What's your favourite bit of brutalist architecture?

[All uphill]

And then I have a look at other images and the interior and my faith (in brutalism!) Is restored.

 

[matticus]

And then I have a look at other images and the interior and my faith (in brutalism!) Is restored.

Is this image more favourable?

 

[All uphill]

Is this image more favourable?
View attachment 634191

I've never thought about it before, but it's strange how some buildings get criticised for being somehow unsympathetic, but we all seem to accept acres of car parks and roads without comment.

I guess it just reflects how much society has come to depend on cars and lorries.

 

[Blue Hills]

Up the road in Wigan .... St Jude's Church View attachment 634151

cripes - does it have a good side?

 

[Blue Hills]

Since there seems to be a sub category of churches in this thread, some folks might be interested in contemplating the divine via "brutte chiese" (ugly churches) as portrayed in this Italian blog.


http://bruttechiese.blogspot.com/

Thetre's also a FB page.

In truth some are actually interesting/rather good, though quite a few are genuinely WTF.

The greatest horrors (tho maybe not really brutalism) are devoted to the glorification of the infamous charlatan Padre Pio.

 

[matticus]

Since there seems to be a sub category of churches in this thread, some folks might be interested in contemplating the divine via "brutte chiese" (ugly churches) as portrayed in this Italian blog.


http://bruttechiese.blogspot.com/

Thetre's also a FB page.

In truth some are actually interesting/rather good, though quite a few are genuinely WTF.

The greatest horrors (tho maybe not really brutalism) are devoted to the glorification of the infamous charlatan Padre Pio.

I don't read Italian, so I'm assuming these are de-commisioned power stations, with bit of religious graffiti and some crosses added to guide the worshippers in. is that correct?

 

[Blue Hills]

I don't read Italian, so I'm assuming these are de-commisioned power stations, with bit of religious graffiti and some crosses added to guide the worshippers in. is that correct?

nope - genuine churches.
Since my posting was online I'm sure google translate can help.

There is at least one Italian brutalist church which I rather like.
It's in southern Italy but I don't have a pic to hand.
I mentioned to someone that I had wandered into it by accident and rather liked it and was told that her sister had been married there - small world.

The great virtue of Brutalism in churches in Italy is that there is a fair chance you might actually encounter some daylight and space for the human spirit to soar and rather less of the spooky shadows/visions more traditional catholic churches are inclined to inflict on an innocent soul.

 

[Blue Hills]

Back to churches and the themes above, this:

https://www.inyourpocket.com/krakow/the-lords-ark_55453v

An example of the wonderful spaces you can often get inside brutalist buildings even if the outsides might in some cases seem less than inviting.

A long long time ago while Poland was still communist I wandered here - I have some black and white pics of folk going into it somewhere*

Then went and sat inside for a while in its peaceful cavernous interior - though am an atheist.




* same day taking pics outside Nova Huta's steelworks I found myself marched inside the security station, told to hand over my passport and visa docs while the communist guards checked them, "admired" passed around kinda threatened to bust/confiscate/steal my Nikon and phoned through to some mysterious higher authority to decide what to do with me - eventually I was told to go back to Krakow and keep walking.

edit - another link - shots of interior a bit limited - understandable maybe as a church.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/lords-ark

 

[Bonefish Blues]

On churches, Italy et al, I always thought this architecture school was a close cousin of the Brutes:

https://www.sah.org/publications-an...and-planning-of-fascist-new-towns-in-sardinia

 

[Blue Hills]

On churches, Italy et al, I always thought this architecture school was a close cousin of the Brutes:

https://www.sah.org/publications-an...and-planning-of-fascist-new-towns-in-sardinia

I agree - have you been to those places in Sardinia?

I have.

And have stayed in a hotel in Fertilia I think.

And there's another place outside Carbonia I have been to.

There's a fair few Fascist era buildings in Sardinia.

Have always liked a lot of Italian Fascist era architecture.

Some condemn it because of the politics.

I have no doubt that some of the architects were complete twats as people, as of course were some maybe many of the Italian Futurist artists.

But the architecture is still interesting.

 

[matticus]

Back to churches and the themes above, this:

https://www.inyourpocket.com/krakow/the-lords-ark_55453v

An example of the wonderful spaces you can often get inside brutalist buildings even if the outsides might in some cases seem less than inviting.

A long long time ago while Poland was still communist I wandered here - I have some black and white pics of folk going into it somewhere*

Then went and sat inside for a while in its peaceful cavernous interior - though am an atheist.

Good to see you gaining some pleasure from the products of religion - despite your many robust statements on the matter in the past :P
(I'm also an atheist, but gain a lot of pleasure from churches - and sometimes from the believers amongst us too!)

 

[Bonefish Blues]

I agree - have you been to those places in Sardinia?

I have.

And have stayed in a hotel in Fertilia I think.

And there's another place outside Carbonia I have been to.

There's a fair few Fascist era buildings in Sardinia.

Have always liked a lot of Italian Fascist era architecture.

Some condemn it because of the politics.

I have no doubt that some of the architects were complete twats as people, as of course were some maybe many of the Italian Futurist artists.

But the architecture is still interesting.

Yes, we spent a week over there and visited a couple.

 

[Blue Hills]

Good to see you gaining some pleasure from the products of religion - despite your many robust statements on the matter in the past :P
(I'm also an atheist, but gain a lot of pleasure from churches - and sometimes from the believers amongst us too!)

re above, my view on churches is similar to fascist architecture - can admire the spaces/opportunity to contemplate life/things/existence in peace but am more than happy to open the doors and find that fascists and priests have departed/fled aren't scuttling around with their dodgy dogma.
Fortunately in many of these buildings, created by man, they have.
Hence peace.
Few places in this world are as peaceful as a british church - at least 6 days a week. Beyond lunch,
Ideal cycling stops.

 

[Blue Hills]

Yes, we spent a week over there and visited a couple.

this place is also interesting.
Cortoghiana
just south of Carbonia (new name of course - some tinkered with memorials)

View: https://www.flickr.com/photos/71600714@N08/8034826047


When I was last there the church in the centre of the terrace was disused/closed.
But Mussolini had a somewhat interesting relationship with the Italian church of course.

 

[GuyBoden]

Have we had the home of Gala Fairydean Rovers yet?

If not, we should have:

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18463822.bid-secure-future-brutalist-masterwork-moves-forward/

Wow, what an interesting stand.

Up the road in Wigan .... St Jude's Church View attachment 634151

I'll have to visit that, it looks interesting.
Here's the original plan drawing.