I grew up in brutalist block of flats. Honestly I get why it looks intimidating and unwelcoming, but I connect it with good memories - playing with like 20 kids in front of the block every day, the feeling that my home is this massives strong looking building that won't collapse or anything, and the fact that we had a lot of neighbours so it definitely wasn't lonely. In my opinion brutalist architecture is pure, magnificent, uncompromising and comforting. Don't think of the intimidating building as an enemy - think of it as a friend haha
Brutalism makes me feel intimidated, lonely and melancholic, with the feeling of impending doom. It's a cold, yet strangely nostalgic feeling. I absolutely love it!
Yes, there's often a sense of impenetrability to these buildings. And, as Richard Williams states (quoting architectural historian Reyner Banham) one of the key attributes of these buildings is '‘memorability as an image’'. Thank you for your thoughts and watching the film!
@@HENITalks I actaully live near an apartment building that is actaully built like that.How I would describe it is that it's boxy, its drab in color ,it's made of concrete, it has very thick walls and it even has several balconies that are also made of concrete thick that look as if there intended for people to duck behind and fire projectiles from.Those balconies remind me of the ramparts of a castle and the whole building looks like it was designed for either some sort of military purpose or to keep people from breaking into it instead of actaully being anyones home.
@@garynaccarto8636 Ah, that's a shame. A good example of domestic Brutalist architecture is the Barbican here in London, which is somewhat 'softer' owing to the planting schemes and water features. I recommend a visit if you're ever here! With good wishes, the HENI Talks team.
Brutalism is my favourite architectonic style. Brutalist buildings are so surreal for a random passerby, that they seem like constructions of aliens from another planet, they are very distinct and so they are shocking! This raw facade and exposed structure create overwhelming format of massive heavy pressure that is trampling on you like an elephant trampling an ant! You feel the power of this architectonic statue which is showing you who is the boss. Simple style which is playing with your emotions. And thats the beauty of brutalist architecture - no matter who you are and where are you from, when you see a brutalist building you can not just pass by and pretend that nothing happened. I think that I may love brutalism because of my passion which is exploring and gaining knowledge about XX century fortifications. They are usually placed deep in the forest or on the coast. Youre going through the forest and suddenly a big, massive block of concrete appears like from nowhere. And thats the moment you know, that the next exploration of this mysterious structures is close. This secret past, dark interior and your imagination is starting to work. You are alone, theres noone around - just you and this mysterious concrete titan standing before you. Now that I think of it fortifications and brutalism have a lot in common! Both are very raw, very functional with clear purpose. Both are surreal and intriguing. And both are overwhelming. Man I love brutalism! They should keep building these beautyfull structures!
I remember that for the bunker close to our house, they dug a big hole and pushed it in it. Funilly, close to its old position there is now a roundabout with a large concrete (corporate) art piece
@@HENITalks tthat's one way.........It is not only hideous, it is downright hostile, because concrete doesn't age gracefully. Worse tthey used it for formats that philosophy of cheap, led to rampant decay and crime. At least it was honest, a architecture born out of economic necessity and thought of as expendable.
for me the perfect combination of moods are brutalism and synthwave, they jsut go so well together and makes me feel so many different emotions at the same time
I was 14 in 1980. Brutalist subways and plazas, car parks and tower blocks for me go perfectly with the soundscapes of John Foxx, Gary Numan and the other synth pioneers I was listening to. A very emotional combination for me.
When I dream of my perfect home, it is a brutalist mansion/fortress. To me, it is perfect. To me, it feels monolithic and long lasting and solid. It's like how the earliest abstract painting was painting that wasn't trying to be anything but paint on a surface. It didn't try to hide what it was. I love this kind of architecture. The simpler, the better.
"Brutalism is about making you feel something" Well, love it or hate it, I think it's fair to say that Brutalism did succeed in making you feel something.
I used to work in a Brutalist building on the campus of Southern Illinois University (Faner Hall) and I felt like I was entering a Prison every day. I actually got depressed just approaching it and inside was even worse. Whoever thought bare concrete walls were a good idea for the interior of any building other than a warehouse must have had a screw loose. I never heard one person in the twenty years I worked on campus say they liked that building. Everybody hated it.
Agreed @tonystark, I work in a Brutalist building & the cons are unbelievable, for a building that is only 40 years old it borders on dangerous- Freezing cold in winter, boiling in summer, leaks, bits of concrete ceiling fall off.. dark entrances which are poorly lit, filthy & give me the chills with no natural light. & this is a public building maintained by the City of London.When you have to live or work in these structures that are poorly designed & need unfeasible upkeep the novelty wears off very quickly when you have to watch for being mugged..
I love brutalist architecture, but I can understand why many don't. I like these buildings for the same reasons they hate them. They're gray, cold, imposing. They're so different from everything else. Other buildings are built with humans in mind, but brutalist buildings look like they were generated by some sort of artificially intelligent computer. I find them utterly fascinating, like a glimpse into what a previous generation thought the future was going to be like.
Idk about anybody else, but the Halo series really shaped the way how I see architecture and appreciate Brutalism in an immense way. Brutalism was so brilliantly used as reference base for Forerunner architecture in Bungie's game. No other architecture could capture that sense of mysticism mixed in with that sense of modern aesthetic. The way how concrete is morphed into odd shapes, whether curved or incredibly geometrical, really sets the boundaries on how we can mix form and functionality into one and make it work. Brutalism is a beautiful aesthetic which I would never be able to see it as anything else.
