PRATEEK MANCHANDA:-0906027

SAHIL ANEJA :-0906033

 Introduction
Brutalism is an architectural style that spawned
from the Modernist architectural movement and
which flourished from the 1950s to the1970s. The
early style was largely inspired by the work of Swiss
architect, Le Corbusier(in particular his Unite de
habitation building) and of Mies Van der Rohe. The
term originates from the French béton brut, or "raw
concrete". Brutalist buildings are usually formed with
striking blockish, geometric, and repetitive shapes,
and often reveal the textures of the wooden forms
used to shape the material, which is normally rough,
unadorned poured concrete.
Brutalism as an architectural style was also
associated with a social utopian ideology which
tended to be supported by its designers, Peter and
Alison Smithson, near the height of the style. The
failure of positive communities to form early on in
some Brutalist structures, possibly due to the
natural urban decay of the post-WW II period
(especially in the United Kingdom), led to the
combined unpopularity of both the ideology and the
architectural style.
Brutalism brought about the best and worst in what
Modernism represented. Bridging a dichotomy of
simplicity and complexity to the senses, the period is
probably best remembered for producing ‘Best'
buildings.
 Brutalist design incorporated a new philosophy
toward materials, rejecting the International Style’s
but was in the favor of celebrating the textured
quality and dynamic massing that can be achieved
through the plasticity of concrete.
 STYLE
 Brutalism is related and similar to (and often
confused with) the Modernist, and
Internationalist styles of architecture. All of
these styles make heavy use of repetition and
regularity in their features, but brutalist
designs also often incorporate striking, the
irregularities.
Another common theme in brutalist designs
is the exposition of the building's functions --
ranging from their structure and services to
their actual human use -- in the exterior of
the building. In other words, Brutalist style is
"the celebration of concrete."
Critics note that this abstract nature of Brutalism
makes the style unfriendly and uncommunicative,
instead of integrating and protective as its
proponents intended. For example, the location of the
entrance of a Brutalist structure is rarely obvious to
the visitor.

Brutalism is criticized for its disregard for the social,

historic, and architectural environment of its
surroundings, making the introduction of such
structures in existing developed areas appear very
stark, out of place, and alien.
History
Brutalism gained large momentum in Britain during
the middle 20th century, as economically depressed
communities sough in expensive construction and
design methods for low-cost housing, shopping
centers, and government buildings.
Combined with the socially progressive intentions
behind brutalist "streets in the sky" housings like
Corbusier's Unité de habitation, brutalism was
promoted as positive option for forward-moving,
modern urban housing.
 BRUTALIST DESIGNS WERE ALSO OFTEN INITIALLY
CRITICISED AS EYESORES. THE CURRENT FODOR'S GUIDE
TO LONDON MENTIONS THE HOME OFFICE STRUCTURE AS
"HULK" BECAUSE THE STYLE IS ESSENTIALLY THAT OF
POURED CONCRETE IT TENDS TO BE IN EXPENSIVE TO
BUILD AND MAINTAIN (BUT VERY DIFFICULT TO MODIFY).
HOWEVER, IN THE CASE OF TRELLICK TOWER, THE
DESIGN HAS ULTIMATELY PROVED VERY POPULAR WITH
BOTH TENANTS AND OWNER-OCCUPIER RESIDENTS. IN
TIME, MANY BRUTALIST STRUCTURES BECOME
APPRECIATED AS LANDMARKS BY THEIR COMMUNITIES
FOR THEIR UNIQUENESS AND EYE-CATCHING
APPEARANCE.
In recent years, the bad memories of underserved
Brutalist community structures have led to their eager
demolition to make way for newer, more traditionally
oriented community structures. Despite a nascent
Modernist appreciation movement, and the identified
success that some of this style's offspring are slated to be
demolished.
 THE NEW BARBARISM
 Brutalism has some severe critics, one of the
most famous being Charles, Prince of Wales,
whose speeches and writings on architecture
have excoriate brutalism, calling many of the
structures "piles of concrete." Criticism comes
not from the designs of the buildings, but rather
from the fact that concrete facades don't age well
in a temperate climate such as Europe's,
becoming streak with water stain and sometimes
even moss In warmer desert climates, Brutalist
buildings are better preserve and in such places
have often come to be regarded as works of art.
LEADING BRUTALISTS

