Brutalist Buildings and its Evolvement in Modern Day Architecture

Brutalism has received mixed feedback over the years for its chunky, misaligned exterior. The appeal of it is that the structural concrete usually has bad wall installation and the blocks of mass can often appear crooked and out of sorts. Many people are opposed to this style of architecture because it doesn’t look aesthetically pleasing, but the underlying meaning behind it shines a light on even its seemingly distasteful parts. It became popular after 1945 and strays away from the typical ornamental style of buildings. Its extensive use of concrete is due to the fact that they had to be made in cold weather conditions. It was also used to house many families and their pets hence the huge square-like blocky building structure. Let’s explore how Brutalism has evolved over the years and which buildings were influenced by this architectural style.

Habitat 67

Habitat 67 is a housing unit in Montreal, Canada, and is a must-see when visiting this side of the city. It was constructed by Moshe Safdie, who’s of Israeli-Canadian descent. It’s an iconic apartment that plays with the idea of experimental living spaces. Not only does it combine Brutalist architecture, but it also merges history with it. If you’re looking to learn something new about architecture, this is the place to be.

Boston City Hall

The Boston City Hall is one of the most well-known buildings in Boston, Massachusetts. Its irregularly shaped structure consists of red brick and concrete. Raw concrete is well known for its durable quality and it happens to blend well with nature. The goal of concrete in Brutalism was to make the unseen seen, to highlight all the holes and cracks of a certain structure to illustrate its beauty despite the decay. It’s a great place to sit down and take pictures at, and some people mention how it’s a great place to just relax and people watch. It’s a beautiful building with a rich piece of history that’s almost labyrinth-like in nature.

Geisel Library

The Geisel Library was a tribute to the children’s author Dr. Seuss. It houses some of the original copies of Dr. Seuss’s books and it also contains a lovely cafe with comfortable seating areas. Not only is the exterior of the building an enigma, but the interior is equally gorgeous. The geometric design of the building was renovated several times until they came up with the final design. The interesting thing about this building is that it’s meant to look like a hand carrying a stack of books.