Boston City Hall, notoriously considered among the world’s ugliest buildings, has been designated a local historic landmark.

The designation, previously approved by the Boston Landmarks Commission, recognizes City Hall’s “architectural, cultural and civic significance, ensuring the preservation of its unique character and historical identity for future generations,” a Friday announcement from Mayor Michelle Wu’s office states.

“For more than five decades, Boston City Hall has served as a hub where residents come together to shape our city’s future,” Wu said in a statement. “This milestone serves as an affirmation of our commitment to preserving this space as a vital symbol of our democracy and a center for civic engagement.”

Built in 1968, City Hall “stands as an iconic example of Brutalist architecture,” Wu’s office said. While nestled today in downtown’s Government Center, the building was constructed in the former Scollay Square neighborhood, which was demolished as part of urban renewal in the mid-twentieth century.

The “bold” design by Kallman McKinnell & Knowles was a departure from Boston’s traditional brick and brownstone architecture, Wu’s office said, while celebrating the government building as “redefining the city’s cultural identity and the nature of public space.”

Councilor Sharon Durkan, who led the landmark designation push on the City Council, described City Hall’s design as “iconic.” She sees the building as a “living symbol of transparency, innovation and civic identity.”

“Boston City Hall is more than a building,” Durkan said in a statement. “It’s a catalyst for civic engagement, and a home for those who serve our great city.”

The government building includes offices for the mayor and City Council, along with a number of other city departments.

The new landmark designation comes two years after Boston City Hall was named the second-ugliest building in the United States, and fourth in the world, in a survey conducted by BuildWorld, a United Kingdom-based building supplies company.

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In the U.S., only the J. Edgar Hoover Building in Washington, D.C., another Brutalist design, was deemed to be more of an “eyesore.”

The mayor’s announcement acknowledges the divisiveness surrounding the aesthetics of the city’s seat of government.

“While Boston City Hall has faced criticism and calls for demolition in the past, it has also inspired a dedicated community of advocates who recognize its architectural and cultural value,” Wu’s office said.

The new designation requires that proposed changes to key features of the building undergo a review by the city’s Landmarks Commission, to “maintain its integrity.”

Councilor Ed Flynn had pushed for more review by the City Council prior to the landmark designation taking effect, to ensure that historic preservation restrictions would still allow for accessibility upgrades.

“I appreciate that this landmark designation will not prevent necessary upgrades to improve access for people with disabilities,” Kristin McCosh, the city’s disability commissioner, said in a statement. “City Hall was constructed with architectural barriers that would not be present if it were built today, so accessibility upgrades will remain a key priority moving forward.”