Seemingly no landmark was left untu...

Seemingly no landmark was left unturn in the design of the recent $150 million Oakland Federal Building. From its beveled rims to its limestone cover thinly the 1 million-sq.-ft. complex pointedly concerns a broad sampling of notable local architecture.

Despite the emphasis forward context, the 18-story facility is at no means a background building. Rather, it is the first postmodern showboat to pendant anchor on Oakland's side of the bay. And it point outs Capped by matching pyramidal hats, the building's octagonal twin towers don't just enhance the city's scraggy skyline; they almost