The Regenstein Library at U of Chicago:
Life Sciences Building at Trinity College (Hartford, CT):
Posted on 01/02/2023 6:50:50 PM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Modernists like to manipulate words, often “spinning” them into meanings that appear simple but are relatively obscure. For example, consider the modern misuse of the terms like “accompaniment,” “social justice,” or even “woke.”
Such is not the case with the architectural style known as “brutalism.”
The Architecture of Despair
Merriam-Webster defines brutal using the words cold, harsh, severe, unpleasant and lacking sensitivity. A bit further down the page, it refers to brutalism as “a style in art and especially architecture using exaggeration and distortion to create its effect (as of massiveness or power).”
While many might not be familiar with the word, few have escaped brutalist structures. A moment’s reflection will probably end the mystery. Anyone who imagines a cold, harsh, severe and unpleasant building probably envisions a brutalist structure.
When speaking of a building style, architects often discuss typical “elements.” Individual elements may be missing, but most will appear in a particular style. All of the following are elements of brutalism:
- Massive - Primarily constructed of raw unpainted reinforced concrete - Rough, unfinished walls - Exposed structural mechanics—most often beams, ductwork and pipes - Irregular shapes - Lack of ornamentation - Limited, if any, use of color - Radically utilitarian - Modular features that could have been constructed elsewhere and brought to the site
Ironically, the term brutalism does not refer to the assault on the senses that many such buildings represent. It comes from the French phrase for raw concrete, “béton brut.”
(Excerpt) Read more at tfp.org ...
Guess it’s in the eye of the beholder:
https://thearchitecturedesigns.com/marvels-of-brutalist-architecture/
Boston City Hall. Brutalizism dropped into a colonial square. What were thinking??
One of the early promoters of the "prison bleak" style actually came out and said that the goal was to "kill beauty".
Basically anything that is of the "Modern" or "post-Modern" school is deliberately awful.
They are literally why we can not have nice things.
I like brutalism in my own concrete block house with non-traditional windows, I love raw concrete and the fortress as a home, but I sure don’t like the look for my society.
People are also blown away by the practical interior of my home, especially the functional kitchen.
As a nation, we should build beautiful.
That second one reminds me of some of the German bunkers/gun emplacements at Normandy.
I did an Building Evaluation Report survey of that building years ago and I would like to report that it is 9 floors of basement with a sub basement.
Very nice.
Mine is more primitive than yours and I put 2x4 studs and insulation on the interior of the exterior walls which makes my place extremely calm and quiet, the interior walls are concrete blocks also.
I like that the horizontal windows are 5 feet off the floor, the place is bulletproof for July 4th nights.
Nope. It’s just ugly.
bump
Correct.
The book "The Naked Communist" discusses using art, music and culture to make society turn on itself.
stealth degradation
Brutalism is matched by the Egyptian Revival movement that impacted in the 1930s and can be seen in the facade of the State Department’s old building. Its new building is Brutal. The whole damned ugggly shebang should be leveled.
I’m in agreement with you. Nice examples.
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