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Brutalist architecture: a car park in central Hanover, Germany. Photo by .

20 Amazing example of Brutalist Architecture in the World

Brutalist architectecture simply sounds brutal. Did you know that the brutalist architectectural style emerged in the United Kingdom? This was done on the buildings that were constructed after the war in the 1950s. The style of architecture came up because it maximized minimalism. With reduced resources after the war, a minimalist way of construction was very luring. In essence, brutalist architecture emphasizes function over form.

Common examples of brutalist architecture have elements such as, exposed and unpainted bricks or concrete, monochrome color palettes and bare structures. Listed below are 20 Amazing examples of Brutalist Architecture in the World.

1. Wotruba Church

Photo by Downtowngal.

Location: Vienna, Austria

The Wotruba Church was the zenith of the life of sculptor Fritz Wotruba. It is located in Mauer, on the outskirts of Vienna. Designed by architect Fritz G. Mayr, the project, constructed in the mid-1970s, was completed post one year of the sculptor鈥檚 death, enlarging the clay model made by Wotruba to create a functional walk-in concrete sculpture.

The result is a chaotic brutalist ensemble that challenges the boundaries between art and architecture and realizes Wotruba鈥檚 dream of designing a sculpture that is in perfect unity with the landscape, the architecture, and the city.

2. TripleOne Somerset

Photo by N9002U. .

Location: Singapore

Designed by Group 2 Architects, to be the headquarters of the Public Utilities Board (PUB), the building鈥檚 function played an integral role in its conception. The building stands out because of its horizontality and complex volumetry.

The inverted ziggurat masses which lend the fa莽ade a mighty depth are a reaction to the functional distinctions of departmental subdivision. The design is a splendid example of composing forms imposing a perceptual solidity.  It is intriguing to note the stylistic similarities of the building to Boston City Hall by Kallmann, McKinnell, & Knowles, a distant resonance echoing the same structures.

3. Sirius Building

Photo by Rob Deutscher.

Location: Sydney, Australia

Designed by architect Tao Gofers in 1978鈥�1979, the Sirius Building is a residential complex in The Rocks district of Sydney, Australia, for the Housing Commission of New South Wales.

It is among the few quality examples of the Brutalism style in Australia, demonstrating the style鈥檚 objective of ethical design based on social concerns, as well as its focus on the honest expression of materials, function, and structure. Notable for being the only high-rise development in The Rocks, Sirius housed 79 apartments.

4. Economist Plaza

Brutalism at Boo v氓rdcentral in Orminge, Nacka, Sweden. Photo by Niklas Henriksson.

Location: London, England

Formerly the offices of The Economist Magazine for 52 years, Economist Plaza was designed by Alison and Peter Smithson in the brutalist style and completed in 1964.

Located at 22 Ryder Street, close to Hyde Park and Buckingham Palace, the building marked a significant breakthrough in tall building design. It replaced the traditional street front of a podium and tower design with stairs and a ramp leading to an elevated plaza from which three buildings of varying heights would rise.

5. Royal National Theatre

Photo by Phillip Pesser. .

Location: London, England

Designed by Denys Lasdun and completed in 1976, the Royal National Theatre stands on the South Bank of the Thames, just downstream of Waterloo bridge.

The design for the building takes inspiration from Lasdun鈥檚 idea of 鈥榓rchitecture as the urban landscape.鈥� It is a layered concrete mural formed from two towers rising from horizontal terraces that envelope the building, cascading to the river level.

6. Telecommunication Center

Photo by N9002U. .

Location: Skopje, Macedonia

An indispensable part of Kenzo Tange鈥檚 plan for the reconstruction of Skopje after the earthquake in 1963, the Telecommunication Center, has been designed by architect Janko Konstantinov.

Brutalist in its architectural language, the building uses unplastered concrete in a way that abolishes the conventional distinction between structure and cladding. The reduction in terms of material and colour compensated with a wealth of expressive elements and capricious forms is a contemporary sculpture in concrete with high architectural and aesthetic values.

7. Geisel Library

Photo by Bwag. .

Location: La Jolla, California

Established in 1970, the futuristic, almost alien design of the Geisel Library is the brainchild of architect William L. Pereira, who has several notable buildings to his name. The library is named in honour of La Jolla native, Theodor Seuss Geisel, and houses a vast collection of Dr Seuss鈥檚 drawings, books, audio recordings, and memorabilia.

The success of the vivid brutalist language present in the current design, which incorporates Breuer-like flares at the bases of the piers and an intricate lattice system on the underside of the floor plates, reveals a remarkable material and syntactic versatility on the part of the architect.

8. Cathedral of Saint Mary of the Assumption

Photo by Sciencia58 . .

Location: San Francisco, California

Designed by architects Pietro Belluschi and Pier Luigi Nervi, the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption has become a distinct monument in the cityscape of San Francisco. The design process for the building was as challenging as it was controversial with features such as impressive cantilevers, a saddle roof segmented into hyperbolic paraboloids, and dramatic interiors.

With the fascinating blending of the traditional Catholic faith and modern technology, using what was considered the most top-of-the-line engineering, the form of the chapel attracts visitors from all over the world, belonging to the diverse religious spectrum.

9. Paul Rudolph Hall

Photo by Ingolfson.

Location: New Haven, Connecticut

Designed by architect Paul Rudolph, Yale Art and Architecture Building in New Haven, Connecticut, is one of the earliest known examples of Brutalist architecture in America. The design for this building was influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright鈥檚 Larkin Administration Building, in Buffalo, NY, and the later buildings of Le Corbusier.

It is an imposing, fortress-like building that juxtaposes masses of textured concrete with layers of steel-framed glazing. The structure, completed in 1963, comprises intersecting volumes of bush-hammered, smooth concrete, and horizontal glass elements supported by a sequence of towers that protrude above the roof in a series of turrets.

