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This Brutal World
A curated collection of some of the most powerful and awe-inspiring Brutalist architecture ever built This Brutal World is a global survey of this compelling and much-admired style of architecture. It brings to light virtually unknown Brutalist architectural treasures from across the former eastern bloc and other far flung parts of the world. It includes works by some of the best contemporary architects including Zaha Hadid and David Chipperfield as well as by some of the master architects of the 20th century including Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe, Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Kahn, Paul Rudolph and Marcel Breuer.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published May 16, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
July 24, 2016
A swell coffee-table decoration that's packed with plenty of Chadwick's pictures of concrete architectural grandiosities from around the world; plus a building-related quote on nearly every page, ranging from the likes of Ayn Rand, J.G. Ballard, Joy Division, Bauhaus, Kraftwerk and a lot of actual Brutalist architects whose names completely escape me.
September 25, 2016
Recommended for anyone interested in Brutalist architecture. All black and white images, which is fitting for the subject matter. A really amazing international mix of building locations and types. The loose organizational scheme creates some fun juxtapositions of building designs. One short, personal essay from the author. No lengthy academic b.s. or other text. The focus here is on the pictures.
Complaints:
1. There are way too many pull quotes. It's really excessive. I stopped reading them after a while, and just enjoyed the photos.
2. Some of the photos are a bit flat. Most of the time the content was so good that I wasn't paying attention to photographic technique. But some of these buildings would look better if they were photographed under more optimal lighting conditions.
Despite these minor quibbles, I had a really enjoyable couple of hours looking at these photos, listening to This Heat, and drinking beer. Hooray!
Complaints:
1. There are way too many pull quotes. It's really excessive. I stopped reading them after a while, and just enjoyed the photos.
2. Some of the photos are a bit flat. Most of the time the content was so good that I wasn't paying attention to photographic technique. But some of these buildings would look better if they were photographed under more optimal lighting conditions.
Despite these minor quibbles, I had a really enjoyable couple of hours looking at these photos, listening to This Heat, and drinking beer. Hooray!
September 22, 2019
Really not into tumblrs as books
July 6, 2023
3,5*
Albumas sudarytas iš autoriaus asmeninių fotografijų, pristatančių brutalistinės architektūros stilių.
'In order to be brutalist, a building has to meet three criteria, namely the clear exhibition of structure, the the valuation of materials "as found" and memorability as image.' - Reyner Banham
'Brutalism tries to face up to a mass-production society, and drag a rough poetry out of the confused and powerful forces which are at work. Up to now brutalism has been discussed stylistically, whereas its essence is ethical.' - Alison and Peter Smithson
'The miracle of concrete music is...things begin to soeak by themselves, as if they were bringing a message from a world unknown to us and outside us.' - Pierre Henri Marie Schaeffer
'Do it for the piece of sky we are stealing with our building. You do it for the air that will be displaced, and most of all, you do it for the fucking concrete. Because it is delicate as blood.' - Ivan Locke
San Diego Geisel Library (American architect William Pereira)
https://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brutali...
Lietuvoje garsiausi šio stiliaus pavyzdžiai - Vilniaus sporto rūmai ir LR Seimo rūmai.
Albumas sudarytas iš autoriaus asmeninių fotografijų, pristatančių brutalistinės architektūros stilių.
'In order to be brutalist, a building has to meet three criteria, namely the clear exhibition of structure, the the valuation of materials "as found" and memorability as image.' - Reyner Banham
'Brutalism tries to face up to a mass-production society, and drag a rough poetry out of the confused and powerful forces which are at work. Up to now brutalism has been discussed stylistically, whereas its essence is ethical.' - Alison and Peter Smithson
'The miracle of concrete music is...things begin to soeak by themselves, as if they were bringing a message from a world unknown to us and outside us.' - Pierre Henri Marie Schaeffer
'Do it for the piece of sky we are stealing with our building. You do it for the air that will be displaced, and most of all, you do it for the fucking concrete. Because it is delicate as blood.' - Ivan Locke
San Diego Geisel Library (American architect William Pereira)
https://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brutali...
Lietuvoje garsiausi šio stiliaus pavyzdžiai - Vilniaus sporto rūmai ir LR Seimo rūmai.
January 21, 2018
The only time when Ayn Rand quotes are acceptable.
December 26, 2016
Full of beautiful photos of amazing architecture. It has given me a lot of travel destinations!
I would have preferred if some of the photos were in colour (they're all black-and-white), because it's nice to see the colours of the concrete.
