Anyone else love the brutalism of Dallas City Hall?
Posted by myassisgrassss@reddit | Dallas | View on Reddit | 264 comments
praying mods don't take down š
Larry-Daryl@reddit
Thats the base of O.C.P building.Ā
pmooreh@reddit
I love it. Save city hall!!
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
pmooreh@reddit
thank you, submitted!
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
šš«¶š¼ thank you!!!!!
Juan_Connery@reddit
Reminds me of the Inn of the Mountain Gods casino in NM.
rfilbin@reddit
I wish we could have this marked as historical.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
rfilbin@reddit
Thank you
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
Thank you!!!! š«¶š¼
texasinauguststudio@reddit
Yes.
Lotsapretty1@reddit
Iām torn. I think itās a great spot for a stadium.
shuknjive@reddit
I worked at City Hall, 3AN. I used to love watching storms come in. I would be sad if it disappeared. I went to the library across the street, got caught in lockdown during 9/11, worked the Veteran's Day Parade.
djfreezle@reddit
No
myassisgrassss@reddit (OP)
Rude. Reported
Jk
FartCartographer@reddit
I love it, I just donāt think my fear of heights and cantilevers can bear going up to the higher floors though
Euphoric-Tour9484@reddit
Why do they want to abandon this building? I just canāt understand why the lack of maintenance is the reason? Fix the damn building and stay there. If they arenāt providing the old building with adequate maintenance, whatās to say that the same thing wonāt happen to a new facility! Do what is right and do your due diligence, not pass the buck and spend more money for no good reason
No_Tap_6361@reddit
Same architect for « pyramide du LouvreĀ Ā» in Paris. As French native who lives in DFW area, itās nice.
johnnyma45@reddit
OCP headquarters
LadyOfVoices@reddit
This comment is the reason I came to the comments. I love taking my fellow Xennials to the city hall and they all become like little kids (right alongside me), quoting from the movie and taking pictures. I love it.
Captain_Wobbles@reddit
Exactly!
For this alone I love it and want it to stay around.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
MovieMaven1984@reddit
I was trying to spot ED-209 out front
AlliedR2@reddit
Whats so cool is that we all know there really was and ED-209 out front in the support walkthrough for that shot. Would love to have seen that IRL.
Ok-Radio2532@reddit
you have 3 seconds to comply...
Rvtrance@reddit
In Robo Cop Rouge City. The video game. You can see the Dallas skyline in the distance. I loved that Easter egg.
amazing_spyman@reddit
Yes and In Robocop movie you can see the Reunion tower also
attaboy_stampy@reddit
It's a goof in the movie, too. In the scene early in the movie pre-Robocop Murphy and partner chasing the bad guys in the van, you see the tower in the background. At some point in the chase when you get the opposite POV, you can see it in the distance in front of them too.
Rvtrance@reddit
Yeah on the highway when heās still fully human.
Ashur_Bens_Pal@reddit
My favorite is Reunion Tower in Saving Jessica Lynch.
attaboy_stampy@reddit
I NEVER don't think of it when I see this building.
DemSumBigAssRidges@reddit
It straight up looks like a "Top Secret missile silo."
Sight_Distance@reddit
OCP runs the cops
Strikereleven@reddit
Also the HQ in the Kaiju No. 8 anime
LAJimm9@reddit
Tear it down.
CTR_1852@reddit
It says āwe hate you and many corrupt politicians will steal from you in the futureā
I_Like_To_Swing@reddit
No, romanticism is the goat š
ThatDjAWK@reddit
For real sucks itās getting demoād
kdeweb24@reddit
It looks like the underside of bleachers
Suspicious_Prior_808@reddit
Anyone else around during occupy dallas
Corgisarethebest123@reddit
I wish the pool they set up in 1984 was permanent.
MangorTX@reddit
Pool is still there, I wish the beach was.
Corgisarethebest123@reddit
Thatās a fountain, not a pool.
MangorTX@reddit
That's what we swam in. They didn't setup a pool. I was there. They trucked in sand and setup a stage.
BethanyHipsEnjoyer@reddit
I got a friend that's in that photo! One of the dudes in snorkel gear.
Corgisarethebest123@reddit
My bad!
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
I will be if we save it!! https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
Mang9@reddit
More people would come just to pee in it now.