10. National Assembly Building

Photo by C.W. Tan. .

Location: Dhaka, Bangladesh

 The National Assembly building not only stands as one of Kahn鈥檚 most notable works but also as a symbol to the government of Bangladesh. The structure, completed in 1982, is unique in the sense that it is Brutalist in principle, but it is a project deeply rooted in its context, the citizens, and Bangali vernacular.

The entire complex, built out of in situ concrete with inlaid white marble, is a statement of power and a covenant to the local materials and values. The absolute volume of the building and the artificial lake surrounding it naturally insulate the building and devise a cooling system, also creating engaging spatial and lighting conditions.

11. Trellick Tower

Photo by Banalities. .

Location: London

London was ground zero for brutalism because housing was in short supply after World War II and tall concrete towers were an expedient way to shelter large numbers of people.

Trellick was once reviled, but it’s now trendy and sought after, respected in a cultish way. Though most of the units are still firmly held for social housing, when flats become available they sell quickly. This architectural piece was done by architect Ern艖 Goldfinger.

12. Boston City Hall

Photo by Man vyi. .

Location: Boston, United States

Boston City Hall was done by Kallmann McKinnell and Knowles. It was one of the most controversial examples of brutalism. The building was part of a large revamp of the city to replace substandard structures but locals were not supporters of the style and called for its destruction as it was being built.

Be it as it may, the building was retained. In the end, the building has been hailed as one of the greatest examples of American architecture.

13. 945 Madison Avenue

Photo by Hans G. Oberlack. .

Location: New York City

It’s also known as the Breuer Building after its designer Marcel Breuer and Hamilton P. Smith. This structure was constructed between 1964 and 1966. Breuer was originally a student of the Bauhaus architecture and design school. He later became one of the leading figures in Brutalist architecture.

945 Madison Avenue has been described as a Brutalist structure due to its top-heavy, massive, uninviting, and bunker-like shape, its primal form, as well as its use of exposed raw concrete.

14. High Court of Australia

Photo by Andrew Carrotflower. .

Location: Australia

The High Court building is a stunning example of late modern Brutalist architecture. It has light-filled, bold geometric shapes and spaces, raw massed concrete, dynamic internal movement, and strong links with neighbouring buildings and landscapes. It is monumental and asymmetrical, but also functional.

This is the very essence of brutalist architecture, function over form. It is recognized by the Royal Australian Institute of Architects ‘Enduring Architecture’ award, and internationally, as ‘one of only ten Australian buildings registered on the Union of International Architects ‘Architectural Heritage of the 20th Century” .

15. Habitat 67

Photo by Downtowngal. .

Location: Canada

Habitat 67 is a housing complex in Quebec, Canada. It was designed by Moshe Safdie an Israeli-Canadian architect. Habitat 67 is considered an architectural landmark. The design makes the most of scarce space to create an affordable residential in a welcoming environment.

In March 2012, Habitat 67 won an online Lego Architecture poll and is a candidate to be added to the list of famous buildings that inspire a special replica Lego set. Lego bricks were actually used in the initial planning for Habitat.

16. Rudolph Hall

Genex Tower or the Western City Gate. Photo by Lessormore. .

Location: Connecticut, USA

This is one of the earliest examples of brutalist architecture in the United States of America. Rudolph Hall was designed by architect Paul Rudolph. The design for this building was influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright鈥檚 Larkin Administration Building, in Buffalo, NY. 

It is an imposing, structure that strikes a balance of masses of textured concrete with layers of steel-framed glazing. The building was completed in 1963. It is made up of intersecting of bush-hammered, smooth concrete, and horizontal glass elements supported by a sequence of towers that emerge above the roof.

17. Buffalo City Court Building

Photo by Warren Whyte (flaneur.co.uk). .

Location: State of New York 

The Buffalo City Court Building was designed by the Architecture firm Pfohl, Roberts, and Biggie. The structure was completed in 1974. It serves as the judicial epicentre for the city of Buffalo.

It is in the same vein home to the 8th Judicial district Housing Court; Small and Commercial Claims Court; Criminal Court. It also houses some members of the New York Supreme Court for the County of Erie. Extremely narrow windows and a fa莽ade made up of Precast concrete have been utilized.

18. Western City Gate

Photo by Steven Penton. .

Location: Serbia

Western City Gate/Genex Tower is one of the most popular Brutalist structures in former Yugoslavia. It is located in Belgrade, Serbia. It was originally designed as a 鈥済ate鈥� welcoming visitors from the airport into the city.

Made up of 36 stories, Western City Gate consists of two concrete high-rise towers connected by a two-story bridge and a revolving restaurant on top. The two towers are split between commercial and residential spaces.

19. Robin Hood Gardens

Photo by Comet Photo AG (Z眉rich). .

Location: London

Robin Hood Gardens serves as a residential estate in Poplar, London. The structure was designed in the late 1960s by architects Alison and Peter Smithson. It was thereafter completed in 1972.

While the building was earlier built by the Greater London Council, the London Borough of Tower Hamlets later became the landlord. Robin Hood Gardens was built in post-war Britain when residential towers symbolized progress after the war.

20. The Mill Owners’ Association Building

Jehova’s Witnesses Kingdom Hall in Riesstr. 4, Munich, Germany. Photo by Diego Delso.

Location: India

Corbusier was commissioned to design the building by the mayor of Ahmedabad in 1951 and completed it in 1954. The concrete frame dominates the aesthetic. This concrete seems to come from a single, monolithic block of concrete.

In this building, Corbusier used the solidness of concrete to play with the balance of private and public spaces. The building is composed of harsh, angular forms that are juxtaposed by soft, curvilinear ones- all made of concrete and most provided structural support to the building.