I would have preferred if some of the photos were in colour (they're all black-and-white), because it's nice to see the colours of the concrete.
November 4, 2021
I read Peter Chadwick's This Brutal World after watching Villeneuve's Dune. I thought the film made use of principles from brutalist architecture to design not only buildings but also spaceships.
If the international style is distinguished by volume without mass, then I think of brutalism as distinguished by volume and mass. These designs are exactly what they appear to be: big and heavy. Brutalist principles are seen in many of Dune's buildings, including the compounds on Arrakis, the Sardaukar prison planet, and Caladan. But it's the shot of the intergalactic guild ship in orbit around Arrakis, shown from Gurney's perspective, that really captures the feel of brutalism: cold, powerful, daunting. Dangerous enormity. And not one of the space ships--regardless of how nicely they float--looks light. Last but not least, we get a "raw cement" feel in close-ups of the landers.
So here I am thinking about brutalism.
If I'm being honest, a lot of these buildings are just as ugly as random people on the internet suggest, and I especially hate the structures that try to use circles and bubbles and futuristic curves (common choices in the late 1970s, I think). Concrete also has a way of getting duller and uglier over time, and it's hard to imagine someone who hates a dreary winter day in Winnipeg as nevertheless loving brutalism.
Curiously, brutalism is associated with a utopian egalitarianism, expressed in a formula that goes something like "we can all live like little insects in this cost effective cement monstrosity." (I imagine that line of thinking as being read in Henry Kissinger's voice.) There's often something cold in utopian and egalitarian logic, and it's conveniently reflected in the institutional purpose of many of these buildings. Even the playful and postmodern structures fail to suggest warmth. Though the brutalism homes often do look neat, I'd have to test them myself before agreeing to live in them.
Brutalism, like cement, is remarkably versatile, but I think it works best when it seeks to capture something stark, solemn, and austere. I wasn't surprised that I often admired churches and performance halls, though I worry that a form so strongly associated with cold bureaucratic institutions also works well with buildings ostensibly designed to generate aesthetic and spiritual experiences.
Of the buildings shown, I liked:
-Brother Claus Chapel, Germany, by Zumthor.
-Church of Seed, China, O Studio Architects
-Shirokane House, Japan, by MDS.
Some final notes.
I don't recall seeing a single building from the USSR or Russia, though that may be an oversight on my part. Chadwick maintains a twitter feed on brutalism. Finally, he also offers quotes from a variety of media and presents them alongside these brutalist designs. My favorite passages were Serge Gainsbourg's "Ugliness is, in a way, superior to beauty because it lasts" and Nietzsche's "There are no beautiful surfaces without a terrible depth."
If the international style is distinguished by volume without mass, then I think of brutalism as distinguished by volume and mass. These designs are exactly what they appear to be: big and heavy. Brutalist principles are seen in many of Dune's buildings, including the compounds on Arrakis, the Sardaukar prison planet, and Caladan. But it's the shot of the intergalactic guild ship in orbit around Arrakis, shown from Gurney's perspective, that really captures the feel of brutalism: cold, powerful, daunting. Dangerous enormity. And not one of the space ships--regardless of how nicely they float--looks light. Last but not least, we get a "raw cement" feel in close-ups of the landers.
So here I am thinking about brutalism.
If I'm being honest, a lot of these buildings are just as ugly as random people on the internet suggest, and I especially hate the structures that try to use circles and bubbles and futuristic curves (common choices in the late 1970s, I think). Concrete also has a way of getting duller and uglier over time, and it's hard to imagine someone who hates a dreary winter day in Winnipeg as nevertheless loving brutalism.
Curiously, brutalism is associated with a utopian egalitarianism, expressed in a formula that goes something like "we can all live like little insects in this cost effective cement monstrosity." (I imagine that line of thinking as being read in Henry Kissinger's voice.) There's often something cold in utopian and egalitarian logic, and it's conveniently reflected in the institutional purpose of many of these buildings. Even the playful and postmodern structures fail to suggest warmth. Though the brutalism homes often do look neat, I'd have to test them myself before agreeing to live in them.
Brutalism, like cement, is remarkably versatile, but I think it works best when it seeks to capture something stark, solemn, and austere. I wasn't surprised that I often admired churches and performance halls, though I worry that a form so strongly associated with cold bureaucratic institutions also works well with buildings ostensibly designed to generate aesthetic and spiritual experiences.
Of the buildings shown, I liked:
-Brother Claus Chapel, Germany, by Zumthor.