Architects associated with the brutalist style include-

 Le-Corbusier with his works across the world,
 Paul Rudolph one of the masters in Brutalism,
 Japanise architect Kenzo Tange,
 Erno goldfinger,
 Husband-wife Peter and Alison Smithsor,
 Outside Britain Louis Kahn with government buildings
in Asia,
 In New York de Young, Moscowitz & Rosenberg,
 Charles Correa with residential buildings,and
 More recent Modernists such as I.M Pie and Tadao Ando
have also designed notable Brutalist works.
EXAMPLES ON BRUTALIST ARCHITECTURE
 Unité d'Habitation
 Chandigarh`s-
The Secretariat
The Assembly
The High Court
 Art and Architecture Building
 Oriental Masonic Gardens
 St. Mary's Cathedral
 National gymnasiums in Tokyo
 Hunstanton School
 Boston City Hall
 Park Hill
 Le-corbusier`s
UNITÉ D'HABITATION
 The Unité d'Habitation (French,
literally, "Housing Unit") is the name
of a modernist residential housing
design principle developed by Le
Corbusier which formed the basis of
numerous housing developments
designed by Le Corbusier throughout
Europe with this name. It is located in
Marseille, in France, built in 1947-
1952. Probably the most famous work
of Le Corbusier, it proved enormous
influential and is often cited as the
initial inspiration of the Brutalist
architectural style
 Marseille building
 The Marseille building comprises 337
apartments arranged over twelve
stories, all suspended on large piloti.
The building also incorporates shops,
sporting, medical and educational
facilities, and a hotel. The flat roof is
designed as a communal terrace with
sculptural ventilation stack and a
swimming pool. The building is
constructed in rough-cast concrete, as
the hoped-for steel frame proved too
expensive in light of post-War
shortages. The replacement material
influenced the Brutalist movement,
and the building inspired several
housing complexes including the
Roehampton estate in London and
Park Hill in Sheffield. These
buildings have attracted a great deal
of criticism.
 THE SECRETARIAT
This was one of the most
valuable work of Le
Corbusier in India.The
building was completed in
1953.It is 254mx42m
Positioned at a sharp right
angle to the mountain
range it is designed as a
vast linear slab-like
structure – a workplace for
4000 people. An endless
rhythm of balconies and
louvers on its linear
facades is punctuated in a
subtle way by a
deliberately asymmetrical
composition of brise-soleil
(a sun shading device).
 THE ASSEMBLY
In front of the Secretariat is
located the most sculptural and eye-
catching of all the geometrical
forms of the Capitol -The Assembly.
Characterizing the roofline of the
Assembly is a great hyperbolic drum
connected to a pyramidal by a small
bridge, Inside, the legislative
chambers are dramatically
illumined with shafts of light, The
building has two entrances: one at
the basement level for everyday use
an the other from the piazza level
for ceremonial occasions through a
massive entrance, 7.60 meters high
and 7.60 meters broad, whose
enameled door translates a cubist
mural painted by Le Corbusier
himself. (a gift to Punjab from
France)
 THE HIGH COURT
The High Court is a linear block
with the main façade towards the
piazza. It has a rhythmic arcade
created by a parasol-like roof,
which shades the entire building.
Keeping in view the special
dignity of the entrance for them
through a high portico resting on
three giant pylons painted in
bright colors. Very much in the
tradition of the Buland Darwaza
of Fatehpur-Sikri, this grand
entrance with its awesome scale
is intended to manifest the
Majesty of the Law to all who
enter.
 The continuity of the concrete piazza running into
this space establishes a unique site and structural
unity of the structure with the ground plane. The
massive concrete pylons representing again the
"Majesty' of Law" are painted in bright primary colors
and visually punctuate the otherwise rhythmic facade
of the High Court. A number of symbols that
encapsulated Le Corbusier’s view of man, earth,
nature, the emblems of India and the scales of justice
were depicted in abstract, geometric patterns. They
were also required for acoustical reasons. These
tapestry designs referred to the basic element of
architecture, and of order generally.
 ORIENTAL MASONIC GARDENS, NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT
(1968-1971)
Oriental Masonic Gardens consists of
148 units on 12.5 acres. Residences are
grouped in fours around a utility core. In
every home, a lower module contains
living spaces. A second module above it
houses two or three bedrooms. And a
third module may be added, parallel to
the lowest one, for additional bedrooms.
This stacking organization creates a
sheltered outdoor space for each unit.
The units are factory assembled with
plumbing, wiring and finishes, then
trucked to the site. Each module, 12 feet
wide by 27, 39 or 51 feet long. At the
time of the project, building mobile
homes was more lucrative so few
companies were interested in taking on
the risk of modular housing.
National
gymnasiums in
Tokyo
In the work considered his
masterpiece - the twin
gymnasiums designed by
Kenzo Tange and built
between 1961 and 1964 to
house swimming and
diving events in the 1964
Summer Olympics. He
placed two comma-shaped
buildings, with sweeping
roofs like upside-down
ships' hulls, so as to
connect two busy Tokyo
districts.
 BOSTON CITY HALL
 Boston City Hall is the home
of the municipal government of
Boston, Massachusetts. The
firm of noted architect I.M. Pei
designed City Hall in 1961.
Construction was completed in
1969, and the building is
considered one of the prime
examples of brutalist
architecture in the United
States. The adjoining City Hall
Plaza is often used for parades
and rallies; most memorably,
the region's championship
sports teams, the New England
Patriots and the Boston Red
Sox, have been feted in front of
City Hall.
HUNSTANTON SCHOOL

It was designed by the

intellectual architectural
couple, Peter and Alison
Smithson and was one of
the most popular works by
the Smithsons. the school
was strikingly modern in
many ways, most notably in
its extensive use of glass
and steel, and the unusual
free-standing water tower.
It is often regarded as the
first important example of
the movement which came
to be known as New
Brutalism
 PARK HILL
 Park Hill is a housing
estate in Sheffield,
England. Designed by Jack
Lynn and Ivor Smith and
built between 1957 and
1961, the deck access
scheme, inspired by Le
Corbusier’s Unité
d'Habitation and the
Smithson's unbuilt
schemes. The concept of the
flats was described as
"streets in the sky". Broad
decks, wide enough for milk
floats, had large numbers of
front doors opening onto
them.
 Each deck of structure, except the top one, has
direct access to ground level at some point on the
sloping site. The site also allows the roofline to
remain level despite the building varying
between four and thirteen stories in height. The
scheme incorporates a shopping precinct and a
primary school.
THANK YOU