People are familiar with some name brand architecture designs like “Spanish Mission” and “midcentury modern,” but most people aren’t that familiar with “brutalist design.” Notwithstanding its odd name, brutalist design can be found all over; some famous structures like the Met Breur museum and Boston’s City Hall. These gargantuan structures can be unsettling, but they embody the most simplistic designs that have been popular since man began attempting to turn architecture into art.
Brutalism comes from the French word for raw concrete; many believe this design was fathered by French-Swiss architect Le Corbusier. Brutalism began as a rational response to the postwar era of the 1950s and was used as a cheaper building style during the reconstruction of Europe after World War II had wreaked havoc on major cities. Brutalism can also be seen on some Universities in the United States beginning around 1960. Notably, brutalism lost popularity in the 1970s, because remodeling was far too difficult.
A brutalist interior is rife with concrete slabs either on the floors or walls, as well as industrial-esque additions like stone, brick, and rough-hewn furniture. The lighting in a home that has adopted the brutalist design are typically made of metal and have odd cutouts. Finally, blocky items of furniture are a good indicator that the homeowner has adopted the brutalist design in their home.
While brutalism lost popularity in the 1970’s we are seeing a return to this design particularly in loft style apartments in downtown LA and other younger up and coming areas.
At the Chernov Team we understand that knowledge is power, and knowledge of architecture and design trends making a resurgence from the mid-20th century is powerful knowledge indeed. At the Chernov Team we know that whoever comes to the table most prepared leaves with the most, and the Chernov team always leaves the table with the most.
