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Concrete Concept: Brutalist buildings around the world
"A lively journey around the world's brutalist buildings" Frieze.com
"A dazzlingly shot whistle-stop of the much-maligned style's greatest hits ... the book showcases confidence, clarity and the historical importance of the movement." Monocle
No modern architectural movement has aroused so much awe and so much ire as Brutalism. This is architecture at its most compelling, distinctive, sometimes terrifying. But, as Concrete Concept shows, Brutalism can be about love as well as hate.
This inspiring and informative photographic survey profiles 50 brutalist buildings from around the world. Travelling the globe – from Le Corbusier's Unite d’Habitation (Marseille, France), to the Former Whitney Museum (New York City, USA) to Preston Bus Station (Preston, UK) – this book covers concrete architecture in its most extraordinary forms, demonstrating how Brutalism has changed our landscapes and infected popular culture.
Now in a stylish mini format, this is the perfect tour of Brutalism's biggest hits.
"A dazzlingly shot whistle-stop of the much-maligned style's greatest hits ... the book showcases confidence, clarity and the historical importance of the movement." Monocle
No modern architectural movement has aroused so much awe and so much ire as Brutalism. This is architecture at its most compelling, distinctive, sometimes terrifying. But, as Concrete Concept shows, Brutalism can be about love as well as hate.
This inspiring and informative photographic survey profiles 50 brutalist buildings from around the world. Travelling the globe – from Le Corbusier's Unite d’Habitation (Marseille, France), to the Former Whitney Museum (New York City, USA) to Preston Bus Station (Preston, UK) – this book covers concrete architecture in its most extraordinary forms, demonstrating how Brutalism has changed our landscapes and infected popular culture.
Now in a stylish mini format, this is the perfect tour of Brutalism's biggest hits.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published February 4, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 31, 2017
Sometimes books, even grey books invite one to open them and take them out of the library, read them on the bus home, show them to one's other half....and then forget all about them. for ever. Concrete is probably the least suitable material for anything other than hidden underground structures ever invented. It just does not weather well. You can paint it but think of the cost! The time factor! The maintenance budget.
When I was at school, a new theatre was being constructed, I remember the smell, damp cement, damp shuttering, tobacco smoke, scaffolding and buckets of concrete. When it had 'gone off' the moulded ribs on the frontage were attacked with lump hammers to create a broken finish. Man was master of his environment in those days. We built big, we thought lumps were the way forward, progress in action etc, etc.
This book is about the past, the buildings nobody wanted, needed or asked for. The buildings that replaced the ad hoc, the ancient, the wonky and the improvised. Also the bombed, demolished or just plain empty.
The author is on to something, the sheer scale of some of these appalling carbuncles is SO overwhelmingly spectacular- but he seems totally fixated on concrete as a material. Has he never been to Ipswich, home of the 'Winerack,' the 'Broken Finger' and 'The Unfinished Nightmare?'
When the wind blows in Ipswich, bits of (concrete) buildings tend to fly around, the bits attached to them to hide their grey reality, usually.
Lovely book, thoroughly enjoyed reading it and looking at the pictures. May it be a warning to us all.
When I was at school, a new theatre was being constructed, I remember the smell, damp cement, damp shuttering, tobacco smoke, scaffolding and buckets of concrete. When it had 'gone off' the moulded ribs on the frontage were attacked with lump hammers to create a broken finish. Man was master of his environment in those days. We built big, we thought lumps were the way forward, progress in action etc, etc.
This book is about the past, the buildings nobody wanted, needed or asked for. The buildings that replaced the ad hoc, the ancient, the wonky and the improvised. Also the bombed, demolished or just plain empty.
The author is on to something, the sheer scale of some of these appalling carbuncles is SO overwhelmingly spectacular- but he seems totally fixated on concrete as a material. Has he never been to Ipswich, home of the 'Winerack,' the 'Broken Finger' and 'The Unfinished Nightmare?'
When the wind blows in Ipswich, bits of (concrete) buildings tend to fly around, the bits attached to them to hide their grey reality, usually.
Lovely book, thoroughly enjoyed reading it and looking at the pictures. May it be a warning to us all.
August 29, 2018
I give this book four stars for the pictures and take a star off for the author's narration and tone. I really disliked his attitude when giving background on the buildings and would have liked to know more about the thought process that went into the concept, design, and construction of these buildings. The whole swearing-trying to be cool attitude comes off as annoying. Also would have been nice to see more buildings from the US or other countries instead of being so focused on the UK.
