal (30 foot floor spans for levels four and five) (L.A. Times, Dec. 1925). There is a somewhat unconventional structure to the elevation of the building in that the eastern side of the rectangle is only 2 levels with an open arcade pathway on the second story. The north and south sections are both 3 stories, and the western side, which also is home to the facade and the great dome, is 5 stories high. There are square marble stairways at the four corners that have intricately wrought iron balustrades. Also there are three elevators in the structure, only one is original however, the other two are new replacements for the original lifts.

It’s a Californian Mediterranean style building with a large garden, wide surrounding boulevards and an intricate fountain is concealed within the grounds. The style of Andrea Palladio used by the firm that submitted the winning drawings drew on Italian renaissance (the Classical period as opposed to the baroque, rococo, or high renaissance period) producing a structure that is smaller in scale, but very similar to the famous Italian’s style. Other sources relate it to the Spanish mission revival style that is popular in the Americas, in particular in places where Spanish missionaries began colonies (online, www.laavenue.com/cityhall.htm). This is because elements are similar in the styles and both the Spanish Colonial styles and the Italian Renaissance styles are both descended from the Romanesque period and contain elements of architecture commonly used in all roman towns. The most precise classification however is with the classical period of the Early Italian Renaissance, which forms the basis of this Californian Mediterranean design (a neo-classical California building drawing from the Renaissance or Spanish Colonial styles).

Traffic patterns are highly affected by the shape of the building. The bell walk around the rectangle, sandy pathways in the garden, and the arcade pathway on level 2 of the eastern side all direct traffic around the fountain and to the interior hallways that line the large levels that comprise the rectangle. One of these hallways has a long conspicuous crack that runs along it whole length and possibly alludes to reasons for the earthquake retrofit that was completed only weeks ago. Upon entering from the grand Western facade one can now look beyond the barrel vault into the courtyard and spy the 22.5 foot tall fountain that was poured into a mold using reinforced concrete (online, www.ci.pasadena.ca.us). It has early Italian influences like large scallops to collect water, and Neptune faces on the center spouts, and also French influence from the Fleur De Li's that forms its pinnacle and top water spout. Once at the edge of the barrel vault off the entrance the pool of the fountain can be identified as a cooling pool and bench which is about as wide as it is tall. Unfortunately at the time of this visit the fountain was not running so the full benefits of its effect could not be witnessed.

There is a great use of natural light to illuminate the interior hallways and rooms of the building. Many fixtures of doors have been restored but the doors inside appear to be all original. The lighting brought in under the dome and through large windows along the sides of the building, combined with the sunny weather in Pasadena, keeps this building well lit on the inside in daytime hours. Also there are large wrought iron lanterns that are lit (electric) that hag from the center of peaked vaults at junctions of the interior halls. Another interesting feature of rooms and halls on levels one through three are the frequent use of visible ceiling beams, some of which are painted with Art Noveau illuminations, or are left bare with no decoration. The use of light, traffic patterns, and large elements (the dome and fountain) work to make this an awe inspiring and beautiful structure.

The main function of this building is to hold the seat of local government and the associated offices for the city of Pasadena, California. It is important to note that a major 2 year renovation project to protect the site from potential 7.0 magnitude earthquakes was completed this past month (online, www.pasadenacityhallrenovation.com). This building was created at such a magnificent level because of the booming sprawl of residential neighborhoods in the Los Angeles basin and nearby communities along with the enormous wealth of the budding consumer economy. There was enough money to build grandly, and in 1923 a 3.5 million dollar bond issue was passed to fund the whole civic complex (this was an enormous sum for the time) (L.A. Times, 1924). Reasons for the selection of this building as the topic include its beauty, also that the site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is designated as a Cultural Heritage Landmark. This building has served as the seat of Pasadena’s local government for 77 years in magnificent fashion, and is a place that instills pride in the community. The building is a great asset to the local area, and in the words of the National Register of Historic Places at time of its inclusion in 1980 the structure, “is a nationally significant example of civic art in the 'City Beautiful' style of the 1920’s. The main features of the plan were actually executed, and the key buildings (including City Hall) actually built, by nationally recognized architects in a homogeneous style.”(Rasmussen, 2007).

The community of Pasadena was the beneficiary of the new civic center and the benefits it provided. Multiple economic factors including the gold rush, the civil war, the Mexican-American war, World War I, and the economic boom of the early 1920’s and coupled with a pro-economic growth policy held by the state, resulted in a prospering period in the local area (Foner, 2005). The Great Depression and World War II were unimaginable at the time for the people building the town hall, this was the golden age and the sun was out, no one could see the eclipse on the horizon.

