Fresno City Hall, Fresno

Fresno City Hall is a striking example of Post-modern Futurist architecture. Designed by the renowned Canadian architect Arthur Erickson in 1991, this building serves as the seat of the city government and the office of the mayor. Erickson, known for other notable works such as One California Plaza in Los Angeles and the Embassy of Canada in Washington, D.C., created a building that stands out as a masterpiece of modern design. Fresno City Hall anchors the northern end of the "Mariposa Mall," a twelve-block civic corridor that concludes with the Fresno County Courthouse to the south.

The building’s exterior is characterized by its post-modern futurist style, featuring dull-finished stainless steel and glass panels. The angular roofline is designed to evoke the peaks of the nearby Sierra Nevada mountains, creating a dynamic contrast with the more historic structures in downtown Fresno. This modern aesthetic has sparked some controversy, yet it is widely recognized as a brilliant piece of architecture. The five-story structure includes a variety of city offices, with the central interior space dedicated to the council chamber, which seats 249 people and benefits from natural light streaming through a skylight situated between the two peaks of the roof.

Beyond its functional aspects, Fresno City Hall includes notable exterior features, such as a large fountain located between the dual stairways that lead up to the main public entrance.

Fresno City Hall also has a place in popular culture, having been used as a filming location for the 1994 science-fiction movie "The Puppet Masters," where its exterior doubled as Des Moines City Hall.