Critic’s choice, fan favorite, and BAFTA, Golden Globe and Oscar winner, “The Brutalist” is a fictional story about a Hungarian architect and Holocaust survivor who emigrates to America where he is commissioned to design a monumental modernist project for a wealthy industrialist. While the film delves into a variety of themes including art, capitalism, and the complexities of the American Dream, among other topics, it has sparked an interest in Brutalist architecture. But what is Brutalist architecture?

Brutalist architecture developed in the United Kingdom and Europe in the 1950s following World War II. As reconstruction efforts got underway, confronted with limited resources, architects turned to concrete, which was cheap to produce and easy to work with. The result was a style that placed an emphasis on the materials and structure and highlighted functionality over decoration and ornamentation. The name “comes not from the style's generally rugged, massive and radical look but from its original raw material: unplastered, raw concrete, called ‘beton brut’ in French,” explains DW.com. Architectural historian Reyner Banham’s review of Alison and Peter Smithson’s steel and brick school in Norfolk, England, entitled “The New Brutalism,” officially established the movement (architecture.com).

“The philosophy behind Brutalist architecture is rooted in the belief that architectural design should prioritize functionality, honesty, and social purpose,” explains Mark Bittoni of Bittoni Architects (ArchitecturalDigest.com). Many of the early Brutalist projects were designed to serve public functions. The aesthetic reimagined architecture to address modern needs, such as affordable housing developments, libraries, universities and government buildings.

One of the most influential buildings within the movement is Corbusier’s Unité d'Habitation, a housing complex in Marseille, France, designed to house the masses displaced by the war. And Boston’s City Hall complex “remains one of the most divisive buildings in the city’s history – and one of the more striking civic buildings in the history of the United States” declared Boston Curbed on the building’s 50th Anniversary.

Le Corbusier’s Unité d'Habitation Photo by Gili Merin, Arch Daily

Boston’s City Hall, Photo by Jorge Antonio/Getty Images Photo Courtesy of Architectural Digest

Habitat 67, Montreal Photo courtesy of The Collector

Fun Fact: Erno Goldfinger was one of the architects responsible for rebuilding London’s housing developments post WWII. But not everyone was a fan. James Bond author Ian Flemming disliked his work so much he named one of his villains after him (thespruce.com).

*Balfron Towers by Erno Goldfinger, Photo courtesy of Heritage Calling*

Material is at the core of Brutalism. Raw and exposed concrete and stone are hallmarks of the style. Instead of smooth surfaces, unfinished, rough and rugged textures highlight the materials themselves. “The style often seeks to showcase the raw beauty of materials, such as concrete, while emphasizing structural elements,” explains Bittoni (ArchitecturalDigest.com). Rather than conceal the construction elements, such as load-bearing columns and beams, these facets are often left exposed and visible.

Simple clean lines and a limited monochromatic palette are a testament to the focus on form and function. Large geometric shapes, and bold and angular sculptural designs are also characteristic of Brutalist architecture, as seen in the three concrete cylindric Litchfield Towers at the University of Pittsburgh, as well as in renowned Brutalist architect Marcel Breuer’s Armstrong Rubber Company (now a hotel) in New Haven, CT. Brutalist buildings are often massive, block-like structures that convey a sense of strength, scale and permanence. The lack of ornamentation and massive scale of Buffalo’s courthouse buildings creates a powerful and imposing image.

Littchfield Towers Photo courtesy of Monograph

Armstrong Rubber Company Photo courtesy of Architectural Digest by Barry Winkler/Getty Images

Buffalo’s Courthouse Photo courtesy of Photo Monograph

Brutalist architecture can be polarizing and divisive. Some argue it is a strong and monumental style, others complain it is an austere and cold aesthetic. Love it or hate it, it is still around thanks to the resiliency of the materials used. Enter Eco-Brutalism, a sustainable alternative to the traditional style. It works harmoniously with the environment, building “concrete structures in a way that would allow plants and greenery to grow freely” (TheCollector.com). And although concrete is a major contributor to climate change, its long-lasting properties make it a sustainable option. Not yet in widespread use, carbon-sequestering concrete technology will make concrete an environmentally net positive material.

Brutally Honest Architecture