What is Brutalism? | Brutal & Beautiful: Part 1 | Historic England
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 มี.ค. 2015
- Our 'Brutal and Beautiful' exhibition takes its name from the term 'New Brutalism', a style coined by English architects Alison and Peter Smithson in 1953.
'Their phrase stood not for chunky concrete but for the use of natural materials honestly expressed, as was first seen in Derek Sugden's house in Watford', says architectural historian Elain Harwood.
This short film features the Grade II listed Sugden House in Watford, Hertfordshire, the Grade II listed Susan Lawrence and Elizabeth Lansbury Schools in London, and the Grade II* listed Balfron Tower in London, designed by architect Ernő Goldfinger.
This is the first of three short films by Alun Bull, James O Davies and Leon Seth about 20th-century listed buildings, written and presented by Elain Harwood (1958-2023).
Elain was a Senior Architectural Investigator at Historic England and worked for us since 1984. She was outstanding in her field, a fierce advocate for twentieth-century architecture and a true heritage champion.
Elain wrote many acclaimed books on her area of specialism, including ‘Space, Hope and Brutalism’ and, more recently, ‘Brutalist Britain’. Her expertise was unrivalled, and she shared it generously with colleagues, the public and her peers through her books, cycling tours, walks and talks. She inspired so many with her enthusiasm for the buildings and places of which she was such a passionate advocate. She will be sorely missed.
I can't get enough of these videos. I was hooked on abandoned house videos for a long time but now I can't get enough of these type of videos.
Beautiful! I can appreciate the lines and the light let into the structures. Marvelous without curtains getting in the way! LoL Brutalist Architecture isn't ugly at all.
Balfron Tower in Poplar (at the end of the video) is currently being re-developed. All the local authority tenants have been booted out and once the building is finished the flats, or apartments, will sell for £100's of thousands. The top floors will more than likeley go for a million+ and have more than likeley been sold of plan to investors. Foreign ones probably.
Ask a normal person about brutalism and he’ll say that it’s ugly.
Brutalism-ugly and wonderful at the same time, maybe? Like an ugly guy with great charisma that makes him beautiful.
As Derek Sugden state's in this piece, he instructed architects Peter and Alison Smithson, to design an ordinary and basic house for he and his wife. The Smithsons seized on this opportunity and delivered an elegant and understated house that breaks away from the traditional type of house of that time period. It was refreshingly unique. I could easily live in this house today.
I find Brutalism to be the most interesting style so far. Can it get ugly? Yeah, just like any other style.
Excellent.....Will you be making more?
I think the like or dislike of this architecture is a generational thing ! I was born in 67 and when I was little all these blocks if shiny new flats were going up and I was amazed with them , my mothers friend moved into one and we had to go in the lift to get to her flat , wow for a 5 year old that lived in a semi detached 🤣 I loved them then and still do now 👍🏻
What house is this. I recognize it from Bandersnatch
Very interesting house there, but the windows are abysmal these days. Crittal steel-framed single glazed windows leak heat like nothing else. That house must either cost an absolute fortune to heat, or be freezing.
Brutalism isn't my favorite architecture style, but I recognize it's sophisticated, clean and great for serious enviroment (factories, corporate buildings, etc...) :)
It’s interesting everyone or majority of people saying it’s ugly but what would they suggest to make it beautiful?
I understand on a philosophical level that brutalism can be beautiful, but it just feels so unharmonious, detached and oppressive that I can't authentically enjoy it. What is it that I'm missing from the experience?
I do like the look of council flats (idk why) but some of the brutalist styles and architecture are hideous. The Trellick Tower looks like a slum.
I just don't get it, what's really beautiful about it? I'm not an artist or an architect so maybe I don't understand this supposed inner beauty of this abortion.
i like the feeling of brutalism, yet i can't shake the feeling and vibe of The Cube, sort of a secret-gigantic-corporate-human-experiment vibe, like you never know what can be happening behind those walls
This architecture is beautiful.
Brutalism works less in the urban realm and more as “
Brutalist buildings are interesting, but they are unpleasant to look at. After a few decades, bare concrere becomes really dirty and it radiates degradation and they create a decaying atmosphere. I love modern architecture, but brutalism is very unpleasant to me.