BOSTON, MASS.- BSA Space presents a new exhibition of the original architectural drawings of Boston City Hall by architects Kallmann McKinnell & Knowles. Selected from Historic New England’s collection, the exhibition contains more than 40 architectural drawings, including sketches, design studies, and presentation drawings that offer a rare opportunity to explore the genesis of Boston City Hall from initial concept through design development. Also on display will be photographs, ephemera, and a model of the building.

In 1962, Kallmann McKinnell & Knowles’ proposal, among 256 entries to an international design competition, was chosen to become the new Boston City Hall. The building created a centerpiece for the revitalized city that Boston has become. Boldly departing from the traditional Neo-Classical Revival style of typical municipal buildings and also from contemporary Modernism’s sleek minimalism, the dramatic sculptural design was widely hailed as a superb achievement. The design’s memorable form, its exposed concrete structure, and its extensive use of local brick made it one of the best-known examples of the New Brutalism in American architecture.

Guest curator Gary Wolf AIA said, “This exhibition offers the opportunity to consider the challenges that the architects faced and to examine the inventiveness of their solution, seen in brilliant examples of the now-vanishing art of architectural drawing.”

“Boston City Hall is a world-renowned building that has sparked controversy among architects and the public since the design was first unveiled in 1962,” said BSA president Mike Davis FAIA. “BSA Space is pleased to host this exhibition and continue the public dialogue about this Boston landmark.”

The exhibition is free and open to the public at BSA Space (290 Congress Street, Boston) from October 7 to November 15, 2013. The gallery is open daily from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm on weekdays and from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on weekends and holidays.