Brutalism in Halo’s context was used perfectly, as the style itself already tends to make one feel small and insignificant in contrast to the large monolithic space, and that ran hand in hand with the overarching origin story of the Halos in the game. But I think the characteristics that really make the designs work are their sort of monument locations in an otherwise empty, natural landscape (the contrast is what makes them defining), and the use of metal detailing to reinforce the idea that these weren’t just cold slabs of concrete/metal but spaces with purposes that were meant to be experienced, beyond the solely utilitarian nature. I love the forerunner designs in the Halo games, although I think as an architecture student, it’s warped my sense of what makes a building beautiful more than I’d like to admit (I can’t show up to a project crit with a huge concrete and metal mass of a building without some serious questioning lol)😅 (Also side note: if you haven’t already played Control, I seriously recommend you do. It is now competing with Halo as my favorite game, and I think beyond just the fun gameplay and mysterious story, it is the art style and brutalist designs everywhere that really pulled me in 10/10 game)
I disagree. Brutalism is made to be diametrically opposed to nature, so it should be as far removed from nature as possible. Not one plant or wooden item is permissible anywhere inside.
I think Brutalism was about in part and radicalization of avoiding neoclassical architecture, which was often associated with nationalism. Considering that WWII put a bad rep on nationalism, it makes sense that this nuetral design took place.
I feel depressed, it's soul crushing, it evokes the feeling of an alternate universe where a totalitarian dystopia took over the world and cities are these nightmarish concrete big things. the opposite of cozy or welcoming. brutalism feels like the opposite of home.
Interesting. When I look at a Brutalist building, I see confidence and security. A building that dares nature to even attempt to destroy it, even after we're long gone. A reminder that we have finally triumphed over the natural world. It is glorious.
Brutalism makes me feel happy. Idk. I feel like the Soviets were trying to capture a feeling of higher power and when I see these buildings they make me feel like I'm small and there are things more important than me. To some, this could be depressing, but for me it feels nice, i don't know. It feels like your parents standing over you who know better than you.
I find brutalism to be both nostalgic and in the past yet also futuristic. And I really appreciate when brutalism is made to work with nature because it shows the strength of humanity standing out in grey and the power of nature beside us working together, and the very unnatural shapes of brutalism contrasted by nature it’s self is what I find beautiful
Brutalism makes me feel secure. Governmental buildings are built in this manner in many places of Canada and I always feel like I’m doing something important for myself whenever I’m in, say, a town hall.
I still don't get it? I can feel something when I look at modern structures, I feel a sense of awe and inspiration at the achievements of humans and modern engineering . But when I look at a solid concrete slab I just feel depressed. It feels sad and ugly?
We think the concrete can look quite beautiful and delicate - the traditional way of creating such structures is with wooden formwork, which leaves the impression of the wood grain in the concrete when the mould is removed. This means you can see the beautiful knots and textures of the timber, which can be quite touching. But perhaps it's just personal taste! Thanks for watching.
The concrete for me instead of representing dullness and thus being "depressing" is more like an open canvas - it implies freedom. The blank walls may be filled with graffiti, or left blank to fill the mind with emptiness. The modular nature of the structures is such that it can easily be navigated in a wide variety of ways. For those who limit themselves to walking set paths I'm sure it's distressing. The twisting corners and complicated navigation make way for unique corners you may claim as your own and corridors you can swiftly escape security or police. My perspective as a "criminal" might invalidate the idea for some, but I'm of the belief that giving room for personality in people is not only good for "crime", but also more broadly for people to explore their own individuality. Fuck the modern "wall of glass" cliche, it may represent human progress for you, but for those of us who like choice it reeks of the proprietary, the secretive, the corrupt. My balls are 10 inches deep in brutalism and you gotta pry em out to stop this shit from making a return. Adaptability and permanence are in high demand - know that.
These are shots of the Barbican Centre, London. We love the concrete versus natural elements like this too - the Barbican also has beautiful planting and a fascinating conservatory which is home to exotic fish and over 1,500 species of tropical plants and trees.
I work at the Des Moines Art Center, which was built over a period of 4 decades by three different architects: Eliel Saarinen, I. M. Pei, and Richard Meier. The Pei building is definitely brutalist!
'Brutalism is all about making you feel something' ...something, everything will if as far as it is present make you feel some thing, depressed nauseous agitated
To understand brutalism you should live in place where the peaces of brutalist architect are kept. It’s not only a an architectural buildings but different way of thinking, different period of history and knowledge of different future, it’s part of the Revolution of the 20 century
Went looking for this type of video after following an IG account that documents the Brutalist buildings here in the Philippines. This is so fascinating to me...
And I thought I wasn't creative. Turns out bunker house home is a thing. I do love the looks of it though, strong house, makes you feel very secure. Add in a bit of sci fi stuff there, and we will have some really fancy window, that's can have metal plates rising and retracting as needed to let lights in or keep hails out. No need to worry about fires. A garage that goes into the basement, very secure garage door. Mounted spot light that you can control the direction it's facing remotely. Lift to carry heavy object up and down the floor. Ventilation shaft that's... Surprisingly good at cooling down the internal room and keep the air fresh. I just really like these kind of design. A safe and secure house will lead to some level of comfort as it takes your mind off the stress of worrying about the possible intruder and burglar that may break into houses. Sadly there aren't any free flat land in the future for such a thing though, really wanted to have my own house thats built like HQ.
I think that Belgrade is the home of brutalism. I don't know about other cities, but when you walk through the narrow streets of Belgrade you get the feeling that you are in something unexplored. Belgrade does not have a very tall building as wide as it has, as well as many narrow streets and passages. I personally love brutality because it gives me a sense of something mysterious but dangerous. I recommend everyone to visit Belgrade, both those who like and those who do not like brutalism. Lots of good people, worth a visit.
We have this one building that has brutalism architecture in Malaysia. It is actually a grand hall in University of Malaya. Google up Dewan Tunku Candelor, Universiti Malaya.
