This expedition satisfied three top interests of mine: WPA art, weird museums and cool architecture. My first stop was the downtown San Rafael post office. It’s a basic looking Spanish style building with vaguely Mayan Revival window grates. Inside is a lovely mural titled “San Rafael Creek—1851” (1937) that looks like it was painted last week. I couldn’t find info about whether it’s been restored.
A few blocks away is the Museum of International Propaganda. It wasn’t open but there is plenty to see in the display windows. The owner grew up in Socialist Czechoslovakia. The museum’s mission is to help people become aware of propaganda and its power. I particularly like the Cosmonaut in a space suit brandishing a hammer and sickle.
Stop three was the Marin County Civic Center, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and completed in 1962, two years after his death (it was his last commission). Other buildings and structures were completed in the 70’s. The building has an open sunlit feeling because it actually is open. Entry is through openwork metal gates, not doors. Originally there was no roof but weather issues quickly dictated adding one. This openness symbolized Wright’s belief that government should be transparent.
I went on the guided tour. We stopped at a hill at the southern end of the building that the guide said was the place Wright declared he would set the building among the three hills. Other proposals suggested flattening the hills. The roof was designed to be gold, to blend with the golden hills around it but it wasn’t feasible. I think the blue is beautiful. He did get a gold tower though.
Circles, half circles and spheres are the big motifs in the entire complex. There are several dioramas of the property, one showing several things that got cut from the budget, like the children’s playground island. It’s now just an open circle in the lagoon filled with goose poop.
The lagoon is full of circles, in paving, bench armrests, door pulls, light bulbs, etc. Even this cute turtle! The post office has an interesting elliptical roof. The Veteran’s Auditorium is closed for restoration. The only other local Wright building is on Maiden Lane in San Francisco. I’ve walked by it many times! I’ll have to go in one day.