What's your favourite bit of brutalist architecture?

[Yellow Fang]

I am presently in Tbilisi. There are some pretty brutal bits of architecture here.

 

[palinurus]

I do have a favourite- is it Brutalist? it's concrete anyhow. Visited a few years ago- Musee Gallo-Romain, Lyon

Bernard Zehrfuss, opened '75. Apart from a couple of window (below) opening on to an amphitheater the whole thing is underground. The entrance is just like a small bunker above ground.

I barely looked at the exhibits.


https://blog.thal.art/the-hidden-architecture-of-the-lugdunum-museum-in-lyon-france/

Here's a few phone photos

 

[Yellow Fang]

Nice bit of urban sprawl in Tbilisi. Don't reckon planning permission is that hard to get here.

 

[mikeIow]

Here's a few phone photos

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Yup - cracking spot!
Our son studied there for a year during his degree - we had a couple of trips out, loved the City!
That museum is very cool, with the Roman remains outside:

& inside!

 

[mikeIow]

Tbilisi looks fairly grim!
We visited friends in Slovakia last May as part of a massive Interrail trip. They lived on the 7th floor of a ghastly ex-Soviet block of flats (their view too!). To counter that, we had a fabulous weekend with them, walking in the High Tatras, going down an old Opal Mine, eating and drinking and enjoying fine banter!
Whichever way you looked out, you just saw more of the same flats.....

As an added bonus, the lift only took 3 people, so I pretty soon found myself running up and down 212 steps at regular intervals. Great for my fitness!

 

[slowmotion]

I am presently in Tbilisi. There are some pretty brutal bits of architecture here.

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That kind of housing usually appears on the news with artillery/drone/missile holes punched into it.

 

[Yellow Fang]

I reckon Georgia has a lot of potential. If you were a business man and you wanted something built, you could probably get it built. A lot of people speak English. In 30 years time it could all be different. OTOH, Putin might invade it.

 

[Grant Fondo]

Brunel University!

 

[Dogtrousers]

I reckon Georgia has a lot of potential. If you were a business man and you wanted something built, you could probably get it built. A lot of people speak English. In 30 years time it could all be different. OTOH, Putin might invade it.

They're quite good at rugby, too. Or at least they were a few years ago.

 

[Reynard]

Brunel University!
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Aaaaaaah, my Alma Mater.

I spent five very happy years there - foundation course, then an MEng. That's the Lecture Centre. Behind it (top) and to the right of it (bottom) was the Howell Building which housed the Mechanical Engineering dept and the drawing offices, and the towers - C, which housed some of the computer labs (and with an excellent view of Heathrow from the top floor), and D, which had the Mech Eng labs.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Aaaaaaah, my Alma Mater.

I spent five very happy years there - foundation course, then an MEng. That's the Lecture Centre. Behind it (top) and to the right of it (bottom) was the Howell Building which housed the Mechanical Engineering dept and the drawing offices, and the towers - C, which housed some of the computer labs (and with an excellent view of Heathrow from the top floor), and D, which had the Mech Eng labs.

Did it "work" as a building? IYSWIM

 

[Profpointy]

Did it "work" as a building? IYSWIM

That is absolutely the most important question for any bit of architecture. Some of Frank Lloyd Wright's buildings (eg the waterfall) needed massive work to keep them going. And I think the award winning penguin enclosure in London Zoo was a crap environment for penguins, the concrete deteriorated, and since it wasn't a shed or similar they couldn't even turn into a tea shop. Grade 1 listing or some such

 

[Profpointy]

Brunel University!
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That looks fantastic, subject to Mr DT's vital question of course

 

[Reynard]

Did it "work" as a building? IYSWIM

Yes. It was very much a "Ronseal" kind of place, and, in my day (mid-90s) rather utilitarian. I think the building has been re-modelled inside since, but there were six lecture theatres over two floors (four smaller ones and two whoppers that could take 300 plus), plus a whole host of seminar rooms and a central communal space.

I remember the acoustics being pretty decent too, as I'm partially deaf, but could sit towards the back and still hear what was being said.

 

[Yellow Fang]

Tbilisi looks fairly grim!
We visited friends in Slovakia last May as part of a massive Interrail trip. They lived on the 7th floor of a ghastly ex-Soviet block of flats (their view too!). To counter that, we had a fabulous weekend with them, walking in the High Tatras, going down an old Opal Mine, eating and drinking and enjoying fine banter!
Whichever way you looked out, you just saw more of the same flats.....

View attachment 721615

As an added bonus, the lift only took 3 people, so I pretty soon found myself running up and down 212 steps at regular intervals. Great for my fitness!

View attachment 721616

TBF it is not all grim. There is a bit of old Tbilisi with churches and castles. There is a relatively rich part of Tbilisi. There are industrial estates and places with lots of medical clinics. There are universities and colleges. There are quite a few grotty areas, however, with shoddily finished buildings with no pavements outside.