Brutalism: architecture with badass design from the 60s

We have all met this fanatic of urbex and street- art who spends his weekends wandering around in search of architectural nuggets. What he loves the most is Brutalism: architecture with badass design from the 60s.

What is Brutalism? Architecture or Design?

Brutalism is an architectural movement consisting of monumental concrete structures. Bam! The word systematically has its small effect. It's so stylish that Flavien Berger even made a song about it.

So is it about design?

brutalism was a very popular architectural style between the 1950s and 1970s. Same repetition of geometric shapes, absence of ornaments and concrete galore. A brief overview of the love story of a turbulent time between concrete and design.

From Concrete to Brutalism: Badass 60s Design Architecture

Discovered during Antiquity by the Romans, then forgotten over time, concrete developed again from the 19th century with, for example, the appearance of reinforced concrete (Big Up Fight we love you). The recipe is not very complicated: some aggregates (sand, stone, gravel), a little cement (limestone and clay), water, put everything in a large mixer, mix and you get concrete! In short un very popular material because it is dense, solid and inexpensive.

An atypical architecture

The brutalist architectural current was born in the 1950s. The ravages of the Second World War have been there. In England or Germany, nearly 70% of the cities are razed. But we must now rebuild and if possible we must do it quickly and at a lower cost. The heyday of concrete is finally coming! Architects will gradually fall in love with concrete and its raw side. It has the ability to take all kinds of shapes and its texture will bring out an architectural movement. It's about brutalism and its design. One of the most famous figures of this movement is good old Le Corbusier. It is particularly known for the Cité radieuse de Marseille (initiated in 1947).

Brutalism Architecture and design the most badass of the century

Brutalilsm is a style that represents a break with more refined movements, such as the fine arts. The abrupt style of the Brutalsime and its concrete constructions is uncompromising. However, its physical properties in terms of texture, color and ease of use allow all kinds of creative audacity. Architects play with shapes and the monuments created have the effect of monstrous battleships. They then embody the assurance and power of nations. The brutalism is uncompromising: it's the most badass style of the century.

This is how the somewhat dark attributes of brutalism take precedence. Our gaze therefore perceives them as faults. Finally, on associates it bunkers, or even communist architecture, defined by buildings ungrateful, gray and charmless. We put on his back the realization of large suburban complexes. Brutalism is therefore accused of disfiguring cities and encouraging social violence. So we remember from this movement, only the use of concrete, forgetting above all the realization of futuristic forms that characterize it.

Brutalism Raw architecture and design of the 60s

It was not until the 21st century and the destruction of brutalist buildings that historians and architects became aware of their cultural strength. Since then, some Brutalist constructions have been classified historical monuments. They are sometimes rehabilitated: "what began as a utopian project intended to design new public utility buildings using the most advanced techniques has, it seems, failed . Giving birth only to ugly buildings, inhuman and unsuitable for their uses. These buildings were once considered monstrosities and are now national treasures. » writes the British newspaper The Telegraph.

In short, visionary, accused of all evils for several years, brutalism is architecture with badass design from the 60s. It has many fans today and inspires auboth interior decoration and objects Daily. It is therefore not at Quark that we will say the opposite!