Government Service Center, Brutalist office building in Government Center, Boston, United States
The Government Service Center is a complex of two connected concrete structures called the Charles F. Hurley Building and the Erich Lindemann Building that together occupy a large area in Boston. The Hurley building houses the Division of Unemployment Assistance and MassHire, while the Lindemann building contains offices of the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health.
Construction of this complex began in 1963 and finished in 1971, replacing sections of the former residential West End neighborhood. The building of this government center marked a major transformation of the neighborhood and reshaped its character.
Inside the Hurley Building, murals by Costantino Nivola depict themes of employment and the social benefits of unemployment insurance. These artworks shape how visitors experience the interior spaces and reflect the complex's mission to serve the public.
The complex is designed in the brutalist architectural style with large concrete facades visible from different angles. Visitors should allow time to walk around the sprawling site and locate entrances to both buildings since they are spread across a large area.
The Hurley Building's floorplan unintentionally follows the geographical outline of Massachusetts, even though architect Paul Rudolph said this resemblance was not deliberate. This accidental feature only becomes apparent when viewed from above.
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