What's your favourite bit of brutalist architecture?

[Gunk]

And my Mother studied at the Guildhall School Of Music

 

[Reynard]

We looked over the school whilst eating our lunch

I don't have terribly good memories of the place, but it was definitely an interesting place to be in and around. Especially when you look down from the walkways to see the old Roman architecture.

 

[All uphill]

That is not to dispute its artistic merits on its own terms, or its historical interest, but this style was called brutalist for a reason.

Called brutalist because of the use of " beton brut", meaning raw concrete.

Some brutalist building can appear a bit brutal, but others, imo, are joyous in their apparent simplicity and harmonius proportions.

That seminary at Cardross for example.

 

[Brains]

Personally, in general with all Brutalist architecture, it's a shame they did not get an architect involved right from the start.
No one, even in a couple of hundred years time, will ever call these structures "beautiful".
I suspect in a couple on hundred years time, they will presume it was put together on the cheap at a time of austerity.

 

[All uphill]

Personally, in general with all Brutalist architecture, it's a shame they did not get an architect involved right from the start.
No one, even in a couple of hundred years time, will ever call these structures "beautiful".
I suspect in a couple on hundred years time, they will presume it was put together on the cheap at a time of austerity.

I'm sorry you feel that.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Personally, in general with all Brutalist architecture, it's a shame they did not get an architect involved right from the start.
No one, even in a couple of hundred years time, will ever call these structures "beautiful".
I suspect in a couple on hundred years time, they will presume it was put together on the cheap at a time of austerity.

Er, architects were involved from the outset. It's as valid a style as any, albeit more divisive than most. I'd still very much rather this than some of the awful pastiches one sees. Poundbury anyone?!

 

[Grant Fondo]

That seminary at Cardross for example.

a lot of their buildings are superb ... Wadham College library is one I visited, pretty brutal exterior, bloody lovely inside.

Gillespie, Kidd & Coia​

 

[Reynard]

And as with any style (and this is true outside architecture too), it's a fairly broad church, and some examples are executed in a far more harmonious manner than others.

 

[Brains]

Er, architects were involved from the outset. It's as valid a style as any, albeit more divisive than most. I'd still very much rather this than some of the awful pastiches one sees. Poundbury anyone?!

Seriously ?

Q: Would you prefer to live in Poundbury or Thamesmead ?
(You may substitute for any brutalist large housing estate)

If I was tasked with building a large estate today, I'd start with Poundbury as a basis and then try to improve it.
It was not an accident that Clockwork Orange was filmed in Thamesmead.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Seriously ?

Q: Would you prefer to live in Poundbury or Thamesmead ?
(You may substitute for any brutalist large housing estate)

If I was tasked with building a large estate today, I'd start with Poundbury as a basis and then try to improve it.
It was not an accident that Clockwork Orange was filmed in Thamesmead.

I think you're answering a different point to the one I made

 

[Beebo]

Seriously ?

Q: Would you prefer to live in Poundbury or Thamesmead ?
(You may substitute for any brutalist large housing estate)

If I was tasked with building a large estate today, I'd start with Poundbury as a basis and then try to improve it.
It was not an accident that Clockwork Orange was filmed in Thamesmead.

The fact that Thamesmead is currently in the middle of a £300million face lift probably answers your question.
Most of the brutal architecture has gone now.

 

[matticus]

Personally, in general with all Brutalist architecture, it's a shame they did not get an architect involved right from the start.
No one, even in a couple of hundred years time, will ever call these structures "beautiful".
I suspect in a couple on hundred years time, they will presume it was put together on the cheap at a time of austerity.

Burn the heretic!!!

 

[Bollo]

Big brother of this little fella: https://travelwithintent.com/2013/09/17/toast-rack-and-fried-egg-manchester-fallowfield/

Just caught up with this. Ma Bollo did her hairdressing city and guilds there in the mid 60s. I’ll check with her but always have a memory of her referring to it as “Owen’s College for Knowledge”.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

The fact that Thamesmead is currently in the middle of a £300million face lift probably answers your question.
Most of the brutal architecture has gone now.

I know little of Thamesmead beyond a perception it has been something of a 'sink' estate for some long while?

 

[Beebo]

I know little of Thamesmead beyond a perception it has been something of a 'sink' estate for some long while?

Its reputation is probably undeserved, but I still wouldn’t want to live there.
The arrival of the new Elizabeth line will hopefully improve its fortunes.