Brutalism

Raw concrete.
The National Theatre, Sir Denys Lasdun, London 

Brutalism - Deriving from the french term of béton-brut, meaning 'raw concrete'. A functional post-war approach to architecture, pioneered by Le Corbusier. The movement thrived between the 1950-1970. 

The beginnings of Brutalism.

Unite d'Habitation, Marseille by Le Corbusier.

Images taken from Dezeen.com

High-density housing was reinvented by Le Corbusier when he considered an 18-storey concrete slab block to house an entire city. The Unite d'habitation contains 337 appartments, two shopping streets, a hotel and a rooftop terrace. The tower block was the solution to rehouse those who had lost their homes during the second world war. High rise buildings were the solution for the masses; apartments surround the central corridors, which are referred to as streets.

The style involved sculptural elements and raw materials such as unfinished concrete. Functionalist principles were celebrated in services, materials and structure; steel beams and precast concrete slabs were exposed.

The Barbican Estate, by Chamberlain. Powell and Bon.
Images taken from Dezeen.com, photography by Luke Hayes.

The Barbican Estate is one of the most well-known examples of the era. The complex was built to house high density accommodation and to create a sense of 'inner-city living', similarly to Le Corbusier's Unite d'habitation, Marseille. The estate is designed in a way that clearly divides into private, communal and public spaces. The Architects have set out on a quest to create a utopia to suit the masses.

Breton-brut.
Sainte Marie de La Tourette by Le Corbusier.
Unesco World Heritage Status, Lyon, France, 1960.

In terms of composition, architecture became monolithic and heavy, both in materials and aesthetic. The forms were large, with small windows in contrast. Materials, textures and construction were significant features of the era.

The low cost of concrete and energy resulted in Brutalism being popular for the rebuilding of government buildings and social housing post war. The style very much represents a period of low economic activity, as opposed to a booming period of growth.

A few further examples of cherished Brutalist buildings:

- Trellick Tower and Balfron Tower, Erno Goldfinger.

The Towers.
Image taken from Raw Concrete by Barnabas Calder

Unlike their surroundings, the Tower's reach for the sky
Image taken from Raw Concrete by Barnabas Calder 

Mass housing solutions.
Image taken from Ben Mawsfield - Pinterest 

- National Theatre, Sir Denys Lasdun, 1977

Image from dezeen.com

Walking across Waterloo Bridge, own image

Oliver Theatre Section, taken from dezeen.com

A concrete landscape.
The National Theatre, Sir Denys Lasdun, Image by Luke Hayes.

Interestingly for me, these are all buildings we are familiar with; we have seen, explored or walked amongst them but personally I have never sought to understand their principles. Possibly after this blog post, you or I may look a little closer next time at the details, the textures, the structure or the form. I have only touched the tip of the iceberg with my research so far but I have many more avenues to explore after this short meeting with the world of Brutalism - so watch this space!