Corgisarethebest123@reddit
Thatās why chlorine exists.
vinhluanluu@reddit
Or at least one more time. But I guess it would cost money.
OneOldBear@reddit
Dallas City Hall is an American monument and should NOT be torn down. I hope the city remembers what a wonderful piece of architecture this is
MagicWishMonkey@reddit
The nonsense about how it would cost a billion dollars to renovate is completely absurd, I really wish we knew the whole story about why they want it torn down so badly and how much the person who came up with that number was paid to inflate it so much.
jamesdukeiv@reddit
Someoneās pockets get padded while paying for whatever is going to replace it, usually.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
coffee-n-cocktails@reddit
Your petition doesnt explain why. Tell me the reason to keep it
coffee-n-cocktails@reddit
The dirt in that area also isnt worth that much. Look at the neighborhood. Best case you build something amazing you can lease to a sports team.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
mideon2000@reddit
It leaks some water in the parking garage. Otherwise it is perfectly fine. My counter is always, whatever you decide to build ia going to take longer than you think and cost more than you think plus tou are going to have to pay to maintain that as well. Save the upside down pyramid
YaGetSkeeted0n@reddit
it's def not perfectly fine lol. i mean, structurally it is, but it needs a lot of TLC. thankfully none of that TLC is like rocket science or anything... they can make the building and surrounding area a lot nicer if they want to. i hope they do. i don't know that i'd call it beautiful, but it's an impressive building that looks like the kind of place where important things happen. i like that.
mideon2000@reddit
Thats kinda what i mean, it's fine. It needs maintenance that it hasn't been getting. I never see ebs there to fix things, but they act like the inside is a dump. It isn't. Fix the leaky toilets and stopped up urinals it won't be the billion dollars they keep spouting off
YaGetSkeeted0n@reddit
haha my section's toilets are all right, although the bathrooms themselves are austere and could use a makeover. my big gripes are the HVAC (always too cold or too hot) and IT (shit wifi and cell service). both solvable, the latter especially easily.
that and just get together a coherent master plan for utilization of the building by current tenants. i'm pretty sure they've just slotted departments in where they can find space over the years, it could probably be done better. improve the wayfinding too, average citizens shouldn't end up as lost as they usually do.
all very solvable though, probably for less than a billion! shoot, some kids from UNT or UTA could probably come up with incredible interior designs for way cheaper than a consultancy would.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
mideon2000@reddit
I like your line of thinking, and yeah, they stick whomever, wherever.
Im in the basement myself, but they might move us to another location, not sure yet.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
The story is GREED!!
liquidnight247@reddit
I am sure they got offers from the developers that would give nice kickbacks to some people and now Council seems to be under pressure to act on SOMETHING after they lost AT&T from downtown. So pulling it down and building a stadium to keep a sports team seems valid to them. Itās absolutely infuriating. The DMN quoted AT&T perfectly on why they are leaving Dallas. And Itās precisely what is wrong with this municipality.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
fcdftw@reddit
Listen to this interview with the Executive Director of Preservation Dallas for more of the story. They get into it in the latter half.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0qZArpXTUveNMdEwl4OmWQ?si=yS33ul3yTu2Z6_KcGkxrjA
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
sign this petition!!
coffee-n-cocktails@reddit
Consider the empty buildings littering downtown. Or ATTs future empty offices. Aren't those suitable for city services?
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
No, because they do not have the infrastructure and the design purposes of City Hall. The threat to security of our city is directly linked to City Hall as it houses 911 and 311. it was built to last 1000 years and they are completely lying about what these costs are.
coffee-n-cocktails@reddit
Logic and financial responsibility says otherwise.
Historic Des Moines City Hall officially closes https://share.google/TCHhXq6e0WOx31c8U
Ask yourself, does LA (my hometown) tell the story how government buildings/districts that house 911, 311, and civil services provide safety to its cities residents?
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
Lightsides@reddit
It certainly shouldn't be torn down for the Adelsons.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
coffee-n-cocktails@reddit
Enjoy the cost. Preserve it in photos/videos and inspired future builds. The HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS to restore/improve arent worth it. Build a brutalist DMV in prosper for cents on the dollar in new construction to save the identity
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
ElecBees@reddit
No matter what it costs, if the citizens vote down a bond or whatever hike in taxes is propsed to fix it, it won't happen.
