Architecture

Brutalism

Background
Brutalism is an architectural style that originated in the 1940s until 1980s. The style was heavily used in civic projects, institutional buildings and in the form of sculpture-, brutalist architecture focuses more on the geometric nature of the structure than the materiality of the construction.

A key feature is the style is visually heavy edifices with geometric lines, solid concrete frames, exaggerated concrete slabs, double height ceilings, massive forbidding walls, exposed concrete and a predominantly monochrome palette. The term ‘brutalism’ has nothing to do with the cold, menacing aesthetic of this architectural style. The word is derived from the French phrase, béton burt, meaning ‘raw or unfinished concrete’. In fact, the negative perceptions around brutalist architecture could be attributed to this word association. Many buildings built in this style often seen as unfriendly, intimidating and even uninhabitable.

Local Brutalist Architecture

• Christ Episcopal Church, Tacoma, 1969
• Psychology Building – CWU, Ellensburg, 1972
• Library- Prosser, 1975
• Freeway Park- Seattle, 1976
• Recreation Building - Everegreen State College-Olympia, 1972
• Washington Mutual Savings Bank-Tacoma, 1972
• Edmonds Community College-Lynwood, 1970
• Environmental Studies Bldg – WWU, Bellingham, 1972
• First National Bank of Enumclaw-Enumclaw, 1971