Memphis City Hall

Abstract

The Memphis City Hall building was designed by the architecture firm A.L. Aydelott and Associates in 1966. This brutalist structure is constructed of concrete covered in marble. Memphis City Hall is located on 125 North Main Street in the Center District of Downtown Memphis. This structure features white and black piers supporting the white marble lintel. The piers are black on the middle part of the structure and white on the outer edges. This creates the illusion that the building is supported by a series of small, white boards. Each pier has a projecting set of beams on either side of it. The building features many right angles within its design. There are strip windows going all around the building creating a layered appearance. The building is symmetrical in its design giving it a sense of balance. The building was nicknamed “Marble Falls” because after the original construction, the marble coating fell off the concrete center of the piers. The marble was replaced, but it was a costly repair. To learn more see Memphis: An Architectural Guide by Eugene J. Johnson.