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 "We know
that the good building is not the one that hurts the landscape, but is one
that makes the landscape more beautiful than it was before that building was
built. In Marin County you have one of the most beautiful landscapes I have
seen, and I am proud to make the buildings of this County characteristic of
the beauty of the County."
-Frank Lloyd Wright
After crossing the Golden Gate
Bridge, the drive north is quite scenic in and of itself, but passing
through Sausalito and then San Rafael -- ignoring the traffic of course --
will begin to give one a small sense of the connection to the land that
Frank Lloyd Wright intended between the Marin County Civic Center and its
surroundings. In fact, when traveling north, the building is hardly
noticeable at all from the freeway; traveling south it is only slightly more
perceptible.
Completed in 1962, the building is one of a very few
state-sponsored buildings designed by Wright. Government buildings
always seem to demand your attention to their skyward thrust; Wright's
design here eschews that for the long, low and horizontal curve that
embraces the ground and melds with the hills to the east. The geometry
is born of circles. The large, center arches over the highway giving way to
two progressively smaller ones that extend back toward a union with the
striking blue roof that blends with the California sky; the three sets of
arches seemingly paying tribute to three hills beyond. It was Wright's
770th and final commission; he unfortunately did not witness its completion,
passing away in April of 1959.
From the Oriental-influenced 172-foot gold spire to the
color schemes that mimic the surrounding landscape to the open and flowing
feel of the structure, the design is clearly classic Frank Lloyd Wright.
Location
- Marin Center
10 Avenue of the Flags
San Rafael, CA 94903 Map
Construction & Unique Features
- Built in 1950 (completed in 1962)
- The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Marin County Civic
Center is a national- and state-designated historic landmark.
Tours
- One-hour docent-led tours of the Civic Center are
offered every Wednesday at 10:30 am, leaving from the second floor Gift
Shop, Room 233. The cost is $5 per person and no reservations are
required.
- Groups of ten or more can arrange a private docent
tour by calling the Visitor Services Office at 415.499.7009.
Links
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