We’re helping celebrate City Hall’s 50th anniversary

Fifty years ago, Boston held an unusual design competition for a new City Hall. Out of 256 entries, the winning design — selected on this day in 1962 — was submitted by an unknown architectural firm, Kallmann, McKinnell, and Knowles. The design intent was an expression of open and progressive city government. City Hall’s site was turned into a modern, 60-acre government center.

Boston City Hall is now recognized as among the most important municipal buildings of its kind. It’s also known as an excellent example of “brutalism,” or concrete modernism.

With Preservation Month underway, we wanted to help celebrate. Our design staff worked with the Landmarks Commission to create some new swag for City Hall’s 50th birthday. We also reprinted last year’s award-winning designs for Preservation Month posters, bookmarks, and tote bags. You can check out our new pin below:

Interested in picking up some cool bookmarks and pins, all while learning about City Hall’s history? Please join us at the Landmarks Commission’s Preservation Month kickoff event this Friday, May 4, at 6 p.m.