I have always enjoyed the feelings brutalist buildings impart. Imposing and sturdy structures that are often solitary in their environment. The textured impressions of the wood that held in the curing concrete or the concrete slurry sprayed and left to dry without extra preparation. The patina of dust or pollen or pollution that forms over the years. Settling into the craggy face of walls and beams. There’s a concrete behemoth near me whose thin and elongated windows are truly reminiscent of a European castles arrow slits. Situated around the girthy, gray mass are an array of completely ordinary 1 or 2 story grocery stores and fast food restaurants that are dwarfed by comparison. That the style is unpopular to many makes each one I see a treat.
Brutalism's stark and geometric designs contrast with the more ornate features of some 1910s, 1920s and 1930s architecture. Brutalist designs have historically been polarising. Specific buildings, as well as the movement as a whole, have drawn a range of criticism and support from architects and the public. Many brutalist buildings have become architectural and cultural icons, with some obtaining listed status.
brutalism but not a complete square (add a splash of colors) a lot of windows, sunlight, wood accents, pool, a big ass garden overpowering the concrete = heaven
That doesn't sound brutalist anymore. I hate brutalism (because it looks dirty and depressing and something from the Soviet nightmare) but what you just described actually sounds quite nice.
@@politebadger5049 Interesting. When I look at a Brutalist building, I see confidence and security. A building that dares nature to even attempt to destroy it, even after we're long gone. A reminder that we have finally triumphed over the natural world.
@@ohmnesia Thank you! You might also like our other films on architecture, the talks range from exploring superfluid structures of Zaha Hadid to meditations on the gothic style of Ely Cathedral: ua-cam.com/play/PLXX1zP60qUCxo53vw8QTTSi058odkb9SO.html
I get the feeling of cheapness and a lack of materiality, as there's only one material... concrete. No material variation, no material interaction. No windows, few windows, small windows. Cheap, cheap, cheap.
I like the forms of brutalist buildings, but I dislike the way concrete looks after many decades. These buildings always look dirty and neglected from the outside, which makes them look post-apocalyptic, or an embodiment of degradation in a way. I recognise the artistic values of brutalism, but it will never be as close to my heart as Bauhaus, or high-tech architecture. Big, clean surfaces with lots of glass or metal just look infinitely more pleasant to me.
Brutalism is something that truly nourishes and invigorates the human soul. Fills that deep sense of belonging. Definitely cured the overarching dread of suicidal depression. What Charles really meant was that it looked like a cute, quaint English cottage home in a densely forested woodland setting.
When I look at brutalist architecture, I think of the monolith from 2001 or a short first person platformer game I used to play. It feels very simple. Abstract. Basic geometric shapes. Alien. It feels fantastical to me. As if it did not come from earthly culture. I love this kind of architecture.
I'm guessing that when saying "it's designed to make you feel something" it's meant to say to feel in a sensual way. For instance, the use of raw concrete materials make you feel the asperities of the material. I don't think brutalism is meant to make people feel comfortable like say classic architecture, but rather provide an interesting experience. I wish it were more used in science fiction imagery for instance
Why should an arts complex feel challenging or bleak? Do people have to prove their mettle by braving the lifeless, concrete landscape and avoiding being crushed by a stray cantilever just to look at some art? Provocation can't be the point. All styles of architecture provide an aesthetic experience and inspire different feelings. By practising brutalism, architects make a choice of what feelings and experiences they'd like to provoke, their point. Critique has to start with questioning the appropriacy of the architects' emotional palette. Brutalism is dishonest because the aesthetic it draws on, the sublime, is at odds with most buildings. The huge cantilevers and jagged angles over the entrance to the National Theatre inspire foreboding which is oxymoronic for a place where the public should be welcome. The irregular shape and detailing don't say anything particularly nationalistic. It could be anywhere.
Are you really suggesting that those folks who do like brutalism aren't actually doing so? If so, that's a ridiculous claim. It's like saying people who enjoy the color purple are wrong.
I think some of zAHA's works like the Phaeno could pass for Brutalism. And looking at that Southbank Centre got me thinking that maybe some colour here and there could easily better the brutalist structures. Yes, even Le Corb used colour at that Unite building.
brutalism doesn’t work for aggregated human dwelling spaces… to be a good space, people have to want to be there. heavy, blocky concrete can work for public spaces, not homes.
I think the joy of brutalism is in the different interpretations people have of it. For me, a person of a certain melancholic disposition, they seem as great dystopian looming structures, as if created to provide for a bureaucracy worthy of Kafka, that when wondered through in the dark hours leaves me with a deep sense of foreboding. And for this, I love them, and am heart broken when they are demolished. As it is a rare thing for a building to move me to such feelings. Post 2000 architecture to me is as Michael Bentine once said: "Lego at it's most plastic"
Thanks for watching, Ken! Really lovely to hear that you enjoyed it. You might also like Richard's talks on: Building Brasilia: ua-cam.com/video/eDDujW6ESsk/v-deo.html Reyner Banham and the architecture of LA: ua-cam.com/video/-AeQovP7F3o/v-deo.html
If any building style has managed to make urban and city sprawl uglier, its Brutalism. Theres something of a grandeur to large buildings that has been largely lost in modern times and cost-cutting architecture..... but this style has somehow managed to (deliberately?) remove all of it completely. No balance, often top heavy.. cold, ugly, often with an appearance of a skeleton or missing parts. A bit Orwellian, really. It almost seems to be a kind of passive aggressive expression of mankind's destruction of the planet....
