The Phaidon Folio

That's Brutal! 10 Concrete Examples of the World's Most Imposing Architecture

That's Brutal! 10 Concrete Examples of the World's Most Imposing Architecture
Villa Kogelhof by Paul de Ruiter Architects

Brutalist architecture is hard to miss. Easily identified by its arresting scale, singular use of concrete, and distinctive sci-fi vibe, brutalism dominated the late 20th century with its appealing utilitarian slant in the postwar era. That said, the reach of Brutalism has extended beyond the household names of Le Corbusier or Marcel Breuer and has been quoted by contemporary architects residing in all corners of the world. In this sneak preview of Phaidon's soon-to-debut survey of international brutalist architecture, This Brutal World by Peter Chadwick, we share some "concrete" examples of this global building phenomenon.

 

 

HAT FACTORY
Luckenwalde, Germany
Erich Mendelsohn
1923

HAT FACTORY Luckenwalde, Germany Erich Mendelsohn 1923

 

MONUMENT ILINDEN (MAKEDONIUM)
Krushevo, Macedonia
Jordan and Iskra Grabuloski
1974

MONUMENT ILINDEN (MAKEDONIUM)Krushevo, MacedoniaJordan and Iskra Grabuloski 1974

 

ZALMAN ARANNE CENTRAL LIBRARY, BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV
Beer-Sheva, Israel
Shmuel Bixon, Moshe Gil and Shimshon Amitai
1975

ZALMAN ARANNE CENTRAL LIBRARY, BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY OF THE NEGEV Beer-Sheva, Israel Shmuel Bixon, Moshe Gil and Shimshon Amitai 1975

 

BANGLADESH NATIONAL CAPITAL COMPLEX
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Louis Kahn
1983
 

BANGLADESH NATIONAL CAPITAL COMPLEX Dhaka, Bangladesh Louis Kahn 1983

 

STYKKISCHÓLMUR CHURCH
Stykkishólmur, Iceland
Jón Haraldsson
1990

STYKKISCHÓLMUR CHURCH Stykkishólmur, Iceland Jón Haraldsson 1990 

 

LOUIS NUCÉRA LIBRARY
Nice, France
Bayard et Chapus (architects) and Sosno (sculptor)
2002

LOUIS NUCÉRA LIBRARY Nice, France Bayard et Chapus (architects) and Sosno (sculptor)

 

FAMILYAR
Kokkoni, Greece
Workshop Dionisis Sotovikis
2008

FAMILYARKokkoni, Greece Workshop Dionisis Sotovikis 2008

 

BORDER CHECKPOINT
Sarpi, Georgia
J. Mayer H. Architects
2011

BORDER CHECKPOINT Sarpi, Georgia J. Mayer H. Architects 2011

 

RYUGYONG HOTEL
Pyongyang, North Korea
Baikdoosan Architects & Engineers
2012
 

RYUGYONG HOTEL Pyongyang, North Korea Baikdoosan Architects & Engineers 2012

  

VILLA KOGELHOF
Kamperland, The Netherlands
Paul de Ruiter Architects
2013

VILLA KOGELHOF Kamperland, The Netherlands Paul de Ruiter Architects 2013

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