-Church of Seed, China, O Studio Architects
-Shirokane House, Japan, by MDS.
Some final notes.
I don't recall seeing a single building from the USSR or Russia, though that may be an oversight on my part. Chadwick maintains a twitter feed on brutalism. Finally, he also offers quotes from a variety of media and presents them alongside these brutalist designs. My favorite passages were Serge Gainsbourg's "Ugliness is, in a way, superior to beauty because it lasts" and Nietzsche's "There are no beautiful surfaces without a terrible depth."
September 22, 2017
"Brutalism: challenging, idealistic and serious -- Brutalism is architecture for grown ups." - Jonathan Meades
January 12, 2017
A book I found through an article on atlasobscura.com and requested through interlibrary loan. I've admired Brutalist architecture ever since I learned that some of the more impressive looking buildings on my university campus were part of that style. Although it isn't addressed much in the author's short introductory essay, to me the most impressive part of Brutalism is the theme of mass suspended in space, whether it is great geometric blocks of buildings held up by slender pillars or narrow bases, or else great projections or overhangs jutting out from the main building, to me it is a feature that draws the mind and invite contemplation of the building as more than just a simple cube. It would be nice to have maybe less variety of buildings shown, and more images of given buildings to get a better sense of their shape.
Not sure how I feel about the all black-and-white photography. It is generally a nice aesthetic and it at first seems appropriate for displaying Brutalism, but since a key point of it is the stark concrete surface, you lose the contrast with the potentially more colorful environment. You also lose a sense of time; all of the buildings have their dates of construction, but it is never clear when the photos were taken, and the intro reveals that some of the featured buildings no longer exist.
Finally, I tended to just blank out the quotations scattered throughout the book, but I found at the end that there are short descriptions of the source and context of each quote, which is a really cool idea. I think if that was a more standard feature in books like this, they would be a bit more valuable and I might pay more attention to them.
Not sure how I feel about the all black-and-white photography. It is generally a nice aesthetic and it at first seems appropriate for displaying Brutalism, but since a key point of it is the stark concrete surface, you lose the contrast with the potentially more colorful environment. You also lose a sense of time; all of the buildings have their dates of construction, but it is never clear when the photos were taken, and the intro reveals that some of the featured buildings no longer exist.
Finally, I tended to just blank out the quotations scattered throughout the book, but I found at the end that there are short descriptions of the source and context of each quote, which is a really cool idea. I think if that was a more standard feature in books like this, they would be a bit more valuable and I might pay more attention to them.
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January 9, 2019I can't believe so many examples of this ugly style of architecture exist and pollute our planet
The few positive things one can say about brutalist architecture are that it is consistent and arresting, albeit arresting in an ugly way. They're all concrete blocks that emphasize showing the structure instead of details or decor (of which there are none) that unfortunately jot up against the backdrop in a way that the eyes cannot avoid. They are cold, impersonal, indifferent lumps of gray, able to conjure images of might or inhuman power, but not warmth or humanity or anything like that.
The few positive things one can say about brutalist architecture are that it is consistent and arresting, albeit arresting in an ugly way. They're all concrete blocks that emphasize showing the structure instead of details or decor (of which there are none) that unfortunately jot up against the backdrop in a way that the eyes cannot avoid. They are cold, impersonal, indifferent lumps of gray, able to conjure images of might or inhuman power, but not warmth or humanity or anything like that.
June 19, 2020
A wonderful book full of amazing buildings from around the world. Chock full of pictures and the history of Brutalism. Tells a wee bit about the British author and how he fell in love with this architectural style. I can relate growing up in Toronto. Toronto had a lot of Brutalist buildings including York University where I studied for two years.
This book fills yours eyes with the weird and the wonderful of Brutalist architecture.
This book fills yours eyes with the weird and the wonderful of Brutalist architecture.
February 14, 2021
A lovely compilation of Brutalist Architecture & associated quotes. My only complaint is that I wish at least some of the photos had been in colour. Especially when the quotes where speaking about colour & aspects of daylight affecting the pieces, or about brutalism & nature. Concrete in black & white is jarring and imposing, concrete in colour picks up its surroundings, takes on other tones, is soft.
March 4, 2020
The introduction is ok. The book shines because if the photographs of Brutalist architecture all over the world. Spliced with quotes from brutalist and non brutalist architects, the book invites you to meditate a bit on architecture, monument and ugliness (something brutalist is often associated with).
