Brutalist Architecture Guide: History and Examples of Brutalism

While the name “brutalist” fits the hulking and imposing architecture style, the term actually hails from the French phrase béton brut meaning “raw concrete.” Brutalist architecture has seen an increase in popularity in recent years, alongside minimalist design, as both highlight simplistic, stripped-down elements.

• Designed for function and utilitarianism: Brutalist architecture designs utilize concrete in modular, imposing, graphic, and often high-rise structures. The style is all about function and utilitarianism, as the units within a brutalist build will appear largely uniform. These style elements lean into the ideals of modern socialist movements and equality, while omitting ornamentation.
• Use in social and institutional buildings: Brutalist buildings were most commonly used for social housing projects and institutional buildings as they were inexpensive and quick to build. Brutalism peaked in the 1970s, with examples still standing in Western urban centers such as London, New York City, and Boston. The imposing and stark designs, combined with their use as government buildings, led to a negative connotation of totalitarianism heading into the 1980s, as the style fell out of favor.
• Exposure to the elements and decay: The style exposes the inner workings of buildings to the elements, causing staining and dirt to collect over time. While brutalist structures are efficient and inexpensive to build, the outside quickly weathers and the interior is difficult to repair and remodel. This causes the buildings to fall into disrepair, in addition to being magnets for graffiti thanks to their large, flat surfaces. As a result, brutalist architecture has become a symbol of urban decay.

Brutalist architecture peaked in the 1960s and 1970s, but the style began a couple of decades earlier, following World War II as Europe was in a state of rebuilding. The word “brutalism” in relation to architecture was coined in 1950 by Swedish architect Hans Asplund in reference to a home called Villa Göth.

• Early brutalist works: Famed architect Le Corbusier is often credited with the earliest notable works of brutalist design. His apartment building, Unité d’Habitation, was built in Marseille, France, between 1947-1952. Using raw concrete, the apartments house up to 1,600 people in 337 modular units. Le Corbusier recreated the building four more times in France and Germany, while other architects took inspiration from the economical and social-progressive design.
• Le Corbusier in India: The architect and his team went on to Chandigarh, India, planning a series of residential, commercial, and industrial areas utilizing the ideology of equality in city planning. The most well-known brutalist structure in Chandigarh is the Palace of Assembly.
• Government favor of brutalism: The style became a popular choice for government and institutional buildings, and public housing, and quickly used throughout the world. The style fell out of favor in the late 1970s, as it was viewed as a symbol of totalitarianism. It was used to visually represent totalitarian institutions in the 1971 film, A Clockwork Orange.
• Brutalist resurgence: The style has found a reemergence in recent years among architects who highlight the value in communal construction, the minimalist design, and its place in history, most notably in the books Atlas of Brutal Architecture and Brutal World, among others. However, it still maintains its totalitarian connections, as depicted in the 2021 television series Loki.

Although brutalist architecture has largely fallen out of favor among architects and the public, examples of brutalism are still standing around the world.

1. 1. Unité d’Habitation by Le Corbusier (1952, Marseille, France): Viewed as the origin of brutalist architecture, the building established brutalism as a style stripped of ornamentation, and one which focused on providing housing and resources for the masses over the individual.
2. 2. Palace of Assembly by Le Corbusier (1962, Chandigarh, India): While brutalism eschews ornamentation, Le Corbusier consulted with the prime minister to include symbols on the door that would represent a new India.
3. 3. The Breuer Building by Marcel Breuer (1966, New York City, New York): The structure from Bauhaus alumni Marcel Breuer housed the Whitney Museum for more than 50 years before the Whitney’s departure in 2014. Following that, the Metropolitan Museum of Art leased the location, which now serves as a temporary gallery for the Frick Collection.
4. 4. Habitat 67 by Moshe Safdie, 1967 (Montreal, Canada): The model community and housing complex was originally used as a pavilion in Expo 67, the World’s Fair.
5. 5. Boston City Hall by Kallmann McKinnell and Knowles (1968, Boston, Massachusetts): One of the most controversial examples of brutalism, the building was part of a large revamp of the city to replace substandard structures, but locals were not supporters of the style and called for its destruction as it was being built. Ultimately, the building has been hailed as one of the greatest examples of American architecture.
6. 6. Geisel Library by William Pereira (1970, San Diego, California): The main library at the University of California, San Diego is viewed as a transition piece in architecture, utilizing elements of both brutalism and futurism.
7. 7. Robin Hood Gardens by Alison and Peter Smithson (1972, London, England): The design of Robin Hood Gardens was both informed by, and a reaction against, Unité d’Habitation. The building features broad aerial walkways throughout the concrete blocks. The eastern block was later demolished as part of refurbishment before the Victoria & Albert Museum acquired three stories.
8. 8. Trellick Tower by Ernő Goldfinger (1972, London, England): The structure was commissioned by the Greater London Council to replace outdated public housing and includes various space-saving designs and a separate access tower that contains a plant room.
9. 9. Royal National Theater by Sir Denys Lasdun (1976, London, England): While many brutalist buildings have been demolished, the Royal National Theatre is among the few remaining major representations. It is a protected historic building.
10. 10. Barbican Estate by Chamberlin, Powell & Bon (1979, London, England): A residential development housing 2,000 apartments, the estate also includes or is adjacent to the Barbican Arts Centre, the Museum of London, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the Barbican public library, and the City of London School for Girls.
11. 11. Telecommunication Centre and Central Post by Janko Konstantinov (1981, Skopje, Macedonia): Following a major earthquake in 1963, architect Konstantinov designed a series of structures to rebuild the city with the Telecommunication Centre an integral part of the overall reconstruction design.

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