The famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright stood east of Highway 101 in San Rafael in 1957 and saw three grassy knolls and a valley.

"I'll bridge these hills with graceful arches," he reportedly said, drawing an arc in the air. That idea became the Marin County Civic Center.

Wright wanted more than a place to pay your taxes. He wanted a "good-time place." A park-like campus woven into the land. The long wings stretch between the hilltops like aqueducts. Pink walls. A sky-blue roof. Open garden atriums. Architecture that feels welcoming, so pretty much the opposite of most government buildings.

It worked. The Administration Building opened in 1962 and the Hall of Justice in 1970, which included the county jail. But Marin grew, and the jail became crowded. By the late 1980s, a court order demanded better conditions. The county needed a much bigger lockup.

But nobody wanted a jail expansion looming over the good-time place.

Enter Aaron Green, Wright's longtime associate. He came back to honor his mentor's rule: study what's unusual about a site, then use it. Here, the unusual thing was the hills. And the problem was a building no one wanted to see.

So they did something strange. They carved a crater into the hill just west of the Hall of Justice. They built a jail, then buried it — covering it back over with earth to restore the hill's original shape.

From the outside, it looks like a hill. You can barely tell it’s there.

The facility opened in 1994. It holds 222 cells and 385 beds. It reaches as much as 60 feet below the surface. That's a multi-story building, buried inside a mound covered in native foliage. Inmates reach the courtrooms through an underground tunnel.

Here's the twist.

California law gives inmates the right to tell night from day. So the jail couldn't simply be sealed in the dark. The design runs skylights and light wells down through the earth — the entire way. Natural light reaches the exercise yards. It reaches every housing pod. From above, only the entrance and the tops of those light wells break the surface of the hill.

If you’d like to be considered for Scenic Photo of the Week (nature, architecture, wildlife, etc.), please fill this out!

This is a noteworthy ticket release this week. The DJ and house music producer sold out two nights at Madison Square Garden. The artist presale starts 6/23 at 10am.

Most of Yosemite lodging opens reservations one year and a day in advance. So if you’re considering booking for next year, especially for the most popular locations like the Ahwahnee, be ready for the daily ticket window opening.

Because leaving Marin might take more planning. Look for our Marin events in the Wednesday email.

This is one of the world’s largest LGBTQ+ events, held from the Civic Center to Market Street. 11am-6pm both Saturday and Sunday. Free.

Sonoma only hosts one NASCAR event a year, which brings in people from all over (so watch for traffic heading that way). Sunday is the big race, but they have other races Friday and Saturday. Prices vary.

Circus Bella is putting on 3 free shows this weekend at the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival. Friday and Saturday, times vary.

Please note that this property isn’t associated with the banner sponsor above or Marin Buzz in any way. It is just a unique home you might be interested in seeing, for entertainment purposes only!

80 Murray Ave, Kentfield

Designed and built in the early 1970s, which was a unique time.

It’s named Villa Aubergine and it looks like a remote retreat center, but it’s actually conveniently located between College of Marin and Corbet’s Ace.

Everything is curved and beautifully done. Many unique window shapes and skylights throughout. And that’s good because the walls are darker than current styles, so all the natural light is a must.

How much do you think this tile work would cost today?

Web link

If you’d like your pet to be considered for Pet of the Week, please fill this out!

Thanks for reading. We will be back with the regular events and activities email Wednesday morning!

— Allison + Brian