I have seen a couple of brutalist buildings in my life, and many more on photo. A few of them are cool and look acceptable or even awesome. Quite a number, though, felt too monumental, dark and oppressive to me even if well maintained, with this special kafkaesque Albert Speer / Metropolis / 1984 effect, making you feel like you are unimportant, unliked and a mere nothing to this building and ripped of all individuality. Boston City Hall did this to me.
Brutalism is out of fashion despite its beauty. I hate the way it is insulted with the "bunker" term. But today's Libeskind and Gehry buildings will one day be denounced too.
CN Tower opened in 1976 not 1970. University of Toronto Scarborough Campus is what your #$@#$%$% caption should read. I grew up with these buildings and I love them.
Accusing the authorities or individuals of cultural philistinism when they advocate demolition of such structures doesn't help the cause of preservationists of this kind of architecture. Often the best examples of any architectural movement or period are demolished. Sad fact is, these buildings are not in fashion, and won't be back in fashion for at least another 5 to 10 years. Until then all the protest won't appeal to the arbiters of taste who now call the shots.
I love modernism, but modernism that inspired hope. Brutalism is like those Macintosh-designed newsletters from 1987- too much white space, inappropriate Helvetica font, strange formatting. If you can't use natural materials, then at least use brightly-colored artificial materials like spandrel glass. This architecture is gloppy.
You're clueless - Belconnen is bad because of the task given the designer by the client. Good solutions to bad problems do not make the Architect a bad designer.
I have seen a couple of brutalist buildings in my life, and many more on photo. A few of them are cool and look acceptable or even awesome. Quite a number, though, felt too monumental, dark and oppressive to me even if well maintained, with this special kafkaesque Albert Speer / Metropolis / 1984 effect, making you feel like you are unimportant, unliked and a mere nothing to this building and ripped of all individuality. Boston City Hall did this to me.
Hope the buildings you defend are fine.
mischnix 1 year ago
Brutalism is out of fashion despite its beauty. I hate the way it is insulted with the "bunker" term. But today's Libeskind and Gehry buildings will one day be denounced too.
powerfulSubtlety 4 years ago
CN Tower opened in 1976 not 1970. University of Toronto Scarborough Campus is what your #$@#$%$% caption should read. I grew up with these buildings and I love them.
greybuddy 4 years ago
i love his work. oh... that demolished building is near the belco interchange, haha
BassVirtual 5 years ago
Accusing the authorities or individuals of cultural philistinism when they advocate demolition of such structures doesn't help the cause of preservationists of this kind of architecture. Often the best examples of any architectural movement or period are demolished. Sad fact is, these buildings are not in fashion, and won't be back in fashion for at least another 5 to 10 years. Until then all the protest won't appeal to the arbiters of taste who now call the shots.
3DegreeSydney 5 years ago
I love modernism, but modernism that inspired hope. Brutalism is like those Macintosh-designed newsletters from 1987- too much white space, inappropriate Helvetica font, strange formatting. If you can't use natural materials, then at least use brightly-colored artificial materials like spandrel glass. This architecture is gloppy.
dontgd 5 years ago
John Andrew's should be shot for building such a piece of shit in Belconnen.
Chessiness 5 years ago
Bullshit. Brutalism is a great style, much better than today's Destructivist crap piles.
tyso7540 4 years ago
I had the pleasure of working with John, and learning about the various project. Belconnen is a great example of a bad government job.
rick0289 4 years ago
You're clueless - Belconnen is bad because of the task given the designer by the client. Good solutions to bad problems do not make the Architect a bad designer.
angurisloud 3 years ago