The use of concrete and concrete mixers has changed how we view design throughout history and continues to shape tomorrow’s most innovative architectural design projects tomorrow. But when did cement grasp its way into our hearts and our homes? It was Brutalism, the architectural design movement, dating back to the 1950’s that gave this structural product the limelight it deserves. After being unpopular for a short while, Brutalism is making a comeback.
With new technology in concrete products and mixers, the Brutalist style is reaching new heights, blending traditional design with modern construction methods. In this short piece, we’ll take a closer look into the history of Brutalism, and the start of society’s love for concrete structures. We’ll investigate the modern equivalent of concrete architecture and discover why we are once again drawn to the bold and rustic use of concrete, and the unapologetic lines of brutalist design. We will also discuss how concrete mixers have shaped the building process we know today and expanded the possibilities of architectural design immensely.
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A Short History Of Brutalism
Brutalist architecture was part of a popular design movement that originated in the 1950s in the United Kingdom. This style of building really took off after the second world war, and the boom of industries. With the world’s eye on construction, this style embraced raw materials such as steel and concrete. This style is often described as “honest”, with building materials being displayed exactly as they are. Forms are simplified with bold geometric shapes and the materials are kept as raw as possible.
Even the name of this movement shows it’s love for concrete and cement, it’s believed that the word “Brutalism” originates from the French word “béton brut” which means, “raw concrete.” After its popularity in England, this movement quickly spread to other areas of the globe. People found this way of building both aesthetically pleasing, but it also became a convenient choice for architects to adopt.
Many architects at the time were facing numerous challenges, which included a lack of resources and materials, as well as expensive building products. There was also the fact that many young architects building within the constraints of modern design felt it was purely aesthetic and were searching for a way to create architecture that was both functional, and bold. Brutalism offered a solution to these challenges, and architects began to celebrate the structural integrity, and raw simplicity that cement offered.
Philosophy and Examples:
The philosophy behind Brutalist architecture is rooted in the idea that architecture should prioritise new elements, such as honesty, functionality, and the social purpose of the building. Many architects at this time believed in social utopian ideas, which greatly influenced the philosophy behind this building style. The style aims to highlight the beauty of raw materials like concrete, it rejects unnecessary decorative pieces and focuses on the functional aspects of the building.
Some famous brutalist buildings of the 21st century include the Boston city hall, which was created with a blend of cast in place and precast concrete. The Barbican Estate in London is another famous example, designed as a large residential building, it is famous for its use of concrete in complex and large-scale geometric shapes.
The Unité d’Habitation in Marseille is another interesting design, as it displayed one of the first examples of “Housing units.” The building shows off a highly functional, modular design with each unit built as a small house, fitted on top of each other with a creative use of space. This building also proudly displayed its use of concrete, celebrating the rough, unfinished aesthetic on its exterior walls.
This building style was at peak popularity for a few decades, but eventually started to decline as people began to feel its bold geometric shapes were too severe and lacked emotion. But this doesn’t mean Brutalism or the use of cement has declined completely. Today’s modern architecture is seeing a resurgence of Brutalist style and raw cement, blended with minimalist interiors.
The Unique Aesthetic Of Cement In Building And Design
The use of cement and concrete mixers in Brutalist architecture was a favourite for the rugged aesthetic it gave to their designs. Concrete also gives a structure a sense of strength and durability, a perfect combination alongside the elemental aspects of Brutalist architecture.
It’s very easy to adapt the texture of cement and concrete, and walls can be smooth and polished, slightly textured, or have intricate detail added to them. This allows any concrete wall to be either extremely unique or symmetrical and identical as needed. There is also an element of concrete change, as its colour can darken and slowly weather over time, many designers enjoy the character this adds to their buildings and interiors and embrace the natural changes within the material. It is a material that is celebrated for its simplicity, giving buildings a uniform and minimalist appeal.
Cement is extremely long lasting, making it a highly safe and cost-effective building material. It is no wonder the Brutalist architects were drawn to this versatile material, and cement remains the world’s most used building material. It has influenced the way we build industries, as well as the finest, most elegant architectural designs in the world.