Grew up in Mexico city, brutalist af. Never knew its called brutalism but always knew that made me feel like shit. Always looked at those buildings as large cold and the feeling of a square society sunken in envy and greed
The one matter in which I am in (partial) agreement with the slobbering dauphin known as prince Charles, is that most of the modernist architecture is nothing else but a monstrous abomination and a pretentious attempt to compensate for a complete lack of creativity. This especially applies to Brutalism. I think that a more heinous and horrendous architectural ``style`` hasn`t been produced in the entire history of mankind, including the Stone Age caves. P.S. This certainly does not mean that all modern architecture is unappealing, there are quite a few examples of beautiful modern edifices. The one that comes to mind is Frank Lloyd Wright`s masterpiece, Fallingwater.
Here's how Brutalist architecture makes me "feel"; it makes me feel like I am stranded and treading water in the middle of a vast ocean with no possibility of rescue, and the hull of an enormous oceangoing vessel is bearing down on me at 20 knots or more and I cannot swim fast enough to get out of it's way. Give me a Tudor style pub any day.
Brutalism is about feeling. You feel something. Feel. Concrete. Feeling. These buildings make you feel. Brutalism = feel. All the feels. Concrete. Movement.
Brutalism is aweful for the human spirt.its designed to be. The beautiful cities that were in the us and systematically razed were replaced with this crap. Its the same as prison
Associating brutalism to "feeling"? Really? Come on! Brutalist architecture is often used to express the idea that the institutions prevail over the individual. That's why brutalist buildings are composed of massive blocks several times bigger than the human scale. You can see brutalist buildings all over dystopian scifi films for this very reason. Oppresive regimes love brutalism. Also, despite their architectural value, brutalist buildings in a city like London, where it's always overcast, contribute to that grey and dull atmosphere that is very depressing.
Brutalism is all about feeling? This is a perplexing comment, given that all styles of architecture induce feelings in the observer. The real question is: what KIND of feelings are being induced? I am not a fan of brutalism, because the feelings this style arouses in me are those of depression, soullessness, impersonality, despair, nihilism. Demolition is the answer, in my opinion.
Interesting. When I look at a Brutalist building, I see confidence and security. A building that dares nature to even attempt to destroy it, even after we're long gone. A reminder that we have finally triumphed over the natural world.
That's the beautiful Couvent Sainte-Marie de la Tourette by Le Corbusier - the architect's final building completed in Europe. It's stunning, isn't it? Thanks for watching!
Yeah it makes me feel something....depressed and oppressed. All the designs could be easily converted into modern prisons. Just awful. Brutal with no soul architecture.
Cities are not natural. Brutalist architecture emphasises that. It makes us feel alien. I feel freedom by the alienation. It makes me know im not one with the building. It makes me feel like im myself and the building is just something.
I grew up in brutalist block of flats. Honestly I get why it looks intimidating and unwelcoming, but I connect it with good memories - playing with like 20 kids in front of the block every day, the feeling that my home is this massives strong looking building that won't collapse or anything, and the fact that we had a lot of neighbours so it definitely wasn't lonely. In my opinion brutalist architecture is pure, magnificent, uncompromising and comforting. Don't think of the intimidating building as an enemy - think of it as a friend haha
Brutalism makes me feel intimidated, lonely and melancholic, with the feeling of impending doom. It's a cold, yet strangely nostalgic feeling. I absolutely love it!
Beautifully articulated. I love it too
I hate it for the same reason. I feel so depressed looking at it!.
this, feeling intimidated and humbled by these huge cold looking structures, and the feeling of being small brings nostalgia
Exactly!
probably why the soviets were so into it.
Brutalist buildings either looks like a fortresses or a modern day castle.
Yes, there's often a sense of impenetrability to these buildings. And, as Richard Williams states (quoting architectural historian Reyner Banham) one of the key attributes of these buildings is '‘memorability as an image’'.
Thank you for your thoughts and watching the film!
@@HENITalks I actaully live near an apartment building that is actaully built like that.How I would describe it is that it's boxy, its drab in color ,it's made of concrete, it has very thick walls and it even has several balconies that are also made of concrete thick that look as if there intended for people to duck behind and fire projectiles from.Those balconies remind me of the ramparts of a castle and the whole building looks like it was designed for either some sort of military purpose or to keep people from breaking into it instead of actaully being anyones home.
@@garynaccarto8636 Ah, that's a shame. A good example of domestic Brutalist architecture is the Barbican here in London, which is somewhat 'softer' owing to the planting schemes and water features. I recommend a visit if you're ever here! With good wishes, the HENI Talks team.
Looks like hunger games buildings
Indeed, shadows of FLAK towers or U-boat pens
Brutalism is my favourite architectonic style. Brutalist buildings are so surreal for a random passerby, that they seem like constructions of aliens from another planet, they are very distinct and so they are shocking! This raw facade and exposed structure create overwhelming format of massive heavy pressure that is trampling on you like an elephant trampling an ant! You feel the power of this architectonic statue which is showing you who is the boss. Simple style which is playing with your emotions. And thats the beauty of brutalist architecture - no matter who you are and where are you from, when you see a brutalist building you can not just pass by and pretend that nothing happened.
I think that I may love brutalism because of my passion which is exploring and gaining knowledge about XX century fortifications. They are usually placed deep in the forest or on the coast. Youre going through the forest and suddenly a big, massive block of concrete appears like from nowhere. And thats the moment you know, that the next exploration of this mysterious structures is close. This secret past, dark interior and your imagination is starting to work. You are alone, theres noone around - just you and this mysterious concrete titan standing before you. Now that I think of it fortifications and brutalism have a lot in common! Both are very raw, very functional with clear purpose. Both are surreal and intriguing. And both are overwhelming.
Man I love brutalism! They should keep building these beautyfull structures!