Remember that prop that passed stating 50% of all new revenue has to go to the police? Even if it cost only a quarter of the proposal, I still don't know where the money would come from.
Heatmap_BP3@reddit
Yeah it's great. The architect was I. M. Pei. Really famous.
Dallas is a funny because our elites are insecure about being from Dallas rather than most notable cities so they've put serious bankroll down at times on starchitecture because by gum that'll put us on the map. Then we get these brutalist art monstrosities that land in the middle of town like an alien spaceship.
jbrown383@reddit
āDallas is a great place to make moneyā is the best I ever heard in a conversation about what is each major city in Texas the best place for.
telehealthdialtone@reddit
I like to say Dallas is the city that doesnt want to be, and Fort Worth the city that never was.
TheDakestTimeline@reddit
Dallas has everything money can buy, and nothing it can't.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
telehealthdialtone@reddit
Hey, hmm. yea. Maybe.,ā¦maybe you are right.
ParmaHamRadio@reddit
Spot-on
permalink_save@reddit
I mean, it's just a decently kept city. Not every major city has to have a gimmick. On eof the biggest upsides for me is how much green space Dallas has. WRL and the trails are great even if it's not tourist fodder. I knownpeople.disagree but it is nice living here especially if you have kids.
FilmNoir555@reddit
I donāt know if youāre sincere or not, please be more clear. Do you love the building or not? What would you do?
Heatmap_BP3@reddit
I'm just playing around. It's fine. The building needs some work, apparently.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
trb75252@reddit
No, but it seems wasteful to tear it down.
lilXvideos@reddit
I absolutely love it
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
Thank you for the LOVE!!! Letās Save Dallas City Hall!! š«¶š¼š«¶š¼š«¶š¼š«¶š¼š«¶š¼š«¶š¼
Proper-Inspector6022@reddit
Itās ugly outside but still cool. An older city employee told me that the ends are designed to look like the state of Texas. If you squint a little you can see it. Iāve always liked the inside. It was designed to be very open to be symbolic of government that is open to the people. I used to work there. It can be hard to concentrate with all the noise but thatās true of any workplace with open cubicles. I always felt that security needed to be better. Maybe it has improved in the last 8 years. The bathrooms, cafeteria, and elevators needed work. We had a couple of ant infestations and once we had a mouse problem.. And there isnāt enough parking garage space. I feel like all this and more is easily fixed. You donāt tear down a paid-for, functional, architecturally significant building.
zHydro@reddit
I love brutalism but it really only shines when juxtaposed if you ask me.
Putting concrete on top of concrete in the middle of concrete city doesnāt do it justice.
GladVeterinarian5120@reddit
Interesting comment. I do sometimes like architecture not for itself but for how it sets off, compliments, or contrasts its surroundings. Same thing happens with fashion. I have some ties that by themselves are nothing special until you put them with that one suit or suit and shirt combo that they somehow elevate in a way no other tie does. Buildings and details within buildings can be like that.
I rarely see brutalist architecture that I like, but I usually feel not an active dislike so much as a sense of lost opportunity. We lost the opportunity to put something beautiful there. In spite of all that, I think we should keep it, fix it, and maintain it, and then look to see what we could do around it to make it feel more human. Somebody mentioned trees. Always a good idea.
When a director sees your building as the perfect setting for a story about a man whoās lost his humanity that should maybe tell you something about how it reads to the world.
The numbers they are throwing around are insane and suggest impure motives.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
BarredAtom@reddit
Dallas has the most architecture by I.M. Pei. Anyone want to compare city hall to the Meyerson. I love that dallas all these examples, like Fountain Place, in one city.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
CuervoCoyote@reddit
As a child I called DCH "The Helicopter Building," because of it's phenomenal sense of lift.
I also loved it's cameo in the Dallas sci-fi cult classic "The Lathe Of Heaven," which was production designed by the father of a childhood friend.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
No-Opposite-8216@reddit
I love it. Perfect use of brutalist architecture in my opinion. As city hall watches over its jurisdiction, so this building looms over you when youāre near it. The building watches you and it guards you simultaneously. And the interior architecture is beautiful, I love how the angles make the space feel when youāre in it.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
Jinnapat397@reddit
Dallas city hall is a landmark of brutalist architecture designed by i m pei and people often appreciate it for its dramatic canted facade and heavy use of raw concrete because it creates a powerful sense of presence and permanence in the downtown area while others find its stark geometric lines and imposing scale to be a fascinating reflection of mid century urban design trends
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
Aggressive_Age8818@reddit
Iconic. Hope it stays.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
Geek_In_Texas@reddit
Yes, great building and public space. I had the opportunity to enjoy the starkness up close during one of the past clean air action events there.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
Geek_In_Texas@reddit
I guess pictures are prohibited. I couldnāt post the pictures here.
catricya@reddit
Please tell City Council to not waste money by RENTiNG a new city hall. https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
YES!!!!š
Striking_Reindeer_2k@reddit
They need to invest in this. Not take the usual cowards choice that they do. Cheap out and then squander good resources.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
ITZOURTIMENOW@reddit
I love this building
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
OhGr8WhatNow@reddit
It looks like someone shaking out their nicotine stained keyboard from 1995
louieAPL20@reddit
ROBOCOP!
OneEyedWinn@reddit
Nothing says, āI look down upon youā quite like this building. Itās like weāre the circus and they have box seats to the show.
coffee-n-cocktails@reddit
Its amazing. But tear it down. Move to an abandoned office building and save tax payers 100's of millions. Make a documentary of the process with an oscar award winner of the past/current/future and still save money.
No-Future8437@reddit
Say bye bye
Funwiwu2@reddit
Watch Loganās Run the movie
letscallthis_trash@reddit
No.
jasper-zanjani@reddit
nuke and pave
jayarray0513@reddit
Oh, and those stairs that Ed-209 had issues with? Try being stoned and just having gotten good and toasted at the Taste of Dallas, that had just been allowed to happen in 1985. Every member of our department went downstairs using them, and got drunker than shit, and were even sneaking beers back inside our offices. Not a pretty scene at City Hall that day.
jayarray0513@reddit
I had just started working permanent as a network technician for the City of Dalllas. Our top line speed was 9.6k. We looked down from 3BSouth, and saw a weird guy with a bald head pointing a rifle at the weirdest looking thing.
So, yeah I got to see Peter Weller shoot that robot. Charles and I ran down the blue stairwell, just so we could meet him.
Breauxmetheus@reddit
I had to go to the dmv there to replace my stolen driverās license 3 times in the 2 years I begrudgingly lived in Dallas. It was particularly hellish, as dmv experiences go.
Recent_Permit2653@reddit
Not particularly. Iām not a brutalism fan in general. Honestly, if it didnāt have I. M. Peiās name attached to it, I imagine the work order for demolition would have already been signed.
That said, as brutalist buildings go, this is one of the better ones Iāve seen. I do believe any rehab plan for the building could perhaps Not particularly. Iām not a brutalism fan in general. Honestly, if it didnāt have I. M. Peiās name attached to it, I imagine the work order for demolition would have already been signed.
That said, as brutalist buildings go, this is one of the better ones Iāve seen. I do believe any rehab plan for the building should seriously consider a renovation of the plaza and public space around it to make it more of a gathering spot to sit and congregate. One idea Iāve had is to allow use of the exterior of the building for some kind of ever-changing temporary art to break up some of the general monotony of the brutalist design.
I wouldnāt try to sneak this into a renovation plan, but I do think some of the nearby land use isnāt great. Consider consolidating the surrounding surface parking lots into one or two full-on parking garages and encouraging the rest of the underutilized space to build a small community in the area which could then use the public space around the city hall as a local gathering spot.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
Recent_Permit2653@reddit
Full disclosure:
I donāt and have never lived in Dallas, Iām a couple of hours east in Tyler. But I visit often because it reminds me in some ways of where I grew up near San Jose, CA.
I donāt know if I feel comfortable signing that on behalf of actual Dallasites who will be most directly on the hook for whatever happens. Iām just happy to take part in the public forum for a city Iāll always care about nonetheless.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
But a little information: we would be paying much less tax dollars to repair this building and keep it as Dallas city hall versus outsourcing and renting other buildings that could easily go up in rent as it would involve a third-party. This holds infrastructure for the safety of Dallas. Itās where 911 and 311 is located. The billion dollar cost is total lies. It does need maintenance, but it is nowhere near what they are saying.
Recent_Permit2653@reddit
Thatās information I did not know.
