@fificrossnails
My father-in-law was part of the team of architects at Chamberlain, Powell and Bon who designed the Barbican Centre, so one day my daughter and I went to visit it…she whispered to me afterwards “it’s so ugly and I hate it, but I’m still proud of grandad for helping to create something so famous and iconic”
@paillette2010
Let’s face it, without Brutalism, 99% of mid and late century film & television scifi would not look the same. And that’s the nicest thing I can say about Brutalism.
@Possomboy
While I personally don’t like brutalist design I can understand why some would. However those brutalist zoo enclosures look like the saddest thing an animal can ever live in.
@philrittner4158
Good video, ghastly architecture!
@mirror-images
I love Brutalism particularly when it's supplemented by natural greenery or interesting use of glass, as in the Barbican's Conservatory and in tropical Brutalism such as the cathedral in Rio de Janeiro.
@barrymoore4470
Seeing Brutalist buildings through the progressive lens of their designers does make the structures seem more appealing than they would without that context. As with so much well-intentioned urban planning of the last century, there is a fragrance of failed utopia lingering over these buildings. I sense that Brutalist architects were striving to create forms and spaces that would feel timeless, with the irony being that the results would feature so frequently and prominently as settings for dystopian futuristic fictions, unintentional emblems of the oppression and decay such films routinely conveyed. These once cutting-edge visions do retain a fascination all their own, even if the visitor doesn't necessarily admire them.
@DeanWerx
Thought the presentation was terrific. I don’t know who got you to agree to the gag reel at the end, but it brought a smile to me.
@robw9730
Hands down the best video to come from the museum. We need more of Reece!
@princesspinstripe
This was so good! The presenter does a fantastic job! Another reason why the V&A is my favourite you tube channel. More in this series please.
@hansthefirst
I love Reece!
@mccormack_max
Films like blade runner depict a dystopian future, which I hope isn't ours. Theres a reason they use brutalist buildings: the hulking forms symbolise a lack of humanity, abject oppression and hopelessness.
@lindacsmith13
I'm so glad you appreciate the style. I can understand, from what you said, why it was embraced at the time it was introduced. I worked at UMass Amherst where they built quite a few brutalist buildings and I have to say I was never a fan. In New England, so much of the architecture was based on what the English knew so I fell in love with Colonials and Victorians. It was quite the shock to me in the '70s to see what was going up at UMass. They always were intrepid over there in Amherst.
@mariellouise1
So fun ! Learned to appreciate. Loved the editing! 😎
@yampipampi
I've always thought "Why?" when thinking of Brutalism - and honestly, my initial understanding was that it was a standardized & quick way to execute public-funded construction without worrying about ornamentation or intricate design. However, it's interesting when putting yourself in the shoes of the designers/architects - they had a vision where their buildings would be about scale & timelessness. Grand monuments that symbolized community, security, and simplicity. Unfortunately, the very timelessness led this style to be the symbol of a dystopian future. Lack of maintenance led them to become cold and emotionless. The natural concrete (especially when left dirty) made it seem as if the inhabitants were deserving of nothing more than rock & dirt. With that, Brutalism is a symbol of artists' failed sense of optimism. The "Frankenstein" of architecture.
@overthecounterbeanie
Brutalism is synonymous with post-war Britain - rationing (of beauty), shortages (of elegance), and poverty (of imagination).
@Vardagaladhiel
I wasn’t a huge fan of Brutalism for many years, but the library at my uni is either Brutalist or in a similar style and I really came to appreciate it. This was really interesting!
@HarryInEdi
Funnily enough, the three principles of brutalism - memorability, exhibition of structure, and materiality as found - could apply to the Globe Theatre just as much as the National Theatre.
@kevindung1785
I love it how you are personally at these locations! it really gives a sense of scale
@kindafoggy
Anything that looked like it would survive a bomb must have been very comforting for the WW2 survivors. The Cold War was ever in their minds at the time as well.
@BeantownMrs