Defend the Indefensible - Concrete Architecture

Roehampton:
'Prominent Modernists like Alison and Peter Smithson, (often called 'New Brutalists'), worried that fellow architects and planners were keen to develop a softer, 'humanist,' Modernism, along the lines of the architecture of the Swedish welfare state. This architecture was more cautious than pre-war Modernism, and tended to be more in tune with the national vernacular.'

damn those fuxoring peasants

'However, the external decoration of the houses at Alton East irked the hardline Modernist faction in the London County Council's Architects' Department. The brightly coloured brickwork, painted window frames and wide bands of concrete at regular intervals on the exterior were all considered frivolous, and lacking any obvious function. However, the housing at Alton East has proved to be popular with residents.'

yeahyeahyeah but what do they know...

'The absence of frivolous detailing and the angular simplicity of the concrete frames signalled a return to basic Modernist principles.'

where did they get the idea that modernism wasn't some kind of aesthetic (= 'frivolous') in itself ?
'functionality' <=> dressed-up aesthetic preferences

― Snowy Mann (rdmanston), Friday, 16 April 2004 14:24 (twenty years ago) link

that's the joke, SM.

― RJG (RJG), Friday, 16 April 2004 14:40 (twenty years ago) link

i have no time for such frivolity

― Snowy Mann (rdmanston), Friday, 16 April 2004 15:18 (twenty years ago) link

:' (

― RJG (RJG), Friday, 16 April 2004 15:18 (twenty years ago) link

fret not RJG - some of yr pictures on this thread were part of heducating me that concrete !necessarily = dud, thus giving me a more +ve outlook
this is a good thing :)

― Snowy Mann (rdmanston), Friday, 16 April 2004 15:30 (twenty years ago) link

:'''')

― RJG (RJG), Friday, 16 April 2004 15:30 (twenty years ago) link

:') always makes me think of Adam Ant

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 16 April 2004 15:36 (twenty years ago) link

or Nelly

― stevem (blueski), Friday, 16 April 2004 15:36 (twenty years ago) link

quight right with emley not ilkeston

― Ed (dali), Friday, 16 April 2004 15:43 (twenty years ago) link

http://storm.prohosting.com/dannywin/graphics/osaka-castle.jpg

― Mary (Mary), Saturday, 17 April 2004 23:38 (twenty years ago) link

I just spent the last six years of my life living only a few hundred metres from the base of this GIANT seventies monstrosity, so I have an odd affection for it.

http://archidiecezja.lodz.pl/da5/wakacje/toronto/CN%20Tower%20w%20Toronto.jpg

― Kim (Kim), Sunday, 18 April 2004 00:10 (twenty years ago) link

a couple of years ago i went to the RIBA (royal institute of british architects?)'s exhibit about concrete buildings, and it was just so cool. there's some amazing things that have been done and can be done. i think that, like any material, concrete can be used in creative and beautiful ways, or really boring and ugly ways.

sadly, since i'm at my parents' house on dialup, i can't look at all the pictures you're all talking about...

― colette (a2lette), Sunday, 18 April 2004 00:20 (twenty years ago) link

http://www.buildingsrus.co.uk/montreal_scrapbook/buildings/habitat_67.jpg

― Sébastien Chikara (Sébastien Chikara), Sunday, 18 April 2004 00:43 (twenty years ago) link

The Gateway Arch is actually giant triangular cross-sectioned segments of welded stainless steel. Just wanted to make sure you realize the magnitude of Badly Drawn Kit's accomplishment.

― Hunter (Hunter), Sunday, 18 April 2004 02:41 (twenty years ago) link

The Sculptured House outside of Denver, famous from exterior shots in Sleeper:

http://images.forbes.com/images/2002/09/09/how1_415x288.jpg

Architect Charles Deaton. I'm looking for a picture of the this weirdass looking bank building in Littleton that he did, too...

― Hunter (Hunter), Sunday, 18 April 2004 02:52 (twenty years ago) link

http://www.crdp-poitiers.cndp.fr/crdp/cddp79/mediatheque/original/gaudi.jpg

― Cy Twombly, Sunday, 18 April 2004 03:00 (twenty years ago) link

http://www.friends-ues.org/images/217e87whole.jpg

The Group Residence for Young Adults was one of the rare examples of Brutalist architecture in New York City...and it was just demolished not long ago, leaving a big empty lot in my neighborhood.