Modern restorations were begun after the building was closed in 2005 amid concerns for the structural integrity of the site. The restoration included adding multiple structural elements like steel supports and new techniques designed to mitigate earthquake damage. The restoration and structural modifications took more than 3 years and cost 118 million (Ulrich, 2007). There are 2 new elevators and the plumbing was replaced or fixed. The modifications to the structure include features designed to enable the building to behave differently than its original design allowed. Now the building has rubber stints and steel fittings that will make the building have more give and take in an earthquake (online, www.pasadenacityhallrenovation.com). Also some rooms were renovated and updated with technology and all the fittings on all the interior doors were replaced with new ones designed to look antiquated. Other proposals over the years have included a plaza fountain outside the structure on the main boulevard though this was never implemented (L.A. Times, 1970).

The Los Angeles Times article written by Cecilia Rasmussen states, "When it opened Dec. 27, 1927, it was considered to be among the strongest buildings in Southern California. It was also the tallest in Pasadena, its dome topping out at 206 feet." , which underlines the importance of this place to local history and as a reflection of the early 1920’s as an era. The main reason this public facility is so expansive and vast is the era when it was built. At the time The Wall Street Journal is quoted as saying that the interests of government and big business had never been so aligned and conciliatory in the whole history of the United States (Foner, 2005). This coupling of government and economic power resulted in great public buildings and hope for the future. The local area had a booming economy and Pasadena City Hall reflected this. It served as a cultural landmark for Southern Californians and also delivered needed municipal functions to the surrounding area for over the past 80 years. The building has a deserved place on the national historic and cultural listings because it has served its community though the years with a level of magnificence and grandeur rarely seen in history.

Bibliography

DIRECTORS APPROVE SEARCH FOR FUNDS
HALL LEIREN
Los Angeles Times (1886-Current File); Feb 22, 1970; ProQuest Historical Newspapers Los Angeles Times (1881 - 1985)
pg. SG_B1

DRAWINGS FOR CENTER CHOSEN
Los Angeles Times (1886-Current File); Mar 9, 1924; ProQuest Historical Newspapers Los Angeles Times (1881 - 1985)

PASADENA CITY HALL, BIDS OPEN
Los Angeles Times (1886-Current File); Dec 6, 1925; ProQuest Historical Newspapers Los Angeles Times (1881 - 1985)

START CITY HALL THIS FALL
a "Times" Staff Correspondent
Los Angeles Times (1886-Current File); Aug 31, 1925; ProQuest Historical Newspapers Los Angeles Times (1881 - 1985)

Foner, Eric. 2005 , Give Me Liberty! An American History. W.W. Norton and Company. New York, New York

Jackson, Marie D. Vulcan's Masonry. Natural History 116 no3 40-5 Ap 2007

Rasmussen, Cecilia. Los Angeles Times, A Pasadena jewel gets a polishing Times Staff Writer, May 6, 2007

Ulrich, Kevin.(2007) Pasadena Weekly. City Hall Reopens. Issue number 69

http://www.ci.pasadena.ca.us/

http://www.laavenue.com/cityhall.htm

http://www.pasadenacityhallrenovation.com/

Outline

The thesis of the paper is to explore many issues regarding this historic piece of California architecture. The issues include; why the Pasadena City Hall and surrounding park was built to such a grand extent, who was the community at the time of the construction and inauguration, what were the new benefits provided, and what were regional and national socio-economic factors that affected its development.

1. An introduction to the thesis of the term paper.

2. The Pasadenda City Hall Complex (PCHC) description.

3. Reasons the PCHC was built to such a grand extent.

4. Who was the community at the time of PCHC construction.

5. What were the new benefits provided to the community by the PCHC.

6. What socio-economic factors, both regional and national, had impact on PCHC development.

7. A brief conclusion including recent observations on the current state of the PCHC.

3 questions that drive my research

1. Why was the Pasadena City Hall complex built?

2. What people benefited from it, and from it's construction?

3. What was the historical and economic state of the area before and after construction.

How Pasadena City Hall relates to Law, Justice and the Economy

Pasadena City Hall is a great example of civic architecture produced in the 1920's. It served as the seat of municipal government for Pasadena and also provided a large park and grounds surrounding the building. It's style and the timing of when it was built reflect some realities that were present at the time due to the local economy. The national economy also had impacts on communities like Pasadena, and no doubt influenced the style, scope, and timing of this complex construction.

This is the Beginning of the Blogging

This post is the first of this blog whose topic is the Pasadena City Hall Complex.