What's your favourite bit of brutalist architecture?

[threebikesmcginty]

This isn't a favourite but I went past these the other day and thought it's one of the most brutal brutalist buildings. Nuclear power stations in North Wales.

 

[Drago]

Turns out it had the same architect as this place, thought bits looked familiar View attachment 347189

Designed by the makers of Lego?

 

[jefmcg]

Not sure if it's been mentioned, but the DWP building in central Leeds, near the Market
Quarry House

Is that Brutalist? It's built too late to be part of the movement, and just doesn't seem to have any of the hallmarks of brutalism. It's monumental and possibly post modern, but I don't think it's brutalist.

Googling Quarry House and Brutalism doesn't turn up much either.

 

[jefmcg]

2 of my (geniune) favourites, that I grew up with

National Gallery of Victoria, were at the age of 6 I experienced my first bomb scare.


And the Harold Holt Memorial pool, where I learnt to swim.

 

[Jody]

There is loads of it in Sheffield. Surprised no one has mentioned Park Hill flats which are currently being converted into trendy flats

 

[robjh]

I came across this thread again in a café this morning, then shortly afterwards found myself riding past this

In Arlesey, Beds. It's hardly an outstanding specimen, but is an example of fairly run-of-the-mill functional British commercial building in the 1970s(?).

 

[Drago]

Late 60's if I'm not mistaken

 

[robjh]

Late 60's if I'm not mistaken

Possible. I hedged my bets wisely with that (?)

 

[Haitch]

I'm going to The Fountainhead tonight!

Well that was a complete and utter turkey.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Turns out it had the same architect as this place, thought bits looked familiar View attachment 347189

Presumably a picture of it before it was blown up. I saw a documentary about that recently which was surprisingly exciting.

 

[Drago]

I saw the same documentary. T'was called Skyfall.

 

[Bonefish Blues]

Yes, never knew that they were so entertaining.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Is that Brutalist? It's built too late to be part of the movement, and just doesn't seem to have any of the hallmarks of brutalism. It's monumental and possibly post modern, but I don't think it's brutalist.

Googling Quarry House and Brutalism doesn't turn up much either.

Quarry House isn't really Brutalist, but just a rather large building that sits ominously in its location, semi-jokingly referred to as the 'Kremlin' for a while when it was being built

Them again, when they were building the new Hospital in Wakefield (Pinderfields), the lift-shafts, or that's what they appeared to be, as they towered over the old buildings, looked like Eastern Bloc gun-towers

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Well that was a complete and utter turkey.

We need more than that.

 

[growingvegetables]

Is that Brutalist? It's built too late to be part of the movement, and just doesn't seem to have any of the hallmarks of brutalism.

Fair enough.

But - 'More recently, "brutalism" has become used in popular discourse to refer to buildings of the late twentieth century that are large or unpopular – as a synonym for "brutal."' And "brutal" most certainly fits. Partly for the architecture, but maybe more so for what goes on inside.

Bit like the Mugamma in Cairo - similarly intimidating and daunting.