City Hall or City Hell?

If I was damned to hell, I'm assuming that my workplace would be somewhere that looks like City Hall.

At the risk of insulting the good workers who go there everyday, it just such a depressing place. Concrete jungle. Dark and cold corridors. Decor from thirty years ago.

I had to drop by City Hall yesterday for a couple matters, and I could not help but think that many people spend over forty hours each week in this building. If the imposing vacant corridors aren't enough to drive one mad, spending time in an interior cubicle with overhead fluorescent lighting might just do it.

Years ago, on my one and only Duck Tour with my friend Brian (roadtrip Brian), I remember the tour guide asking if he had any locals with him, as we drove north on Cambridge St. A handful of us raised our hands. He asked us what building in the city was the ugliest and most out of place structure in a city with such great architecture, and without hesitation, all of us yelled "City Hall," which we then drove past.

I realize much has been written of City Hall's legacy. At one point, I'm assuming that the design plans were considered a good idea by many, though realize that the criticism has existed for decades, and remains today.

I'm amazed that this design won over 255 other entries. It just makes me scratch my head. What were they thinking?