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 likes 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. So stylish that even Flavien Berger made a song out of it.

But is it about design?

brutalism was a very popular architectural style between the 50s and 70s. 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 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! A very popular material because it is dense, strong and inexpensive.

An atypical architecture

The brutalist architectural trend was born in the 1950s. The ravages of the Second World War passed through there. In England or Germany, nearly 70 % of cities are razed. 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 this good old Le Corbusier notably 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. 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.

But then, the somewhat dark attributes of brutalism soon become its flaws. It is associated with bunkers, Communist architecture , defined by ungrateful, gray and charmless buildings: as such, it is blamed for the construction of large suburban housing estates. Brutalism is accused of disfiguring cities and fostering social violence. All too often we remember from this movement only the use of concrete, forgetting 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 buildings of public utility 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.

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