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Articles

Vol. 1 No. i (2024): Spring 2024

Brutalism: Ethic over Aesthetic

Submitted
July 18, 2024
Published
2024-07-19

Abstract

Brutalism’s aesthetic is associated with square apartments, monumental blocks, and a dehumanizing architectural style dominated by concrete. This style first became prevalent in postwar Great Britain and reflected the urgent need to rebuild cheaply and swiftly in the 1950s. The “New Brutalism” started as an experimental aesthetic exemplified by the prominent British architects Peter and Allison Smithson who continued to develop the style well into the 1990s.1 Robin Hood Gardens, a residential estate located in East London, is both their most well-known piece and representative of their Brutalist philosophy.