Brutalism: Post-war British Architecture
Alexander Clement
Brutalism has received a lot of bad press over the years with many of its buildings being described as soulless, characterless carbuncles of concrete that have blighted the British urban landscape. So I was pleased to read the recently published Brutalism: Post-war British Architecture by Alexander Clement (The Crowood Press Ltd 2011) hoping that it would shed some positive light on this influential period of recent British architectural history.
Clement gives a good overview of some of the key buildings built between 1945-1985 which are described as being Brutalist – a term often used but harder to define.
Clement sets out his understanding of a Brutalist building as being one that uses particular materials in an unfinished state (concrete being top of the list, of course) and large, often monumental and asymmetrical, forms. He also draws out the emotive aspects of the buildings as being:
“…distinctive, arresting, exciting and, at the same time, like almost no other form of architecture before it, able to generate extreme emotions and heated debate.”
Clement identifies three phases of Brutalism which helps to map its evolution across four decades – Early (1945-60), Massive (1960-75) and the Transitional (1975-1985). This recognises the long-term impact Brutalism has had upon the post-war British urban landscape.
Following a brief introduction and historical context, each chapter focuses on a building type (Civic, Educational, Commercial, Leisure & Entertainment, Social & Private Housing & Ecclesiastical) and describes 5-10 buildings within each type. The descriptions are considered and pragmatic but often lack that distinctive, arresting and exciting feeling described earlier as being a characteristic of a Brutalist building.
A couple of other disappointments are that there are no drawings of the buildings discussed and although there are plenty of photographs, they lack energy and distinctiveness which would have certainly helped bring life to the building descriptions.
The conclusion mentions the impact Brutalism has had on British architecture since 1985 with the recent development of Neo-brutalism. However, referencing the work of only two architects/projects (post-2000) and how concrete has been replaced by more environmentally friendly materials, I think heavily understates the reality but then that’s probably another book altogether.
The book’s brevity demonstrates that there is a real need for more detailed research, critical evaluation and understanding into this influential period and the buildings borne of it.
Brutalism: Post-war British Architecture is accessible and certainly a good introduction to this influential period in recent architectural history. It is likely to broaden the knowledge of those on the periphery who want to find out more.
I hope that Clement’s book will be a first step in encouraging those who have pre-conceptions about Brutalism to take a fresh look at this distinctive, arresting and exciting architectural history and the positive impact it has had upon the British urban landscape before it is too late.
“The recent past is just as worthy of respect as the distant past – and it needs it much more.”? Denys Lasdun, 1995