What's your favourite bit of brutalist architecture?

[GuyBoden]

Stirling did some fine buildings, but Runcorn was flawed in a lot of ways. No one ever seems to blame the council for commissioning it with taxpayers money, clearly determined to get a radical scheme by a signature architect and 'show off'.
Parts of it were brutal indeed. Could he have allowed any less light into these deck windows? Rubbish.
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We went on a school trip to look at that estate back in the seventies. Absolutely awful place with no respect whatsoever for the people who lived there.

There was a large petition at the time in the early 1990's, by residents and non-residents, to save the best part of the Southgate estate's "Washing Machine" buildings from demolition. Some residents loved their buildings, but probably not all of the estate, most residents didn't understand what the buildings represented. I first visited the estate in the 1970's, whilst visiting the Shopping city, it was like an exciting new world. Yes, it had flaws, but surely they could have been rectified.

"Stirling himself pointed out, rightly, that the most problematic aspects of the design were those dictated by the client, including the social mix, the density, insulation standards, and the use of a raised-walkway heavy concrete prefab system."

Demolishing all of these Sir James Stirling unique architectural buildings, one of the UK's prestigious Architects, was a disgrace.

Demolish and rebuild is always the easy option.

 

[All uphill]

How about this for some 117 year old pre-fabricated concrete?
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I see your 117 year old concrete and raise you this 1851 prefabricated concrete building in Bridgwater, Somerset! It's not pretty but it's old.

 

[Bollo]

For fans of all buildings modern with a fine sprinkling of the brutal, Owen Hatherley has a big new book out. I’ve read one or two of his books and they’re informative and entertaining, but he doesn’t hide either his opinions or his politics.

https://www.theguardian.com/artandd...k-britain-best-modern-building-owen-hatherley

 

[Grant Fondo]

I see your 117 year old concrete and raise you this 1851 prefabricated concrete building in Bridgwater, Somerset! It's not pretty but it's old.

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What a year that was! That and The Crystal Palace, the great grandads of prefab.

 

[All uphill]

What a year that was! That and The Crystal Palace, the great grandads of prefab.

I don't remember it personally

 

[Blue Hills]

How about this for some 117 year old pre-fabricated concrete?
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what/where?
(don't have to give address obvs - is it yours?)

 

[matticus]

I see your 117 year old concrete and raise you this 1851 prefabricated concrete building in Bridgwater, Somerset! It's not pretty but it's old.

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I'd love to have seen Kevin McCloud cover that project!

 

[bitsandbobs]

Demolish and rebuild is always the easy option.

Interesting piece about the French architects, Lacaton and Vassal: "Sometimes the answer is to do nothing"

https://www.theguardian.com/artandd...-unflashy-french-architectures-pritzker-prize

 

[Profpointy]

For fans of all buildings modern with a fine sprinkling of the brutal, Owen Hatherley has a big new book out. I’ve read one or two of his books and they’re informative and entertaining, but he doesn’t hide either his opinions or his politics.

https://www.theguardian.com/artandd...k-britain-best-modern-building-owen-hatherley

Damn, I've bought a fair few moderately expensive books of late, and now have to add another to my shopping list !

 

[GuyBoden]

For fans of all buildings modern with a fine sprinkling of the brutal, Owen Hatherley has a big new book out. I’ve read one or two of his books and they’re informative and entertaining, but he doesn’t hide either his opinions or his politics.

https://www.theguardian.com/artandd...k-britain-best-modern-building-owen-hatherley

He says bluntly. “But the thing that’s wrong with British architecture isn’t to do with style or fashion, it’s to do with the fact that everything here is incredibly badly built"

And that's the truth in a nutshell..........................

 

[Profpointy]

He says bluntly. “But the thing that’s wrong with British architecture isn’t to do with style or fashion, it’s to do with the fact that everything here is incredibly badly built"

And that's the truth in a nutshell..........................

Whilst I've not read his book (on my list when it's out), not sure I agree with that sentiment, assuming it's not of context. A good proportion of modern buildings are simply people-hostile, particularly at street level, which is a design failure not a build failure. Even the (otherwise rather glorious) Barbican, presents a hostile face to the street very detrimental to the pleasantness of the area. And things like damp problems and crumbling materials are as much design faults at the detail level than workmanship or "poorly built" failures. If the architects specify unsuitable or untried building materials, whose fault is that if not their own? An architect can't design an upside down pyramid drawn as a sketch then cry "poorly built" when it topples over.

I do like the good modern buildings though, including many of the better brutalist ones

 

[Grant Fondo]

what/where?
(don't have to give address obvs - is it yours?)

It's in Letchworth and there is another octagonal one made of concrete which I visited years ago but can't find a photo.
https://historicengland.org.uk/serv...ional-images/158-wilbury-road-letchworth-8595

 

[Reynard]

Whilst I've not read his book (on my list when it's out), not sure I agree with that sentiment, assuming it's not of context. A good proportion of modern buildings are simply people-hostile, particularly at street level, which is a design failure not a build failure. Even the (otherwise rather glorious) Barbican, presents a hostile face to the street very detrimental to the pleasantness of the area. And things like damp problems and crumbling materials are as much design faults at the detail level than workmanship or "poorly built" failures. If the architects specify unsuitable or untried building materials, whose fault is that if not their own? An architect can't design an upside down pyramid drawn as a sketch then cry "poorly built" when it topples over.

I do like the good modern buildings though, including many of the better brutalist ones

At street level, the Barbican is very much "parking garage" in its feel. But up on the raised walkways, it does make a LOT more sense. I should know, I went to school there for eleven years...

 

[presta]

High Cross Castle?

Good view of Crinkle Crags & Bowfell from the self caterers eating area.

 

[Yellow Fang]

I see your 117 year old concrete and raise you this 1851 prefabricated concrete building in Bridgwater, Somerset! It's not pretty but it's old.

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Cor, that is horrible!