Style Definition
Although the word Brutalism comes from the French word for rough concrete
(beton brut), a sense of brutality is also suggested by this style.
Brutalist structures are heavy and unrefined with coarsely molded
surfaces, usually exposed concrete. Their highly sculptural shapes tend to
be crude and blocky, often colliding with one another.
The line between brutalism and ordinary
modernism is not always clear since concrete buildings are so common and
run the entire spectrum of modern styles. Designs which embrace the
roughness of concrete or the heavy simplicity of its natural forms are
considered brutalist. Other materials including brick and glass can be
used in brutalism if they contribute to a block-like effect similar the
the strongly articulated concrete forms of early brutalism.
The origin of Brutalism is generally
ascribed to the architect Le
Corbusier, who experimented widely with concrete designs and whose
massive plans for highrise block housing were very influential. American
architect Paul
Rudolph designed some of the most famous brutalist buildings, some of
which are often used to define the style. Brutalism's greatest popularizer
is the firm John
Portman & Associates which designed several enormous hotels and
office clusters known for their spectacular spatial effects.
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