Beautiful thoughts on the style - thanks for sharing your insights!
That is one wonderful comment my friend. I share same toughts and attitude.
Fucking well said my friend.
I remember that for the bunker close to our house, they dug a big hole and pushed it in it. Funilly, close to its old position there is now a roundabout with a large concrete (corporate) art piece
@@HENITalks tthat's one way.........It is not only hideous, it is downright hostile, because concrete doesn't age gracefully.
Worse tthey used it for formats that philosophy of cheap, led to rampant decay and crime.
At least it was honest, a architecture born out of economic necessity
and thought of as expendable.
Brutalism is the only thing that gives me all the feels.
the ugliest and most horrible ones
seek therapy
I love brutalism
for me the perfect combination of moods are brutalism and synthwave, they jsut go so well together and makes me feel so many different emotions at the same time
I was 14 in 1980. Brutalist subways and plazas, car parks and tower blocks for me go perfectly with the soundscapes of John Foxx, Gary Numan and the other synth pioneers I was listening to. A very emotional combination for me.
Brutalism + Molchat Doma, gives me life
When I dream of my perfect home, it is a brutalist mansion/fortress. To me, it is perfect. To me, it feels monolithic and long lasting and solid. It's like how the earliest abstract painting was painting that wasn't trying to be anything but paint on a surface. It didn't try to hide what it was. I love this kind of architecture. The simpler, the better.
I respect that, however I don’t want to feel that every day.
So please, just don’t build your house next to mine.
"Brutalism is about making you feel something"
Well, love it or hate it, I think it's fair to say that Brutalism did succeed in making you feel something.
this is first description ive ever read of it and it hits the nail on the head
I used to work in a Brutalist building on the campus of Southern Illinois University (Faner Hall) and I felt like I was entering a Prison every day. I actually got depressed just approaching it and inside was even worse. Whoever thought bare concrete walls were a good idea for the interior of any building other than a warehouse must have had a screw loose. I never heard one person in the twenty years I worked on campus say they liked that building. Everybody hated it.
Exactly the goal of the designer.
These buildings look like they're straight from a nightmare
Ah, these edifices truly are the 'marmite' of architectural history!
@@HENITalks They are not like marmite, because unlike marmite brutalist buildings are loved by many!
Agreed @tonystark, I work in a Brutalist building & the cons are unbelievable, for a building that is only 40 years old it borders on dangerous- Freezing cold in winter, boiling in summer, leaks, bits of concrete ceiling fall off.. dark entrances which are poorly lit, filthy & give me the chills with no natural light. & this is a public building maintained by the City of London.When you have to live or work in these structures that are poorly designed & need unfeasible upkeep the novelty wears off very quickly when you have to watch for being mugged..
@@A_G_85 just because yours is badly designed and built, doesn't mean that all brutalist buildings are.
Disgusting buildings...should never have been allowed.
I love brutalist architecture, but I can understand why many don't. I like these buildings for the same reasons they hate them. They're gray, cold, imposing. They're so different from everything else. Other buildings are built with humans in mind, but brutalist buildings look like they were generated by some sort of artificially intelligent computer. I find them utterly fascinating, like a glimpse into what a previous generation thought the future was going to be like.
Idk about anybody else, but the Halo series really shaped the way how I see architecture and appreciate Brutalism in an immense way. Brutalism was so brilliantly used as reference base for Forerunner architecture in Bungie's game.
No other architecture could capture that sense of mysticism mixed in with that sense of modern aesthetic. The way how concrete is morphed into odd shapes, whether curved or incredibly geometrical, really sets the boundaries on how we can mix form and functionality into one and make it work.
Brutalism is a beautiful aesthetic which I would never be able to see it as anything else.
Brutalism in Halo’s context was used perfectly, as the style itself already tends to make one feel small and insignificant in contrast to the large monolithic space, and that ran hand in hand with the overarching origin story of the Halos in the game. But I think the characteristics that really make the designs work are their sort of monument locations in an otherwise empty, natural landscape (the contrast is what makes them defining), and the use of metal detailing to reinforce the idea that these weren’t just cold slabs of concrete/metal but spaces with purposes that were meant to be experienced, beyond the solely utilitarian nature. I love the forerunner designs in the Halo games, although I think as an architecture student, it’s warped my sense of what makes a building beautiful more than I’d like to admit (I can’t show up to a project crit with a huge concrete and metal mass of a building without some serious questioning lol)😅
(Also side note: if you haven’t already played Control, I seriously recommend you do. It is now competing with Halo as my favorite game, and I think beyond just the fun gameplay and mysterious story, it is the art style and brutalist designs everywhere that really pulled me in 10/10 game)
It needs plants, planted, everywhere. On the walls on the roofs, on the floors, in the rooms, on the windows. In the ceilings.
Most buildings could use plants...
I disagree. Brutalism is made to be diametrically opposed to nature, so it should be as far removed from nature as possible. Not one plant or wooden item is permissible anywhere inside.
"Brutalism is all about making you feel something."
Not getting your point. Most buildings of any style make me feel something.
Brutalisim gives depression vibes. No colors no life. Reminds me of the cyberpunk extremely pooor suburbs that are cramped
I don't know why but I love the depressing vibe that it gives me although I am not a depressed person at all. It looks aesthetically pleasing
Brutalism isn’t really about being pretty but indeed that feeling of comfort, its like stepping into the great unknown and being okay with it.
Very well Said
I think Brutalism was about in part and radicalization of avoiding neoclassical architecture, which was often associated with nationalism. Considering that WWII put a bad rep on nationalism, it makes sense that this nuetral design took place.
looking at examples I feel the opposite of comfort.
