A Place in Time
莫宇一方2

Built in 1905 on the site of the old City Exchange, the Savannah City Hall not only houses the government, but also serves as an official symbol of the city. As Mayor Herman Myers reported, “It will typify the twentieth century Savannah, the Savannah of indomitable energy, of pushing progressiveness.” Designed by architect Hyman Witcover, its golden dorm and Beaux Art style exterior make it a great photographic subject, as a sign of authority and historic heritage. The gold-leaf dorm was a gift of a local philanthropist in 1987, adorning its original cooper roof.

1905年建造的沙凡那市政廳取代了原來在同一地點也作為市政府所在的市立交易所。此建築在1904年左右由建築師Hyman Witcover設計，以當時美國公共建築主流的學院派Beaux Art文雅藝術的風格設計，特色就是對稱、嚴格的層級、羅馬式的設計、古典主義等等，紐約的哥倫比亞大學、中央車站和市立圖書館都是採用這種風格。它的圓頂是美國政府建築幾乎都會採用的樣式，應該是方便大家辨識吧；它的材質原來是銅鑄的，直到1987年由一位當地不具名的慈善家捐贈金箔，才有現在金光閃閃的風貌。這樣的建築，就算在遙遠的距離之外，也很容易被認出來，功能性極強。