Located beside Stirling Gardens and Government House in the city's central business district, the 49.8-metre (163 ft) building was designed by Howlett and Bailey Architects and opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1963, after Perth hosted the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games.

These conflicting views led to animosity in the 1990s, when the State Government refused to heritage list the property, and instead recommended its demolition.

[5] The building was designed by Acting Civil Engineer Henry Reveley in August 1836 after he was asked to prepare plans for public offices on the site.

[6] Additions to the building in the 1930s[2] included a second storey, which contained a Legislative Council room and offices for senior public servants.

[24] In 1994, Commissioners appointed by the State to oversee the break-up of the Perth City Council voted to demolish the building.

[24] The State Government's plan was to demolish the building and extend Stirling Gardens right across the site to beside Government House,[3] as part of a broader plan entitled "Perth – A City for People" which also included the Northbridge Tunnel, the sinking of Riverside Drive, and the housing of Supreme Court and District Court under the one roof.

[25] The State Government suggested that the Council move into the Old Treasury Building across St Georges Terrace,[26] for which they offered an incentive of $30 million.

[33] Despite the recommendation for demolition, in late 1995, the councillors of the newly formed City of Perth had a feasibility study carried out into whether Council House could be refurbished.

[24] The decision to refurbish was helped by the fact that interest rates at the time were so low that it was cheaper to service a loan than to pay rent.

[24] The new 95-bay car park at the rear of the building required the removal of a New Zealand Kauri Pine estimated to be up to 150 years old,[34] and was described by John Cowdell, a Labor MLC, as a "disgrace" which would undermine the heritage value of the precinct.

[31] The contract to refurbish the building was won by John Holland Group, the construction company of Janet Holmes à Court, on 29 July 1997, at a price of $25.3 million.

[22] The refurbishment also involved the construction of a new "Lord Mayoral space and reception area" on the eleventh floor (formerly a plant level),[2] the full enclosure of the ground floor (which had previously been partially open to the elements)[2] and the replacement of gold Venetian blinds which had been a feature of the building in the past.

[39] Former Heritage Minister Graham Kierath, who had resisted the nomination in the 1990s, attacked the decision to list the building as pandering to left-wing supporters.

[42] While the building is different from our traditional notion of heritage, Council House will be as important to future generations as many of our colonial buildings that are considered priceless to the community today.Council House is constructed from concrete-encased steel frame, with lifts and service rooms located at its eastern end and a fire escape stairwell at its western end.

[2] The building is almost completely clad with glass, which led to criticism about its excessive air conditioning costs.

The LEDs located on the roof, 'T' window structures, and bulkheads are able to be individually computer controlled and coloured.