With a lot of commitment it could be a big win. I think it depends on a solid neighborhood around it to make that building feel less stark, and its surroundings feel more like a peopleās space thanā¦wellā¦the movie one Iām not even gonna name. And leaning into architecture citywide could build on that and start to form an identity.
And thatās unfortunately a d@mn heavy lift to get anybody to agree to take pride in their city.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
There is much growing commitment. What needs to happen is good development around the space to bring it back to life. It is a silent nod to JFK and Dallas moving forward after his assassination. It has been shown that the mechanical repairs are not inside the cement. There are designed rooms in the building where all that is located and can easily be repaired. The numbers and the amount of repairs needed to get it back to its brilliance are all lies from greedy losers who want quick cash in their pockets. What would really hurt the neighborhoods and people close by and all around Dallas would be demolishing this building. It would be an insane health risk. I have hope. Even though you are in Tyler you seem to love this building and Dallas so if you sign the petition you would be doing good from afar. And if we win you would know you were a part of what helped save this masterpiece, save taxpayer dollars, keep Dallas secure and healthy. š«¶š¼
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
I hear you! Just trying to spread the word ab this petition. š«¶š¼
Delicious_Hand527@reddit
I find it hideous. The columns seem randomly placed. The exterior spaces are terrible, Dallas literally has policies against other buildings 'looming' but it's city hall leans forward. It blows. The best thing you can say about it is that it was in Robocop. That doesn't mean I think it should be torn down.
SgtMoose42@reddit
The 1970's are full of architecture where the architects said, "LOOK WHAT I CAN DO!"
They didn't really stop and ask if they should.
There's a school in my town where it was designed without walls or doors for each classroom.
Thankfully they added in "Temporary" walls that lasted years. But they still didn't have doors. Which is a nightmare for security and noise issues.
Empty-Initial6392@reddit
I liked seeing the building featured in the movie: Logan's Run!
EtchASketchNovelist@reddit
Yes. The Washington DC metro stations are also some pretty awesome brutalist works.
MassiveBallacks@reddit
Imagine having a metro like that in Dallas. I can only dream
BakerAggressive2878@reddit
Honestly the biggest barrier to that is encouraging the same type of very dense walkable environments around our existing DART stations for at least a half-mile radius around each station instead of suburban style shopping malls and parking lots.Ā
Add in a few extra bridges and pedestrian connections so that the below grade and elevated stations are able to be accessed from more points making it that much more convenient to use. For example, at Park Lane station, add a short bridge so pedestrians can access the station from the south side of Park Lane without crossing Park Lane, or at Lake Highlands Station, create an underpass on the southwest side of the station like there is on the southeast so pedestrians can get to the shopping center just on the south side of Walnut Hill at Skillman without having to up and across before coming back down
The city could encourage that type of development but half the city froths at the mouth whenever "walkable neighborhoods" or even just buildings taller than 2 stories are proposed
NYerInTex@reddit
The building itself sure. Some of the perspectives inside that evoke ancient Roman architecture are amazing.
The huge empty space outside and pure disregard for adding to street level vibrancy as if hating pedestrians and the city experience?
Peak I.M. Pro and starchitect attitude. Itās all about their ego and their building, even as that ego and that building destroy the vibrancy of the place where it stands
AbueloOdin@reddit
That "huge empty space" outside is host to tons of events, protests, etc. It is a public space for the public.
I absolutely think there is some room for improvement, but part of the architectural choice here was to draw you in closer to bring you into the ground level of the building. But it could use a tree or seven to provide more shade.
The massive amount of surface level parking around the area is the main culprit of killing the vibrancy.
BakerAggressive2878@reddit
Just because it's occasionally used for protests doesn't make it a good public space. At the very least Akard Plaza needs to be heavily redesigned. Also, the little stub road for Marilla between city hall and the convention center should be closed down, make that whole area between Pioneer Plaza and the Police Memorial one contiguous and well shaded park - people coming to and from Field St. via car can travel down Young for the short distance to continue south to Akard St.
From Akard Plaza to the Discovery District is literally one block and there's only two small parking lots to walk past, and it is also across the street from the Erik Johnson Dallas library, the problem is that Akard Plaza is generally miserable to be at unless there's something organized happening there, which is pretty rare, especially since the plaza is mostly a barren plaza that just reflects the sun right back at you.
