Brutalism
Brutalist architecture is a movement in architecture that flourished from the 1950s to the mid-1970s, descending from the modernist architectural movement of the early 20th century. Brutalism became popular with governmental and institutional clients. Examples are typically massive in character (even when not large), fortress-like, with a predominance of exposed concrete construction, creating an emphasis on graphically expressing the external elevations. Brutalism became popular for educational buildings (especially university buildings), and was favoured for many government projects, high-rise housing, and shopping centres. In its ruggedness and lack of concern to look comfortable, Brutalism can be seen as a reaction by a younger generation to the lightness, and optimism of some 1930s/ 1940s architecture.
What What began as a utopian project to design new schools, libraries and hospitals using the most cutting-edge building techniques, was deemed to have failed; resulting in ugly, inhuman buildings, however recently there is a growing re-evaluation of the movement. Buildings once deemed monstrosities are now national treasures. People are queuing up to buy flats in masterpieces of mid-20th century design such as London’s Barbican or Patrick Hodgkinson’s Brunswick Centre (both now Grade II-listed). Denys Lasdun’s 1976 cast-concrete National Theatre (once compared, by the Prince of Wales, to a nuclear power station) has just had a much admired £80 million refurbishment. Making now the perfect time to re-vitalise the brutalist aesthetic celebrating through the series of contemporary heritage inspired bank notes.
No comments:
Post a Comment