Marin County Civic Center

The Marin County Civic Center is one of the most extraordinary public buildings in the United States — Frank Lloyd Wright's final and largest project, completed posthumously in 1962 and 1969. The building spans two hills north of San Rafael with a series of graceful blue arches, a golden tower, and a roofline that echoes the gentle curves of the surrounding terrain. From the highway it looks almost alien; up close it reveals itself as an utterly coherent piece of architecture.

The interior is equally distinctive: a central atrium with balconies on every floor, filled with natural light from a Plexiglas barrel roof. Government offices are arranged along the curved corridors. Visitors can walk in freely during business hours and take a self-guided tour — the docents and volunteers on the main floor can direct you. The building appears in the films THX 1138 and Gattaca, and served as the futuristic venue for both; its space-age aesthetic has aged remarkably well. The Farmers Market operates in the parking area on Thursdays and Sundays.

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Frank Lloyd Wright died in April 1959, four months after ground was broken on the Civic Center and six years before it was completed. It was the largest public project he ever designed and the only government building he ever built. Wright reportedly said he wanted the building to look as though it had grown from the hilltops — the long arches do exactly that, bridging two hills and making the structure seem to emerge from the landscape rather than sit upon it.