City Hall

City Hall is a public hall dating from 1920 to 1934, with alterations in 1984, designed by E Vincent Harris. Built in the Classical Revival style, it is constructed of ashlar with asphalt flat roofs.

The exterior features a plinth, moulded cornices, and coped parapets, with a 3-story main body and a basement. A windowless, cubic central block sits atop a two-stage attachment. The south front boasts a portico of eight giant Corinthian columns in antis, with an entablature extending to pylons on each side. Below the portico are three moulded, round-arched entrances with glazed screens, fanlights, and crested wrought-iron gates. The returns on either side have cross casements on the lower floors, with the ground floor windows having moulded surrounds and cornices. Upper windows are smaller, 2-light casements. The right return includes a rusticated basement with multiple keystones above openings, and three round-headed entrances with rusticated surrounds, over which are three second-floor windows with balustraded balconies. Square, corniced pavilions flank the ends, each featuring a round-headed doorway with a rusticated surround. The left return has similar fenestration but without a basement. A small central door is flanked by larger doorways with fanlights and coats of arms on the transoms. Square pavilions with round-headed doorways are positioned at each end. The rear displays a rusticated apse with giant square Corinthian columns supporting a heavy entablature and featuring square windows in each bay. A central section has three double doors with keystones, flanked by a cross casement in each bay.

Inside, a full-width round-arched entrance hall features three saucer domes decorated by George Kruger Gray, and a balustraded, barrel-vaulted gallery. The oval main hall contains two tiers of horseshoe balconies and an elaborate, shallow domed, coffered ceiling with a large oval rooflight. The semicircular Memorial Hall has a balcony with end piers topped with gilt lamps shaped like animals, beneath which is a continuous strip of square openings and three doors. The basement ballroom has a vaulted foyer with a double arcade of giant Doric columns, arranged in a 3x7 bay pattern, alongside similar 7-bay arcades with square end pilasters flanking round-arched entrances. The entrance is defined by two piers in antis, flanking double doors. The ceiling is an enriched cross beam design with six louvred lamps. Side passages incorporate three pairs of doors leading to similarly decorated rooms. Corridors are finished with faience tiling.