Brutalism– typically identified as heavy, superscaled massings in concrete, brick or block– had its building boom from the 1950s to the 1970s, with some later examples in Eastern European Soviet cities. The heroic, monumental scale and inexpensive materials that characterized the style made it especially popular for public projects–examples of this oft-maligned building style can be found throughout the globe. Once pervasively built, vast numbers of these projects are in decline, under aggressive redevelopment or slatted for demolition.
As a global thread, Brutalism provides a rich field in which to study regional distinctions and consider how these buildings have aged and accommodated (or resisted) change within different cultures and climates.
Funding is generously provided by the John K Branner Fellowship which is awarded by the UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design. The fellowship supports research to inform a Master’s of Architecture design thesis.
close
