I always think of Brutalism, a style that boomed primarily in the 50s and 60s, as competitive architecture – not as in architect vs. architect, but as in building vs. every other building around it. Brutalist structures look like everything else has spilled their pint. They re big, thick blocks of raw concrete that have a looming presence no matter how large they actually are, and are cold to the touch even on warm days. Lots of tower blocks and car parks can be described as brutalist, and so can a lot of university buildings, and the National Theatre.

You either love or instantly hate Brutalism. It s deliberately, aggressively functional, and the buildings often look uncomfortable. Personally I always liked Brutalism because it manages to look retro and future dystopian at the same time. It had not occurred to me to be afraid of Brutalism.

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