Modern Philosophies and

Movements in Architectural Design

PRELIMINARY TERM
ARCH124 – Theory of Architecture 2

• Brutalist architecture is a movement
Trellick Tower, London, 1966–
1972, designed by Ernő
Goldfinger, is a Grade II* listed
building.
BRUTALISM
1950s-1970s
in architecture that flourished from
the 1950s to the mid-1970s,
descending from the modernist
architectural movement of the early
20th century.
 BRUTALISM
1950s-1970s
• The term originates from the French word forfor "raw" in the term
used by Le Corbusier to describe his choice of material béton brut
(raw concrete).
• The term "brutalism" was originally coined by the Swedish
architect Hans Asplund to describe Villa Göth in Uppsala,
designed in 1949 by his contemporaries Bengt Edman and
Lennart Holm. He originally used the Swedish-language term
nybrutalism (new brutalism), which was picked up by a group of
visiting English architects, including Michael Ventris.
British Brutalism, World Monument Fund.
 BRUTALISM
characteristics
• formed with repeated modular
elements forming masses
representing specific functional
zones, distinctly articulated and
grouped together into a unified whole
Le Corbusier's Unité
d'Habitation in Marseille, France
(1952)
 BRUTALISM
characteristics
• Concrete is used for its raw and
unpretentious honesty, contrasting
dramatically with the highly refined
and ornamented buildings constructed
in the elite Beaux-Arts style
Western City Gate, Belgrade, Serbia
 BRUTALISM
characteristics
• Surfaces of cast concrete are made to
reveal the basic nature of its
construction, revealing the texture of
the wooden planks used for the in-
situ casting forms
The Torre Velasca in Milan by
BBPR (1958), photographed by
Paolo Monti.
 BRUTALISM
characteristics
• Brutalist building materials also include brick,
glass, steel, rough-hewn stone, and gabions
• Conversely, not all buildings exhibiting an
exposed concrete exterior can be considered
Brutalist, and may belong to one of a range of
architectural styles
The Istituto Marchiondi Spagliardi
in Baggio, Milan, by Vittoriano
Viganò. Photo by Paolo Monti.
 BRUTALISM
characteristics
• exposure of the building's functions
—ranging from their structure and
services to their human use—in the
exterior of the building

The Torre Velasca in Milan by

BBPR (1958), photographed by
Paolo Monti.
 BRUTALISM
Philippines
• strikingly different and projected
portions of the building indicate the
special nature of the rooms behind
those walls, such as the mayor's
office or the city council chambers
The Istituto Marchiondi Spagliardi
in Baggio, Milan, by Vittoriano
Viganò. Photo by Paolo Monti.
 BRUTALISM
characteristics
• placing the facility's water tank, normally a hidden
service feature, in a prominent, visible tower
 BRUTALISM

• Try to conduct further readings on “Brutalist Architects” and discover

more about brutalism!