November 14, 2021
Brutalism. You either love it or hate it, right? Not really, no. You can love it and get horrified on occasion – the two things can and will go hand in hand. It’s like the slow-mo train wreck of architecture.
[Keep reading @ Bookshelves & Teacups]
[Keep reading @ Bookshelves & Teacups]
November 13, 2021
Concrete Concepts by Christopher Beanland is a compact but very useful introduction to brutalism in architecture.
The beginning of the book covers some history and terminology, delivered with wit and expertise. From there we are shown 50 examples from around the world. Let me address a couple comments I have seen. Brutalism originated in the UK, so as a fairly short-lived trend it only makes sense that a fair number of the examples come from England. Under those circumstances 11 of the 50 being in England is not skewed all that far in that direction As for complaining that the buildings shown from a trend that originated in England didn't offer enough from the USA, well, 9 of 50 is not really neglecting the US. In other words, these examples are from all over the world and happen to include a large number from a couple of the countries that adopted the style most extensively. Not really a surprise and definitely not a weakness of the book.
I think what stood out for me, aside from some amazing buildings, was just how many similar buildings I have seen in my life (as well as the Metro in DC that I know very well). Even on some of the more unique buildings included here there are elements that reminded me of places I have been. This is just as likely because of my age as the amount of traveling and moving around I did. I do think some of the images will remind a lot of readers of places they have been. Perhaps just aspects of overhangs or walkways rather than the full blown building design, but these elements are what most easily migrated from place to place as Brutalism spread.
While I can't really say I ever really liked the style, there were some places that I thought, both at the time and now in retrospect, were attractive even if not beautiful like some other styles. Placing the movement in historical and cultural context helps the reader to appreciate things about it even while being thankful that there aren't a lot of such buildings going up right now.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
The beginning of the book covers some history and terminology, delivered with wit and expertise. From there we are shown 50 examples from around the world. Let me address a couple comments I have seen. Brutalism originated in the UK, so as a fairly short-lived trend it only makes sense that a fair number of the examples come from England. Under those circumstances 11 of the 50 being in England is not skewed all that far in that direction As for complaining that the buildings shown from a trend that originated in England didn't offer enough from the USA, well, 9 of 50 is not really neglecting the US. In other words, these examples are from all over the world and happen to include a large number from a couple of the countries that adopted the style most extensively. Not really a surprise and definitely not a weakness of the book.
I think what stood out for me, aside from some amazing buildings, was just how many similar buildings I have seen in my life (as well as the Metro in DC that I know very well). Even on some of the more unique buildings included here there are elements that reminded me of places I have been. This is just as likely because of my age as the amount of traveling and moving around I did. I do think some of the images will remind a lot of readers of places they have been. Perhaps just aspects of overhangs or walkways rather than the full blown building design, but these elements are what most easily migrated from place to place as Brutalism spread.
While I can't really say I ever really liked the style, there were some places that I thought, both at the time and now in retrospect, were attractive even if not beautiful like some other styles. Placing the movement in historical and cultural context helps the reader to appreciate things about it even while being thankful that there aren't a lot of such buildings going up right now.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
August 4, 2019
This book is a really nice object. It’s square, for a start. It’s big enough to fit luscious photographs full of details and textures, but small enough I can easily read it while lounging in bed. The pages are matt (very nice), and the paper is heavy. It has one of those lie-flat, hard-back covers.
The content is just as good. It features 50 buildings, covering a wide variety of brutalism with several photos for each showing the impact of each beautiful beast in its surroundings, as well as close-ups of quirky windows and walkways.
Each has a little blurb by Beanland (great name btw), about the length of a lengthy commentary for a piece in an art gallery. These are entertaining and dart all over the place, capturing the experience of the way the building shapes space, of living in it, working in it, shopping in it, as well as connecting it up to the rest of the world with a generous peppering of cultural references. These could lead you on down endless rabbit holes of wikipedia articles and google image searches. I refrained after the first few pages, as I wanted to actually finish the book within this lifetime, but it has plenty mileage for re-reading.
Here are some micro-quotes for a flavour of Beanland’s energetic style: ‘interplanetary antics’, ‘beardy weirdy’, ‘jolly decent fellow’,’crinkle cut chips’, ‘XXL excess’, ‘sword-wielding, cholera-carrying conquistadors’, ’hamburger on autopilot’, ‘1960’s quiffs’, ’an enjoyable smack in the face’.
The content is just as good. It features 50 buildings, covering a wide variety of brutalism with several photos for each showing the impact of each beautiful beast in its surroundings, as well as close-ups of quirky windows and walkways.