Also the interior feels very disorienting as well, every time I've tried to go to a city council meeting or something at the Horseshoe, it's always a maze, and the Horseshoe room is also very uncomfortable and small and feels less like an environment for civic engagement and more like a mini arena to spectate
NYerInTex@reddit
The space around the building is not designed to integrate nor connect to neighboring parcels. Itās not some grand public square or piazza. Itās ⦠empty and rarely programmed space.
Rarely programmed in large part because it doesnāt lend itself to being a center of activity but rather it is a space to disconnect to adjoining parcels and the surrounding downtown.
FWIW, if you want to activate a public space then you surround it with street level activity. Cafes, storefronts, areas for the private realm to bleed into the public realm.
City hall is the antithesis of that. Specific entrances, zero ground floor activity elsewhere.
Donāt confuse architecture for urbanism. In this case the former is literally the enemy of the latter.
NoMudNoLotus369@reddit
If by love you mean think it's soulless and ugly as sin, yes. I Love the brutalism.
myassisgrassss@reddit (OP)
Yes it's perfect. Honestly one of the best examples. I know you are being serious, but so am I! It actually is one of the greatest examples of this type of architecture.
summertimeoverlord@reddit
I honestly don't understand why brutalism gets so much hate. I love the clean lines and how concrete looks.
BakerAggressive2878@reddit
It definitely has its place, but also the surrounding area needs to be properly connected to the brutality architecture for it to feel appropriate. The DC metro is my favorite example of brutality architecture - it makes the stations feel impressive and imposing without being grandiose.
City Hall instead just feels domineering as it is so separated from the lives of the people working and living nearby. When I lived downtown, the massive, always empty plaza just served as a barrier, especially in the summer time. Meanwhile Burnett Plaza in Fort Worth (as another example of Brutalism in DFW) feels like a place you'd actually feel comfortable approaching on foot because it is integrated with the surrounding area much better. Same with the Perot Museum (even though it's a different kind of post modern Brutalism), it doesn't feel intimidating to approach, even though it is large and imposing when coming in by foot.
City Hall isn't bad in and of itself, but unless the city actually does anything to make it feel like it's a place to approach then it will always be divisive. Reworking Akard Plaza to be more a community park would be a fantastic start, as would encouraging development around the southern edge of downtown that isn't just the convention center, especially development that encourages pedestrian activity like shops, restaurants, museums, event venues, or little parklets
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
jamesdukeiv@reddit
If you ever need something to be sad about, itās the Elion-Hitchings building being neglected to death. Easily one of the coolest brutalist interiors and very visibly inspired the video game Control.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
galofgoons@reddit
The only thing that really bugs me about city hall is how unusable the outside of the building is. You canāt play in the water, thereās no shade, and when it gets 100+ itās like walking through an oven. Nobody was thinking about our climate with that. I think the inside is striking, though.
happy_puppy25@reddit
Boston city hall is amazing as well.
NoMudNoLotus369@reddit
I genuinely Love your enthusiasm for it hehe. It reminds me of the 1980's version of modern architecture, except for now they're like "let's throw some weirdly angled roofs in there ..."
Iocnar@reddit
This building is supposed to be surrounded by huge dense forest. That's generally how brutalism is supposed to function. It's supposed to provide a striking contrast with nature that's then additionally balanced by brutalism's frequent simplicity. Frank Lloyd Wright is the most famous example although not a brutalist himself but the general concept and execution shares fundamental similarities. Some brutalism functions very well on it's own though but it most commonly excels when contrasted with nature. Gives it a sort of a retro futuristic feel.
NoMudNoLotus369@reddit
Well explained, thank you for that ššš»
LevelAd1126@reddit
It's shaped like a bulldozer plowing south
Leader_Bud@reddit
Well, if that isnāt a metaphor for Dallas.
tracerhaha@reddit
And her I thought it was the Orca tank at Seaworld.
pokeyporcupine@reddit
No. Brutalism is a fucking plague.
RavenousBrain@reddit
I've heard a giant bipedal mech fell down since stairs back then. Its three-toed feet were too big for the stairs.
GrapefruitQuiet3614@reddit
Looks like a villains lair from a low budget super hero movie In the early 2000s
sisubergman@reddit
Yes. I love it and it's an architecturally significant building that I hope isn't demolished bc a billionaire wants the land
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
sisubergman@reddit
š„
imissher4ever@reddit
OCP HQ.
