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Friends of Vast Industrial Concrete Kafkaesque Structures

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Re: Friends of Vast Industrial Concrete Kafkaesque Structures

#31

Post by concretion »

seibelj wrote: post #10

Boston City Hall routinely ranks as one of the ugliest buildings on earth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_City_Hall Brutalist concrete building straight out of 1984. Really gets you mentally prepared for the labyrinth, dispassionate and uncaring bureaucracy that awaits you inside. > The building has been subject to nearly universal public condemnation, and is often called one of the world's ugliest buildings. Ca…

If you have to experience it every day, and you don't have any choice in the matter, it's in your interest to put some effort into appreciating it as architecture. Lots of people do think that it's a great work of architecture.

Not every experience of art, music, etc. is going to appeal to you at the start. Some things are worth learning about. It's worth cultivating a real sensitivity to brutalism among many other things.

I know this sounds sanctimonious. OTOH rejecting a controversial piece of creative work in a shrill and clichéd way sounds ignorant and arrogant.

Re: Friends of Vast Industrial Concrete Kafkaesque Structures

#32

Post by IAmEveryone »

JohnJamesRambo wrote: post #19
harimau777 wrote: post #17

It frustrates me that so many people hate brutalist architecture. I definitely wouldn't want every building to be brutalist but I'm glad that some are. I also much prefer brutalism to soulless glass and concrete skyscrapers or nondescript office buildings. At least brutalist buildings look like something.

Why are you glad some are? Signed, A Brutalist Hater

Some people enjoy the emotions Brutalism evokes in the same way that others enjoy watching horror movies even though horror/fear aren't usually considered positive emotions.

Re: Friends of Vast Industrial Concrete Kafkaesque Structures

#33

Post by blattimwind »

harimau777 wrote: post #17

It frustrates me that so many people hate brutalist architecture. I definitely wouldn't want every building to be brutalist but I'm glad that some are. I also much prefer brutalism to soulless glass and concrete skyscrapers or nondescript office buildings. At least brutalist buildings look like something.

33 Thomas Street is a good example.

Re: Friends of Vast Industrial Concrete Kafkaesque Structures

#34

Post by tragic »

harimau777 wrote: post #17

It frustrates me that so many people hate brutalist architecture. I definitely wouldn't want every building to be brutalist but I'm glad that some are. I also much prefer brutalism to soulless glass and concrete skyscrapers or nondescript office buildings. At least brutalist buildings look like something.

I've noticed, in London at least, that there is a new appreciation of the style among hipster millennial types. You can buy maps of 'Brutal London' with all the great examples marked (Goldfinger's tower blocks, Guys hospital, etc). The Barbican Centre has made that part of its cachet.

I can remember the exact moment I fell in love with the style - I was traveling north on a streetcar on Spadina avenue in Toronto, back in 2005, and I caught a glimpse of the John P Robarts library, and it really did change my outlook. I grew up in Plymouth, which was blighted with poor examples of the style imposed on the town after heavy war damage. Much of the hatred of brutalism stems from the contemptuous attitude these planners and architects displayed to the pre-existing urban fabric.

I felt like the only one until about 5 years ago however, then suddenly there was this revival.

Now I'm more into medieval cathedrals, but it's worth noting that 'sophisticated' tastes were against them for centuries (hence the pejorative term Gothic). I don't think anything can be beautiful without irritating somebody ...

Re: Friends of Vast Industrial Concrete Kafkaesque Structures

#35

Post by xenocyon »

seibelj wrote: post #10

Boston City Hall routinely ranks as one of the ugliest buildings on earth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_City_Hall Brutalist concrete building straight out of 1984. Really gets you mentally prepared for the labyrinth, dispassionate and uncaring bureaucracy that awaits you inside. > The building has been subject to nearly universal public condemnation, and is often called one of the world's ugliest buildings. Ca…

You're conflating brutalism and soulless/inhuman/ugly concrete-heavy design; this is a common misunderstanding.

Brutalism when done thoughtfully and well is beautiful, uplifting, and provides a sense of calm and space. The Simon Fraser U campus is a good example: https://modernistarchitecture.blogspot.com/2015/12/a-brutali...

Re: Friends of Vast Industrial Concrete Kafkaesque Structures

#36

Post by aasasd »

seibelj wrote: post #10

Boston City Hall routinely ranks as one of the ugliest buildings on earth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_City_Hall Brutalist concrete building straight out of 1984. Really gets you mentally prepared for the labyrinth, dispassionate and uncaring bureaucracy that awaits you inside. > The building has been subject to nearly universal public condemnation, and is often called one of the world's ugliest buildings. Ca…

Pffft, it barely has anything on the more imposing among Soviet buildings—mostly municipal ones. In fact, the irregularity of structure below the two top floors provide some diversion for the eye.

When I look at brutalism abstracted from its surroundings and signs of everyday life, it really hits me how it resembles Quake maps. I.e. it embraces variety of structure just as much as uniformity of the looks: https://www.format.com/magazine/galleries/design/lego-sculpt...

Re: Friends of Vast Industrial Concrete Kafkaesque Structures

#37

Post by aasasd »

ddtaylor wrote: post #4

Since the server linked doesn't provide a secure version of the content here is a link to avoid MITM/downgrade attacks: https://archive.is/de6d

What threat model do you envision for a visitor on this site?

(I sorta can imagine one option, but curious about other opinions.)

Re: Friends of Vast Industrial Concrete Kafkaesque Structures

#38

Post by nullc »

sworc wrote: post #7

I'm surprised that this construction is considered a "river".

There was a pre-existing river.

They paved it to make it better at draining floodwaters.

If not for that history it would probably just be called the LA storm drain network or something like that.

Re: Friends of Vast Industrial Concrete Kafkaesque Structures

#40

Post by rayiner »

xenocyon wrote: post #35
seibelj wrote: post #10

Boston City Hall routinely ranks as one of the ugliest buildings on earth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_City_Hall Brutalist concrete building straight out of 1984. Really gets you mentally prepared for the labyrinth, dispassionate and uncaring bureaucracy that awaits you inside. > The building has been subject to nearly universal public condemnation, and is often called one of the world's ugliest buildings. Ca…

You're conflating brutalism and soulless/inhuman/ugly concrete-heavy design; this is a common misunderstanding. Brutalism when done thoughtfully and well is beautiful, uplifting, and provides a sense of calm and space. The Simon Fraser U campus is a good example: https://modernistarchitecture.blogspot.com/2015/12/a-brutali...

Still ugly, imposing, and not human scale.
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