Each has a little blurb by Beanland (great name btw), about the length of a lengthy commentary for a piece in an art gallery. These are entertaining and dart all over the place, capturing the experience of the way the building shapes space, of living in it, working in it, shopping in it, as well as connecting it up to the rest of the world with a generous peppering of cultural references. These could lead you on down endless rabbit holes of wikipedia articles and google image searches. I refrained after the first few pages, as I wanted to actually finish the book within this lifetime, but it has plenty mileage for re-reading.
Here are some micro-quotes for a flavour of Beanland’s energetic style: ‘interplanetary antics’, ‘beardy weirdy’, ‘jolly decent fellow’,’crinkle cut chips’, ‘XXL excess’, ‘sword-wielding, cholera-carrying conquistadors’, ’hamburger on autopilot’, ‘1960’s quiffs’, ’an enjoyable smack in the face’.
November 2, 2021
Absolutely brilliant! This is a real treat for architecture nerds, but this book is so captivating it's sure to have universal appeal. The collection of these wild, audacious buildings boggles the mind and I'm amazed at the vast scope and endless variety.
The concept of brutalism is explained in an accessible, irreverent way. This is no stuffy textbook, but rather a love letter to anyone who can see beauty in unlikely places. The article for each building is full of interesting commentary on the development, context, and eventual fate of the structures.
The photography is just breathtaking! There are multiple shots of most buildings and highlights of especially unique or clever details. This would be a great gift for anyone interested in art, architecture, history, or traveling.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!
The concept of brutalism is explained in an accessible, irreverent way. This is no stuffy textbook, but rather a love letter to anyone who can see beauty in unlikely places. The article for each building is full of interesting commentary on the development, context, and eventual fate of the structures.
The photography is just breathtaking! There are multiple shots of most buildings and highlights of especially unique or clever details. This would be a great gift for anyone interested in art, architecture, history, or traveling.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!
December 14, 2021
A charming and irreverent take on a style of architecture most people find inaccessible and ugly, Concrete Concept’s beautiful photography and cheeky text force the reader to reconsider Brutalism and also makes its variations more recognizable. As it is more image-heavy than text-heavy, it is probably best for those seeking a coffee-table book, and certainly one should look elsewhere for in-depth explorations of the Brutalist style and its conceptual basis. I came away from it with a greater affection for a style that I myself have scoffed at quite a bit, and am definitely interested in learning more. Perhaps it’s my own relentless curiosity that makes me wish this book had a little more exposition about Brutalism and its context, but despite this it fulfills a need for a more lighthearted approach to architectural history and is certainly tailor-made for those who are already big fans of the style.
January 15, 2018
Strange structures for strange times (at that time). Megalith monolith stark structures for a potentially dystopian landscape, however there is beauty in being dwarfed by such architectural presence functioning as galleries, museums, cultural centers, palace of assemblies, metros, housing estates, Olympic Park, etc.
Highlight: The Geisel Library (dedicated to Dr Seuss!) in UC Saint Diego.
Insights into its interior architecture would have been a welcome to delve and appreciate deeper. To just showcase the exterior photography seems quite superficial.
Design of book is like a concrete slab which is great.
Highlight: The Geisel Library (dedicated to Dr Seuss!) in UC Saint Diego.
Insights into its interior architecture would have been a welcome to delve and appreciate deeper. To just showcase the exterior photography seems quite superficial.
Design of book is like a concrete slab which is great.
June 15, 2017
I loved the pictures and the list of buildings. I truly disliked Beanland's writing style. Apparently, because I am looking at brutalist architecture, I must be some hip person and the rest of the world must be dense and idiotic.
May 7, 2018
192 pages of brutalist joy! OK, 95% of the book is photographs, bu they are mostly great photographs showing the sculptural elementsThe large photo of an illuminated Preston bus station is one I'd put on the wall.
A romp.
A romp.
July 15, 2017
i had decided to rate this for the architecture and not the book... i like the buildings. text is too short...
October 30, 2018
Loved how the author commented on the buildings and the tone that was used. This books highlights great brutalist buildings from all over the world with amazing pictures.
April 7, 2024
Really good coffee-table-style book about Brutalist architecture. Helped guide my recent trip to Belgrade.
July 10, 2024
This book helped me better appreciate the complexity and diversity of Brutalist architecture.
August 2, 2020
This is not a traditional architecture book full of exhaustive descriptions and jargon. It is a tour around Brutalist buildings across the continents. Lightheartedly written, it's entertaining and shows an incredible variety of projects, connected through their architecture style.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews