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Brutalist Churches

dezeen.com

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Re: Brutalist Churches

#61

Post by mikrl »

dragonwriter wrote: post #26
temp0826 wrote: post #7

Shouldn't churches evoke feelings of divinity instead of oppression? (I know it's popular to hate on brutalist architecture, but really isn't a place of worship the last place you'd want it?)

Many of the brutalist churches I’ve seen do not, IMO, “evoke feelings of oppression” (aside from any one might have as a result of personal conflict with the religious institution behind them, which is a separate issue.) Including, I should mention, most of those in TFA.

Brutalism IMO relies on imposing designs. In outdoor spaces, this can lead to feelings of oppression, as anyone who has traversed a high-rise complex at night can attest.

When there is enough space, such as in a church, library, public transport infra etc, the concrete monoliths suddenly become more distant and less threatening and you can really appreciate the effect of being in some kind of ancient future ruin.

Re: Brutalist Churches

#62

Post by bazoom42 »

temp0826 wrote: post #7

Shouldn't churches evoke feelings of divinity instead of oppression? (I know it's popular to hate on brutalist architecture, but really isn't a place of worship the last place you'd want it?)

How does divinity feel? According to the bible you drop dead instantly if you gaze upon the face of God.

These church spaces eschews color and decoration and instead shape the light and the space itself to give you a feeling of the divine.

Re: Brutalist Churches

#64

Post by Andrex »

metadat wrote: post #32
Andrex wrote: post #27

I want to read this article but the website has other ideas. Horrible UX and horrible ads (redundant, I know).

For what it's worth Andrex, gusto sucks ass. Their customer service sucks and is a sham.

Always glad to read I'm not alone! Horrendous company.

Re: Brutalist Churches

#65

Post by djur »

snowpid wrote: post #57
djur wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't see it that way at all. A lot of care and thought went into these designs, and they evoke the kind of awe you would expect from a god's house. These aren't just hulking concrete bunkers like some of the institutional brutalism you see.

Maybe these architects should think, why their "well thought" experiments just look lazy designed.

They don't. Are you telling me that you look at this and think "what a lazy design"?

https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2024/04/sacred-modernity-b...

Re: Brutalist Churches

#66

Post by joemazerino »

thetruckgoes wrote: post #8
temp0826 wrote: post #7

Shouldn't churches evoke feelings of divinity instead of oppression? (I know it's popular to hate on brutalist architecture, but really isn't a place of worship the last place you'd want it?)

Haven't the churches been [historically] oppressive?

Depends on your scale. On one hand, all institutions are oppressive at some level. On the other, Christianity is the foundation of the free society you (most likely) live in.

Re: Brutalist Churches

#67

Post by snowpid »

djur wrote: post #65
snowpid wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe these architects should think, why their "well thought" experiments just look lazy designed.

They don't. Are you telling me that you look at this and think "what a lazy design"? https://static.dezeen.com/uploads/2024/04/sacred-modernity-b...

30 seconds of Google search https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/wp-content/uploads/2020...

You think this is well thought.

Re: Brutalist Churches

#69

Post by sangnoir »

mikrl wrote: post #61
dragonwriter wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many of the brutalist churches I’ve seen do not, IMO, “evoke feelings of oppression” (aside from any one might have as a result of personal conflict with the religious institution behind them, which is a separate issue.) Including, I should mention, most of those in TFA.

Brutalism IMO relies on imposing designs. In outdoor spaces, this can lead to feelings of oppression, as anyone who has traversed a high-rise complex at night can attest. When there is enough space, such as in a church, library, public transport infra etc, the concrete monoliths suddenly become more distant and less threatening and you can really appreciate the effect of being in some kind of ancient future ruin.

> Brutalism IMO relies on imposing designs

I disagree. Brutalism is based on dropping any pretense of the material used to construct the building. No shiny glass veneer or facade, just concrete buildings reveling their concreteness with no artifice. If large middle age cathedrals are supposed to inspire a sense of the devine, then IMO brutalist churches inspire a sense of guilelessness.

Re: Brutalist Churches

#70

Post by silverquiet »

wrp wrote: post #34
dragonwriter wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many of the brutalist churches I’ve seen do not, IMO, “evoke feelings of oppression” (aside from any one might have as a result of personal conflict with the religious institution behind them, which is a separate issue.) Including, I should mention, most of those in TFA.

I suppose we just have to chalk it up to different tastes in art. To me, my first thought on seeing most of those pictures is how they look like settings for some implausibly dystopian sci-fi movie.

Probably the most famous Brutalist public art in Texas, the Fort Worth Water Gardens, was indeed used in filming of Logan's Run.

I've generally found the Brutalist buildings in Texas rather ugly on the exterior at least, but did find a sense of comfort in occupying them; perhaps there's something cave-like and solid about their atmosphere. I did enjoy visiting the Water Gardens; I think it's a good expression of the style.

However, many of the churches pictured here are on another level. Something about the austere concrete juxtaposed to the wooden pews (and speaking as someone raised Catholic, it's hard to imagine a pew brutal enough to satisfy god) works quite well for me. I'm really impressed by some of these.

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