― Michael Daddino (epicharmus), Sunday, 18 April 2004 03:10 (twenty years ago) link

Ha, more on Sculptured House--

www.kentwoodhomestour.com/sculpturedhouse/home.html

― Hunter (Hunter), Sunday, 18 April 2004 03:19 (twenty years ago) link

Some more shots of habitat '67 (moshe safdie)

http://www.brynmawr.edu/Acads/Cities/imgb/imgb3/220a.jpg

from far away it looks like pixelized rock. I can't find a good pic from the front to show what I mean, but heres the closest thing I could find:

http://cac.mcgill.ca/cac/bland/building/pictures/full/700-66.jpg

― Elliot (Elliot), Sunday, 18 April 2004 08:48 (twenty years ago) link

The Humber bridge: one of the first suspension bridges to be built with concrete towers.

http://www.yorkshire-tour.co.uk/yt/assets/photos/HB_ws2.jpg

I tend to like the interiors of Brutalist buildings, but not the exteriors. Examples: the concourse of Euston station, or the foyer of Edinburgh university library.

― caitlin (caitlin), Sunday, 18 April 2004 08:57 (twenty years ago) link

Less talk, more pictures. I love that one Sebastian and Elliot linked to.

― Sick Nouthall (Nick Southall), Sunday, 18 April 2004 09:04 (twenty years ago) link

According to the caption, this is the housing estate I live on. I'm pretty sure that's wrong, but the general appearance - lots of concrete flats on different levels - is spot on.

http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/david.henniker/images/coolscan/embra_main/dumbiedykes2wee.jpg

― caitlin (caitlin), Sunday, 18 April 2004 09:11 (twenty years ago) link

That Habitat building is awesome. Imagine living in one of the flats above the big holes. I imagine the thing being occupied by those little Gormley people. Where is it anyway?

This thread has turned out much better than I anticipated, btw.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Sunday, 18 April 2004 15:10 (twenty years ago) link

It's in Montreal, by the old port. An old boss of mine lives there. One time he needed some help moving furniture so some of my work buddies got to go there. I wasn't around, so I didn't. :(

― Elliot (Elliot), Sunday, 18 April 2004 16:58 (twenty years ago) link

http://georgedalan.com/images/modern_night_2%5B1%5D.jpg

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Sunday, 18 April 2004 17:10 (twenty years ago) link

amazing thread.

― mark p (Mark P), Sunday, 18 April 2004 17:13 (twenty years ago) link

suzy what IS that building pic you posted?

― mark p (Mark P), Sunday, 18 April 2004 17:14 (twenty years ago) link

oh nevermind.

― mark p (Mark P), Sunday, 18 April 2004 17:15 (twenty years ago) link

don't forget the Rotterdam Cubes

― stevem (blueski), Sunday, 18 April 2004 19:36 (twenty years ago) link

how could I?

― RJG (RJG), Sunday, 18 April 2004 19:40 (twenty years ago) link

I can't believe I forgot about the metro (subway) system, a goldmine of 60s-70s-80s concrete architecture. Every station was designed by a different architect. Some have sci-fi/3d videogame feel, some are incredibly spacious/cavernous and some are just butt-ugly.

http://www.metrodemontreal.com/orange/delasavane/mezzanine1.jpg
http://www.metrodemontreal.com/orange/delasavane/walls1.jpg
http://www.metrodemontreal.com/green/monk/sculptures-front.jpg
http://www.metrodemontreal.com/green/radisson/arch.jpg
http://www.metrodemontreal.com/orange/georgesvanier/birdseye.jpg

you can see them all by rating or by thumbnail at metro de montreal

― Elliot (Elliot), Monday, 19 April 2004 02:18 (twenty years ago) link

http://data.GreatBuildings.com/gbc/images/cid_2402290.jpg
http://spock.student-kl.fh-kl.de/~di7543/corb_jpegs/villasavoie/savoye1.jpg
http://www.uibk.ac.at/c/c8/c822/unterlagen/baukunst4/vl3b4/068b5gross.jpg

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Monday, 19 April 2004 02:53 (twenty years ago) link

That Tricorn building looks like Dr. Who project housing.

― Nate in ST.P (natedetritus), Monday, 19 April 2004 04:14 (twenty years ago) link

Skipping 104 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.