Aesthetics Exploration: Brutalism

Brutalism is a aesthetic defined by functionality, a form of architecture that shows the raw materials of construction. Brutalist is defined by exposed construction materials, unusually shaped buildings and monochromatic colors. Many of the monumental concrete structures seen all over the world can be attributed to Brutalism, with a strong concentration in former and current communist nations.  The term Brutalism is mainly credited to Swedish architect Hans Asplund, who used it in 1949 to describe the Villa Göth, a residential apartment building in Sweden.

Brutalism began after World War II, starting in the United Kingdom before spreading to Europe and the rest of the world. It was an evolution of modernist architecture, delving even deeper into the minimalism aspect. Post WWII many architects were presented with issues in designing and constructing new building, chief among them being a lack of resources. This is a prominent reason for the use of exposed materials and lack of unnecessary decoration. New architects also sought to create monumental structures through a combination of functionalism and modernism, focusing on showing materials and simplicity and rejecting ornamental architecture. It was an attempt to capture the beauty of unadorned materials, creating raw architecture.

One of the earliest example that majorly influenced the style of Brutalism was Cité Radieuse, a working class housing project designed by architect Le Corbusier. The outside of the building is entirely concrete, and it has a majorly utilitarian appearance.

Brutalism follows the philosophy that a building should prioritize functionality and purpose. This purpose is often tied to socialist ideas, with many of the early brutalist projects being affordable housing projects, or public buildings such as government building, libraries, parking garages etc. Many early brutalist projects were attempting to solve modern problems through the use of architecture.

Brutalism was a very popular architectural style for several decades, but began to fade from popularity in the 1980s. Many began to regard the concrete structure as austere and alienating, something not suitable for humans to be in. Much of the concrete used in construction deteriorated internally, causing water damage and causing it to crumble. Many of the buildings were also neglected and heavily vandalized, making the buildings unpleasant to look at. There was also a large connection between brutalism and the Soviet Union, making it even more unfavorable for Wester Europe and the U.S.A. Brutalism is still referenced today though, appearing in residential homes and product design.

I chose to discuss Brutalism because I had a huge change of opinion on the aesthetic. Having not seen much Brutalist architecture as a kid I had initially thought it be ugly and cold, not suitable for humans as said before. Seeing these massive buildings in person changed my mind however. The size and shape of these concrete structures makes them into monuments, massive structure with intriguing design. The show of materials also makes them massively interesting to study. One of my favorite Brutalist structures, and one that heavily influenced my change of opinion on them, is the UC San Diego Library. Named the Geisel Library after the donations of Audrey and Theodor Geisel, also known as Dr. Seuss, it was designed in the 1960s by architect William Pereira. It is one of the most interesting buildings I have ever seen, and a great example of Brutalism.

Sources:

McLaughlin, Katherine. “Brutalist Architecture: Everything You Need to Know.” Architectural Digest, 12 July 2023, www.architecturaldigest.com/story/brutalist-architecture-101.