Brutalism reminds me of how we say "ugly " in Italian : " brutto". Exactly !
I feel depressed, it's soul crushing, it evokes the feeling of an alternate universe where a totalitarian dystopia took over the world and cities are these nightmarish concrete big things.
the opposite of cozy or welcoming.
brutalism feels like the opposite of home.
Exactly, what the heck are these people talking about???
Interesting. When I look at a Brutalist building, I see confidence and security. A building that dares nature to even attempt to destroy it, even after we're long gone. A reminder that we have finally triumphed over the natural world. It is glorious.
Brutalism makes me feel happy. Idk. I feel like the Soviets were trying to capture a feeling of higher power and when I see these buildings they make me feel like I'm small and there are things more important than me. To some, this could be depressing, but for me it feels nice, i don't know. It feels like your parents standing over you who know better than you.
I never realized there was a name for "buildings that fill me with a muted, indescribable dread"😬😁
Reminds me of soviet architecture.
That would be constructivist architecture
Well the soviets perfected it
I'd rather jump of the roof of a brutalist building, than to live in or around one
lol
It's pretty amazing how much brutalism splits preferences. People either really love it, or really hate it, and not many in between.
I think you can do both. Brutalism is like steampunk. Aesthetically pleasing but should not be inflicted on real people in the real world.
I find brutalism to be both nostalgic and in the past yet also futuristic. And I really appreciate when brutalism is made to work with nature because it shows the strength of humanity standing out in grey and the power of nature beside us working together, and the very unnatural shapes of brutalism contrasted by nature it’s self is what I find beautiful
Brutalism makes me feel secure. Governmental buildings are built in this manner in many places of Canada and I always feel like I’m doing something important for myself whenever I’m in, say, a town hall.
This channel is massively underrated, keep it up!
Thanks so much for your kind comment! Please do share our films widely :)
I still don't get it? I can feel something when I look at modern structures, I feel a sense of awe and inspiration at the achievements of humans and modern engineering . But when I look at a solid concrete slab I just feel depressed. It feels sad and ugly?
We think the concrete can look quite beautiful and delicate - the traditional way of creating such structures is with wooden formwork, which leaves the impression of the wood grain in the concrete when the mould is removed. This means you can see the beautiful knots and textures of the timber, which can be quite touching. But perhaps it's just personal taste! Thanks for watching.
The concrete for me instead of representing dullness and thus being "depressing" is more like an open canvas - it implies freedom. The blank walls may be filled with graffiti, or left blank to fill the mind with emptiness. The modular nature of the structures is such that it can easily be navigated in a wide variety of ways. For those who limit themselves to walking set paths I'm sure it's distressing. The twisting corners and complicated navigation make way for unique corners you may claim as your own and corridors you can swiftly escape security or police. My perspective as a "criminal" might invalidate the idea for some, but I'm of the belief that giving room for personality in people is not only good for "crime", but also more broadly for people to explore their own individuality. Fuck the modern "wall of glass" cliche, it may represent human progress for you, but for those of us who like choice it reeks of the proprietary, the secretive, the corrupt. My balls are 10 inches deep in brutalism and you gotta pry em out to stop this shit from making a return. Adaptability and permanence are in high demand - know that.
A E S T H E T I C
BRUTAL aesthetic :) You might also like to hear Richard Williams on the joyful aesthetic of LA: ua-cam.com/video/-AeQovP7F3o/v-deo.html
My favorite design of buildings
Fantastically produced video! I was wondering what the footage at around 0:29 is of, I always enjoy the relationship between brutalism and water.
These are shots of the Barbican Centre, London. We love the concrete versus natural elements like this too - the Barbican also has beautiful planting and a fascinating conservatory which is home to exotic fish and over 1,500 species of tropical plants and trees.
Its architecture that invokes a feeling indeed. One of pure dread and utter depression.
I work at the Des Moines Art Center, which was built over a period of 4 decades by three different architects: Eliel Saarinen, I. M. Pei, and Richard Meier. The Pei building is definitely brutalist!
'Brutalism is all about making you feel something' ...something, everything will if as far as it is present make you feel some thing, depressed nauseous agitated
We have some beautiful examples of brutalist architecture in Pretoria, South-Africa
Only just discovered this channel and love it. Keep up the good work and I hope you get lots more subscribers
To understand brutalism you should live in place where the peaces of brutalist architect are kept. It’s not only a an architectural buildings but different way of thinking, different period of history and knowledge of different future, it’s part of the Revolution of the 20 century
Went looking for this type of video after following an IG account that documents the Brutalist buildings here in the Philippines. This is so fascinating to me...
Glad you enjoyed it!
And I thought I wasn't creative. Turns out bunker house home is a thing.
I do love the looks of it though, strong house, makes you feel very secure. Add in a bit of sci fi stuff there, and we will have some really fancy window, that's can have metal plates rising and retracting as needed to let lights in or keep hails out.
No need to worry about fires.
A garage that goes into the basement, very secure garage door.
Mounted spot light that you can control the direction it's facing remotely. Lift to carry heavy object up and down the floor.
Ventilation shaft that's... Surprisingly good at cooling down the internal room and keep the air fresh.
I just really like these kind of design. A safe and secure house will lead to some level of comfort as it takes your mind off the stress of worrying about the possible intruder and burglar that may break into houses.
Sadly there aren't any free flat land in the future for such a thing though, really wanted to have my own house thats built like HQ.
I think that Belgrade is the home of brutalism. I don't know about other cities, but when you walk through the narrow streets of Belgrade you get the feeling that you are in something unexplored. Belgrade does not have a very tall building as wide as it has, as well as many narrow streets and passages. I personally love brutality because it gives me a sense of something mysterious but dangerous. I recommend everyone to visit Belgrade, both those who like and those who do not like brutalism. Lots of good people, worth a visit.
this video itself is so AMAZING ! the way they film his reflection is creative 2:33 !!!