TheEvilBlight@reddit
Wouldāve been great alternate to imperial senate for Star Wars. Feels kinda Star Trek ish
throttledog@reddit
Didnāt they film part of Robocop there?
myassisgrassss@reddit (OP)
It gives me Severance vibes
jamesdukeiv@reddit
I think itās neat and I hate that the design gets so much hate when the real issue is that itās poorly maintained.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
GuairdeanBeatha@reddit
Also featured in The Lathe of Heaven.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
Gonna_Get_Success@reddit
Finally someone has pointed this out
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
LevelAd1126@reddit
Strange that Los Vegas investors buy the Dallas Mavericks and second thing they want to do (We all know what the first one was) is destroy our classic architecture and replace it was a fake little mini Vegas
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
Rhewin@reddit
I love that it looks so jarring that it was able to serve as the base of OCP's evil corporate headquarters.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
Dennma@reddit
I was scrolling fast and thought it was a jawa sand crawler
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
Iāve replied to a lot of messages on here with a link to sign a petition to help save Dallas City Hall! If you go on Instagram and look up @savedallascityhall you will see where this link comes from. Please I bed of all who care to take 10 seconds to do this!! Itās so important to hold onto this building! So many lies coming out about the repairs and the costs! If I can get a few people from this thread to sign that petition well, then I guess Iāve done a little bit!! I have major hope that we can keep this building! I donāt know why Dallas is like this.. why Dallas does not preserve such important buildings like the Kalita Humphrey Theatre by Frank Lloyd Wright that is just rotting. It holds memories it holds importance. Demolishing this building, not only is like throwing away a masterpiece of art. It is also a threat to our security. This building was built to last 1000 years. it has the infrastructure for our 911 and 311 system if we were to outsource by moving out we would be in not a good place. our city would not be safe for a lot of reasons. I could go on and on and on, but please if you care please sign that petition. šš«¶š¼
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
Blondie0179@reddit
Yesss
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
B0B_Spldbckwrds@reddit
It's classic I.M. Pei. Angular, dramatic, practical and makes great use of easily available materials.Ā
I hate that the city council seems hell bent on selling it off to be torn down.Ā
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
Not to mention the threat to the health of our city, if this is torn down in demolished.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
Please sign this petition. We need to flood these representatives. I have hope that we can save it. People are on the bullshit lies about the repairs and cost costs.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
medisamurai@reddit
Yes, brutalism is always cool.
Wonāt be there for much longer so get those pics in
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
medisamurai@reddit
its gone, ive lost all hope.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
No donāt!!! Please sign the petition!! š
PartyInsurance2165@reddit
āDallas is the only city that had a soul I could not feelā
liquidnight247@reddit
Absolutely love it. Itās from the Cityās hey day and a landmark
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
el_esteban@reddit
I don't love it, but I do think we should preserve it.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
Appropriate_Pressure@reddit
This is one of my favorite buildings in Dallas. It made me fall in love with brutalism in the first place.
I saw Robocop way late in life and flipped out when I saw that they used it as the headquarters. So damn neat.
I found out that back in the 80s Dallas used to use the space for fun events ljke "beach day" in the courtyard in front of it. ( Found the photo! They even have a lifeguard! )
Just a dam coop building.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
poop_monster35@reddit
Isn't there talk of moving City Hall into a different building because the city can't keep up with repairs?
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
The amount of repairs that theyāre saying are all lies. If you care about this building then please click this link. https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
Buttholesurfer44@reddit
Ah a true aggie I see. I like it too
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
musiquarium@reddit
itās in robocop so yeah cool
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
Modteamsaretyrants@reddit
Best building in Dallas
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
S35X17@reddit
History will not forgive thee, who is dark soul that wants it brought to dust.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
Evilsushione@reddit
I like it. The slanted windows and overhangs are pretty practical for minimizing heat accumulation too. I know some hate it but imagine if the just did the boring thing and made a box.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
p8nt_junkie@reddit
Designed by I. M. Pei!