November 24, 2016
A great anthology compiling lots of brutalist or brutalist-related works located around the world, still standing or demolished. Some quotes of bands, architects, writers, artists serve as transitions between each sections of the book.
October 15, 2017
Gorgeous images—now I kinda want to live in a concrete Sierpinski gasket—and yet annoying indexing (no index by place, and Marcel Breuer is listed under M).
August 12, 2016
This book is a massive collection of black and white architectural photography. The photographer has a fairly wide definition of brutalism, so there are some very contemporary buildings in addition to the mid-century examples that strike me as the epitome of brutalism.
While the photography is striking, the monotony of the black and white photography leaves the book a bit dull. The monochrome makes one focus on the form, which can have advantages. However, for examples that feature glass and landscaping, it would have been interesting to see how the structures appeared in the environment.
There were periodic quotes too, with a strange mix of architects, critics, authors, and music lyrics from The Jam, The Clash, David Bowie, Blur, Pulp and more. With the authors, Raymond Chandler, George Orwell, J.G. Ballard, and the insufferable Ayn Rand were included.
I definitely have a love/hate relationship with brutalism. It fascinates me how some of these structures can appear so futuristic, and others so timeless and strangely ancient. Many are beautiful and amazing impressive with their monumental scale. I often wonder how that monumental scale impacts actually using the building though. For several years I worked in an award-winning brutalist building, the Ohio History Center, and the lack of windows in the office areas made me feel like I was trapped in a submarine. During winter you would barely see the sun, so the building was not really designed with the human psyche in mind. I was surprised that structure was not included in the book, but the 1971 expansion to the Cleveland Art Museum (which never struck me as particularly brutalist) was.
While the photography is striking, the monotony of the black and white photography leaves the book a bit dull. The monochrome makes one focus on the form, which can have advantages. However, for examples that feature glass and landscaping, it would have been interesting to see how the structures appeared in the environment.
There were periodic quotes too, with a strange mix of architects, critics, authors, and music lyrics from The Jam, The Clash, David Bowie, Blur, Pulp and more. With the authors, Raymond Chandler, George Orwell, J.G. Ballard, and the insufferable Ayn Rand were included.
I definitely have a love/hate relationship with brutalism. It fascinates me how some of these structures can appear so futuristic, and others so timeless and strangely ancient. Many are beautiful and amazing impressive with their monumental scale. I often wonder how that monumental scale impacts actually using the building though. For several years I worked in an award-winning brutalist building, the Ohio History Center, and the lack of windows in the office areas made me feel like I was trapped in a submarine. During winter you would barely see the sun, so the building was not really designed with the human psyche in mind. I was surprised that structure was not included in the book, but the 1971 expansion to the Cleveland Art Museum (which never struck me as particularly brutalist) was.
February 15, 2017
The collection of photos of brutalist structures is fun to scan, but while the one-photo-per-building approach means here are lots of examples, it really limits what you can see of the best buildings. Plus, quotations from rock lyrics are a waste of space.
October 7, 2016
This is a great book of B&W photos of brutalist architecture. I believe all of the photos were taken by the author (it's not entirely clear), although if they were, he's done a lot of traveling. He is not an architect, but rather more of an artist.
Like one of the other commenters, I have a love/hate relationship with beton brutal. I spent a year of college in a German brutalist building. I hadn't seen anything like it. The concrete had been poured into wooden molds and the grain of the pine planks was impressed in the concrete. I thought at first that the builders had just been cheap. I hated that building. But since then I've grown to like many buildings in the style.
Like one of the other commenters, I have a love/hate relationship with beton brutal. I spent a year of college in a German brutalist building. I hadn't seen anything like it. The concrete had been poured into wooden molds and the grain of the pine planks was impressed in the concrete. I thought at first that the builders had just been cheap. I hated that building. But since then I've grown to like many buildings in the style.
July 24, 2016
A large book to browse through with great photographs of buildings and accompanying quotations from a wide variety of sources. With its broad redefinition of the architectural term "brutalism" the author and book looks at sites from the 20th century until the very recent, and as a result it might not fit into an easy category like other more "scholarly" architectural books.
Highly recommended, you'll probably enjoy it.
Highly recommended, you'll probably enjoy it.
October 15, 2016
Okay, not too much to read here (which I also liked), but amazing photos of amazing buildings. The buildings lend themselves to black and white photography, and Chadwick has an amazing collection from around the world. Need to see more.
April 1, 2017
Very impressive book - makes you rethink this architectural style. Gorgeous B & W photos.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews