In Celebration of Concrete

I dream of building/ designing my own brutalist home. The material cost is relatively low so it’s definitely possible. I worry about insulation and heat loss as I live in Scandinavia. It wouldn’t be an issue if I lived in a country like Brazil but could be an issue if I plan on living there full time.

Does anyone have any experience building or living inside a brutalist house?

Constructed in 1971, it is one of the main hotels in that city. Would this bulding pass as brutalist?

Recently covered on a local blog

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The Barbican (London, England)

Visited this one last year to see something with my family, but I think it’s absolutely beautiful- the way the flats hang over the water fountains. It’s a cool reminder that it once was considered futuristic and utopian.

Grenfell Tower (London, England)

Status: Has a cover over it

It looks nice, but nothing special. The reason it’s on the list is because of its sad backstory (the devastating fire in 2017) and it brought to my attention that so many of these concrete tower blocks are being neglected, causing awful things like this to happen.

Argyle House (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Now, despite the fact I don’t know all that much about the building in itself, I do really adore how it looks, and adults sometimes look at it (grimly) and state that buildings such as this one reminds them strongly of the 1980s.

Cranhill Water Tower (Glasgow, Scotland)

Same as number 5, I like this one because it looks dystopian, and could fall over at any minute. I find it really cool when only the outside of a building can make you feel uneasy, and this one does it for me the best.

Peffermill Court Flats (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Built in the 1960s, these flats, which I get the delight of driving past everyday, aren’t anything too special. They’re just 2 big rectangles. But, they are what I consider the image of 70s-80s new Scottish high rise flats, and I give them credit for that.

Garthamlock and Craigend Water Towers (Glasgow, Scotland)

These water towers were built in the 1950s to provide water to the housing estates built around the same time. I like them because they’re absolutely massive, and the aspect of megalophobia makes Brutalism a lot cooler. They also remind me of some kind of Star Wars, War Of The Worlds kind of buildings.

Belgrade Western Gate, (Belgrade, Serbia)

This alien-like grayish brown building caught my eye as a more intricate version of the Trellick Tower. It doesn’t have much story due to lack of information online, but I still think it looks cool.

Trellick Tower (London, England)

Now, this is possibly the most worldwide famous Brutalist building, and I am going there on my trip to London in December, along with many of the other similar ones. I hope to take a look inside and possibly interview someone.

Red Road Flats (Glasgow, Scotland)

Status: Demolished

They are arguably the most important buildings in Brutalist architecture history, as they “started the trend” in both the UK, and European countries such as Serbia or Russia.

Old St. James Centre (Edinburgh, Scotland)

Status: Demolished

My all-time favorite building, even though the only time I would have caught a glance is when I was so young that I can no longer remember. My favorite part is the side of it where the bridge was, and the cold looking government office windows turned into an unfinished looking factory, before the John Lewis extension. I could ramble on for hours about this one, because I always absolutely marvel at it whenever I see a photograph of it.

Now decaying badly, leaking every time it rains.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/sorry-state-swanseas-civic-centre-28775285