I have always loved it; lifelong Dallas native
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
Upstairs_Balance_464@reddit
The people who hate city hall love McMansion architecture. They donāt like anything controversial. It isnāt good art if the people with bad taste donāt hate it.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
BikerCow@reddit
I appreciate it, quite a bit.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
G8M8N8@reddit
It's one of the prettier brutalist examples
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
Impossible-Try-9161@reddit
Dallas underwent a Brutalist period for a while, didn't it? It's the one architectural feature of midcentury Dallas that struck me when I first moved to the city.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
NintendogsWithGuns@reddit
Anyone with even the slightest bit of art or architecture education likely loves it. The types that donāt own a single piece of art and want you to invest in their ~~crypto~~ ~~metaverse~~ AI startup likely think itās ugly.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
lovelylotuseater@reddit
I think itās incredibly evocative and a great piece of architecture. I do think itās ugly but I think a lot of buildings are ugly and thatās okay. I would rather something be ugly in a way that is interesting than be ugly and boring.
Hating something in a surface level can prompt a person to go a little deeper and think about what makes them hate it, and in contrast, what traits make them love a piece of architecture.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
dumasymptote@reddit
Absolutely. I love city hall.
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
https://actnow.savedallascityhall.com/act-now?r=rxmccVOT
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
Save Dallas City Hall
Click this link and it will take less than 10 seconds to email your representative! Letās Save Dallas City Hall!! A masterpiece we are so lucky to have!!
Prestigious-Pin-3204@reddit
SAVE DALLAS CITY HALL!!!
0masterdebater0@reddit
This is the only angle of the building that looks good and itās the one that gets posted every single timeā¦
I swear you people must not have to drive past this eyesore⦠look at that ugly ass structure from the back or the side sometime or even worse from a higher story if one of the surrounding buildings. Canāt wait until that tear that shit down already.
NuggetWarmer@reddit
They're trying to tear it down
jdmiller82@reddit
No
wantonfiction@reddit
I read the complex is (possibly) on the chopping block.
Acceptable-Target363@reddit
Itās a godless post modern piece of junk
Then_Supermarket18@reddit
āarchitektonische Unterdrückungā
SavyShopperTX@reddit
This shit has been an Epic Eye Sore for DECADES! It's not in line with the overall progressive remodel, aesthetic and impression Dallas is attempting to portray. I eagerly await the arrival of Dallas Wallstreet and the Central Park concept.
camilaac0sta@reddit
āAnyone else just love ice cream?ā
Arevrec@reddit
Fallout vibes
davidhern22@reddit
Nope , I think itās cold and soulless
CrimsonAllah@reddit
I hate it
PomegranateOld2617@reddit
Wasnāt that in Robocop?
noncongruent@reddit
Yes, it was featured as OCP headquarters in RoboCop and it was also in Lathe of Heaven.
bikerdude214@reddit
I think I.M. Pei swung and missed with this building. Itās ugly. And itās not user friendly either. Wouldnāt bother me a bit if it got torn down. (Before the haters attack me, I love the Morton Meyerson, have season tickets and I go there all the time. To me, that building is absolute perfection. And I also love Fountain Place.)
Catullus13@reddit
It's hideous and a dumb design. Shrine to government wasteĀ
lowfiswish@reddit
It feels like a future scape set but made of concrete.
ContextWorking976@reddit
The best transition plan is to wait for autonomous police robots replace DPD officers. This location is the best suited to maintain and deploy robotic police officers, and it should serve as DPD's new headquarters.
Tralliz@reddit
Resident Evil ahh building
Superbull23@reddit
Itās giving North Korea
OakLawnDallas@reddit
No, the angle of it has always given me the creeps. It feels like itās lording over you, which is especially unsettling from a government building.
DutyNo8730@reddit
Always reminds me of the 1980s movie The Lathe of Heaven. I guess they considered it futuristic at the time
TBB09@reddit
No
G_yebba@reddit
NopeĀ
hotairballonfreak@reddit
Iām sorry brutalism is worst architecture
Not_Sure11@reddit
Such a Lumon looking building
TKOTN123@reddit
actually no, no I do not
rye_212@reddit
Not me.
graaavearchitecture@reddit
Yes
shawnkfox@reddit
Looks like something you'd see in Russia or North Korea to me.
Still_Detail_4285@reddit
Nope.
nonamejd123@reddit
Nothing better than a monument to open government being so good at it's job that it stands in as the HQ of the evil corporation. Even worse that city hall number 4 is still there to see so we can remember what a mistake this was.