As new and renovated buildings continue to change Hartford's
urban landscape, it seems a good time to sit back and look
anew at one downtown commercial structure that's been here
for decades. The Metropolitan District Commission's headquarters
at 555 Main St. is a functional beauty too often overlooked
in our rush to add to Hartford's building stock.
With its daring, curvy architecture, the MDC building is downright
Guggenheim-like. But it's an office building for 120 administrative
and technical employees, not a museum. Its sleek, artful lines
belie the quotidian nature of its existence. Completed in 1978
and designed by Russell, Gibson and von Dohlen Inc., the MDC
sits like an elegant giant snail at the corner of Main and Wells
streets, right across from city hall.
Here, east and west of Main, one is aware of a pleasing juxtaposition:
In color, the granite MDC building and the seat of city government
share a light sandy tone, with hints of pink. But in design,
they contrast wildly and happily; across from the late-Georgian
city hall, built in 1914, the MDC is a postmodern spiral.
When it was first built, the MDC headquarters got mixed reviews.
To some, it was a three-story bunker and an affront to the majesty
of its neighbors: the Wadsworth Atheneum, the Hartford Public
Library, Center Church and, of course, city hall. But like Carl
Andre's rock sculpture just down the street, the MDC has stood
the test of time. It fits neatly into its environs and is proud,
but not boastful. Its parking garage is tucked unobtrusively
beneath. Passers-by are treated to a cascading fountain (with
recycled, circulating water) and some graceful stonework. In
short, it's an underappreciated classic.
Reprinted with permission of the Hartford Courant.
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