Revival Of Brutalism In Design In Recent Years
Recent years have shown a resurgence of Brutalist style, both in architectural design and modern interior design. This resurgence of appreciation for the Brutalist style, geometric shapes, and innovative use of space could be due to the desire to preserve the history of many of these design masterpieces. Some people are returning to Brutalist styles because it is unpretentious, and it compliments many popular modern design elements.
Modern designers and architects are also embracing sustainability, and we’ve begun to see projects that prioritise repurposing Brutalist architecture rather than destroying them. This new, repurposed “Brutalism” has blended elements of modernism with the traditional Brutalist styles, maintaining the unique aspects of these older architectural buildings. This new enthusiasm for Brutalist architecture has revived popularity for the style, and it has even been adopted into interior design trends.
Brutalism And Interior Design:
Brutalist styles extend beyond architecture and have influenced many interior design trends, product design, and furniture pieces. The same philosophy has inspired designers to create interior pieces that also embrace functionality, expressive shapes, and industrial, raw materials.
Minimalistic furniture is directly influenced by Brutalism and embraces materiality by showcasing the raw materials of the pieces. Wooden furniture is left rough and heavy, raw steel is exposed, and raw concrete is a favourite. The stark geometric shapes used in these furniture pieces create visually striking interiors that are taking the design world by storm.
Brent Comber, a Canadian furniture artist, is well known for his elegant and geometric furniture pieces including his ‘béton brut collection’ which showcases many of the design elements that are celebrated in Brutalism. His collection shows off raw, unfinished wooden pieces, scorched with hard wax oil. The furniture pieces are a blend of functional form and artistry.
Brutalism has even influenced technology, with digital designers using brutalist styles, minimalist elements, geometric shapes and functionality in their websites or apps. Many of the apps we use today prioritise efficiency and clarity over aesthetic appeal. The same way brutalist buildings remove decorative aspects of their architecture, digital designers are removing decorative parts of their interface, this often makes the program appealing to a large variety of users and creates a more user-friendly experience.
The Role Of Concrete Mixers In Modern Brutalist Architecture
The influence of industry and industrial materials play a large role in Brutalist architecture, but industry is also largely reflected in the construction process. A cement mixer is used in just about every modern building project and was crucial in the construction of large-scale Brutalist buildings.
Brutalist buildings needed continuous cement production on site, and without cement or concrete mixers this would have been an extremely time-consuming project, with expensive labour needed to produce it. Mixing cement with a cement mixer also produces a higher quality product that ensures the large and innovative shapes of Brutalist architecture were possible with sufficient strength and durability.
High-quality concrete also has environmental benefits as it can reduce the need for building repairs in the future. Using a cement mixer on site can improve environmental concerns by reducing any concrete waste that usually occurs in pre-mixed concrete. Premixed concrete also uses fuel to travel between destinations; by mixing on-site, you can reduce carbon emissions and energy necessary for transportation.
Future of Brutalism:
Today, the future of Brutalist architecture is looking up. With many perceptions of this building style being transformed in new designs. Contemporary examples of Brutalist buildings successfully blend the traditional aspects of raw materials, monolithic structures, and bold geometric shapes, yet merge the style with modern techniques. Today’s buildings use similar Brutalist forms, and the same sense of honesty and functionality, but have included modern aesthetics, and elements that make brutalist architecture more comfortable, and perhaps welcoming.
Modern architects are drawn to new methods of building, and experiment with Brutalist style and new materials. Often incorporating greener, more sustainable techniques such as green concrete and eco-friendly construction methods.
Conclusion
Brutalist architecture has embraced concrete as more than just a structural material. These designs have shown the world the immense possibilities of cement in producing large scale and daring architectural masterpieces and celebrated the beauty of cement in its most natural form. As this design style re-emerges in our contemporary world, architects are re-imagining the Brutalist styles we are used to, using new technology, concrete mixers and concrete trends to create something new.
This shows that Brutalist styles not only have a place in our present world, but could continue to adapt and influence architectural trends, and the versatile use of concrete in the future.