Thank you for your kind words!
We have this one building that has brutalism architecture in Malaysia. It is actually a grand hall in University of Malaya. Google up Dewan Tunku Candelor, Universiti Malaya.
I have always enjoyed the feelings brutalist buildings impart. Imposing and sturdy structures that are often solitary in their environment. The textured impressions of the wood that held in the curing concrete or the concrete slurry sprayed and left to dry without extra preparation. The patina of dust or pollen or pollution that forms over the years. Settling into the craggy face of walls and beams. There’s a concrete behemoth near me whose thin and elongated windows are truly reminiscent of a European castles arrow slits. Situated around the girthy, gray mass are an array of completely ordinary 1 or 2 story grocery stores and fast food restaurants that are dwarfed by comparison. That the style is unpopular to many makes each one I see a treat.
Brutalism's stark and geometric designs contrast with the more ornate features of some 1910s, 1920s and 1930s architecture. Brutalist designs have historically been polarising. Specific buildings, as well as the movement as a whole, have drawn a range of criticism and support from architects and the public. Many brutalist buildings have become architectural and cultural icons, with some obtaining listed status.
Great summary of the style, Stella! Hope you enjoyed the film.
brutalism but not a complete square (add a splash of colors) a lot of windows, sunlight, wood accents, pool, a big ass garden overpowering the concrete = heaven
That doesn't sound brutalist anymore. I hate brutalism (because it looks dirty and depressing and something from the Soviet nightmare) but what you just described actually sounds quite nice.
@@politebadger5049 making brutalism alive :)
@@politebadger5049
Interesting. When I look at a Brutalist building, I see confidence and security. A building that dares nature to even attempt to destroy it, even after we're long gone. A reminder that we have finally triumphed over the natural world.
I love the look of brutalism
Us too! Hope our film shed some more light on the style for you...
Same i love it ❤️
HENI Talks yes, it was pretty insightful
@@ohmnesia Thank you! You might also like our other films on architecture, the talks range from exploring superfluid structures of Zaha Hadid to meditations on the gothic style of Ely Cathedral: ua-cam.com/play/PLXX1zP60qUCxo53vw8QTTSi058odkb9SO.html
I get the feeling of cheapness and a lack of materiality, as there's only one material... concrete. No material variation, no material interaction. No windows, few windows, small windows. Cheap, cheap, cheap.
I like the forms of brutalist buildings, but I dislike the way concrete looks after many decades. These buildings always look dirty and neglected from the outside, which makes them look post-apocalyptic, or an embodiment of degradation in a way. I recognise the artistic values of brutalism, but it will never be as close to my heart as Bauhaus, or high-tech architecture. Big, clean surfaces with lots of glass or metal just look infinitely more pleasant to me.
Brutalism is something that truly nourishes and invigorates the human soul. Fills that deep sense of belonging. Definitely cured the overarching dread of suicidal depression. What Charles really meant was that it looked like a cute, quaint English cottage home in a densely forested woodland setting.
😂😂😂😂😂 eye see u
For me, brutalism is the apex of "do more with less" for architecture. When done right, it's incredibly elegant, orderly and soothing.
When I look at brutalist architecture, I think of the monolith from 2001 or a short first person platformer game I used to play. It feels very simple. Abstract. Basic geometric shapes. Alien. It feels fantastical to me. As if it did not come from earthly culture. I love this kind of architecture.
Brutalism reminds me of Romanesque architecture too. It is heavy looking yet somehow has its own character.
I'm guessing that when saying "it's designed to make you feel something" it's meant to say to feel in a sensual way. For instance, the use of raw concrete materials make you feel the asperities of the material. I don't think brutalism is meant to make people feel comfortable like say classic architecture, but rather provide an interesting experience. I wish it were more used in science fiction imagery for instance
Is there any art style that is not about making the viewer feel something?
Why should an arts complex feel challenging or bleak? Do people have to prove their mettle by braving the lifeless, concrete landscape and avoiding being crushed by a stray cantilever just to look at some art?
Provocation can't be the point. All styles of architecture provide an aesthetic experience and inspire different feelings. By practising brutalism, architects make a choice of what feelings and experiences they'd like to provoke, their point. Critique has to start with questioning the appropriacy of the architects' emotional palette.
Brutalism is dishonest because the aesthetic it draws on, the sublime, is at odds with most buildings. The huge cantilevers and jagged angles over the entrance to the National Theatre inspire foreboding which is oxymoronic for a place where the public should be welcome. The irregular shape and detailing don't say anything particularly nationalistic. It could be anywhere.
thank you...yours is the first comment I've read on this thread that makes any sense.
Many hospitals in my country are designed in brutalist style. I always ask myself, are they trying to keep the patients sick?
truly bizarre that so many people pretend to like brutalist buildings
Are you really suggesting that those folks who do like brutalism aren't actually doing so? If so, that's a ridiculous claim. It's like saying people who enjoy the color purple are wrong.
The only thing brutalist building make me feel is the urge to park my truck in one. They look like parking structures to me.
it does makes me feel something.... disgust... that it shoudnt exist
I think some of zAHA's works like the Phaeno could pass for Brutalism. And looking at that Southbank Centre got me thinking that maybe some colour here and there could easily better the brutalist structures. Yes, even Le Corb used colour at that Unite building.
brutalism doesn’t work for aggregated human dwelling spaces… to be a good space, people have to want to be there. heavy, blocky concrete can work for public spaces, not homes.
I love it. It's so dramatic ❤️ raw and so wabi sabi
Love it, love it love it!
It really makes you FEEL like you're in prison.
gives me the feeling of strength
I think the joy of brutalism is in the different interpretations people have of it. For me, a person of a certain melancholic disposition, they seem as great dystopian looming structures, as if created to provide for a bureaucracy worthy of Kafka, that when wondered through in the dark hours leaves me with a deep sense of foreboding.
And for this, I love them, and am heart broken when they are demolished. As it is a rare thing for a building to move me to such feelings. Post 2000 architecture to me is as Michael Bentine once said:
"Lego at it's most plastic"
Fantastic video, thanks a lot!
If I ever won a lottery I'd get myself a modestly sized brutalist castle.
Love this
Thanks for watching, Ken! Really lovely to hear that you enjoyed it. You might also like Richard's talks on:
Building Brasilia: ua-cam.com/video/eDDujW6ESsk/v-deo.html
Reyner Banham and the architecture of LA: ua-cam.com/video/-AeQovP7F3o/v-deo.html
Beautiful!
If any building style has managed to make urban and city sprawl uglier, its Brutalism.
Theres something of a grandeur to large buildings that has been largely lost in modern times and cost-cutting architecture..... but this style has somehow managed to (deliberately?) remove all of it completely. No balance, often top heavy.. cold, ugly, often with an appearance of a skeleton or missing parts. A bit Orwellian, really.
It almost seems to be a kind of passive aggressive expression of mankind's destruction of the planet....
"It's not a pretty building." I beg to differ.
What was the difference between Reyner and Le Corbusier's way of looking at brutalism?
does anyone knows the music played under the credits?
Grew up in Mexico city, brutalist af. Never knew its called brutalism but always knew that made me feel like shit. Always looked at those buildings as large cold and the feeling of a square society sunken in envy and greed
Brutalism has got to be my favourite architectural style. The contrast between nature and raw concrete in the Barbican is amazing.
Couldn't agree more!
"brutalism is all about making you feel something" yes... Depression
The one matter in which I am in (partial) agreement with the slobbering dauphin known as prince Charles, is that most of the modernist architecture is nothing else but a monstrous abomination and a pretentious attempt to compensate for a complete lack of creativity. This especially applies to Brutalism. I think that a more heinous and horrendous architectural ``style`` hasn`t been produced in the entire history of mankind, including the Stone Age caves.
P.S. This certainly does not mean that all modern architecture is unappealing, there are quite a few examples of beautiful modern edifices. The one that comes to mind is Frank Lloyd Wright`s masterpiece, Fallingwater.
Here's how Brutalist architecture makes me "feel"; it makes me feel like I am stranded and treading water in the middle of a vast ocean with no possibility of rescue, and the hull of an enormous oceangoing vessel is bearing down on me at 20 knots or more and I cannot swim fast enough to get out of it's way. Give me a Tudor style pub any day.
Brutalism is about feeling. You feel something. Feel. Concrete. Feeling. These buildings make you feel. Brutalism = feel. All the feels. Concrete. Movement.
Can’t believe people hate Brutalism, I love it. It’s apparent in so many universities here in Canada
2021 engineers will all be brutalist designers.
Creativity!!!
Brutalism is aweful for the human spirt.its designed to be. The beautiful cities that were in the us and systematically razed were replaced with this crap. Its the same as prison
I feel like "making you feel something" doesn't really mean anything.
Love it!
They're like huge fun houses that you can live in.
Associating brutalism to "feeling"? Really?
Come on! Brutalist architecture is often used to express the idea that the institutions prevail over the individual. That's why brutalist buildings are composed of massive blocks several times bigger than the human scale.
You can see brutalist buildings all over dystopian scifi films for this very reason. Oppresive regimes love brutalism.
Also, despite their architectural value, brutalist buildings in a city like London, where it's always overcast, contribute to that grey and dull atmosphere that is very depressing.
Brutalism is all about feeling? This is a perplexing comment, given that all styles of architecture induce feelings in the observer. The real question is: what KIND of feelings are being induced? I am not a fan of brutalism, because the feelings this style arouses in me are those of depression, soullessness, impersonality, despair, nihilism. Demolition is the answer, in my opinion.
Interesting. When I look at a Brutalist building, I see confidence and security. A building that dares nature to even attempt to destroy it, even after we're long gone. A reminder that we have finally triumphed over the natural world.
The 2019 Tesla Cyber truck ..
I just had a 45 min chat with myself about this..
Brilliant.
It's beautiful.
It's my favorite architectural style. Clean and futuristic.
The most nostalgic architecture
Brutalism replaced stained glass with stained concrete
can anybody ID the building in 3:40 - 3:45
That's the beautiful Couvent Sainte-Marie de la Tourette by Le Corbusier - the architect's final building completed in Europe. It's stunning, isn't it? Thanks for watching!
Eek! Yes, feeling oppressed by dehumanized, over-scaled bunkers.
And yet, some people truly love such buildings! I hope the film shed light into some of the motivations behind the style for you.
That's the idea!
@@HENITalks well there's a lot of troubled people who feel dead inside or want to create dystopian worlds
I just want to cover all of these completely in bathroom tiles.
Yeah it makes me feel something....depressed and oppressed. All the designs could be easily converted into modern prisons. Just awful. Brutal with no soul architecture.
And yet, we love the subtle details of the formwork! It really splits taste.
that's the point, to be alienating / industrial / brutal / raw
Cities are not natural. Brutalist architecture emphasises that. It makes us feel alien. I feel freedom by the alienation. It makes me know im not one with the building. It makes me feel like im myself and the building is just something.
I've come to really love brutalism. It's become a hobby of mine to photograph as much of these structures as possible.