In 1906 , a major earthquake decimated San Francisco and destroyed more than 28,000 buildings , many as a result of subsequent fires . As the city rebuilt , it adopted a plan for a civic center , first developed in 1899 by English architect B.J.S. Cahill , to consolidate government buildings in a central location . The last building completed for the San Francisco Civic Center , the Federal Building was a critical component of the seven-building complex that included government buildings , a library , and an opera house . The Civic Center design incorporates City Beautiful planning , a concept that relies on Beaux Arts design principles and classically inspired , monumental architecture . San Francisco 's Civic Center is one of the nation 's most successful examples of the City Beautiful movement
major earthquake decimated San Francisco
1906 San Francisco earthquake
50 United Nations Plaza Federal Office Building (San Francisco)