brutalism

American  

[broot-l-iz-uhm] / ˈbrut lˌɪz əm /

noun

1. Architecture.  a style of modernist architecture, originating in the 1950s, characterized by exposed structural materials and plain, massive, often steeply angular geometric forms, typically of unfinished concrete.

2. a style in art, furniture, jewelry, etc., influenced by this architecture and often characterized by outsized elements or the use of unfinished or roughly textured materials.

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brutalism British  

/ ˈbruːtəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. Also called: new brutalism.  an austere style of architecture characterized by emphasis on such structural materials as undressed concrete and unconcealed service pipes

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Other Word Forms

• brutalist noun

Etymology

Origin of brutalism

First recorded in 1795–1805, for literal sense; brutal + -ism; in reference to architecture first used by British architects Alison Smithson (1928–93) and Peter Smithson (1923–2003) in 1953

Example Sentences

If he had little use for Rudolph’s burly Brutalism, he took his inspiration from “The Shingle Style,” Scully’s pioneering study of those late 19th-century American houses.

From The Wall Street Journal

"Let's be honest, the enormous mass of 1960s brutalism was devastating for parts of Britain," said the TV presenter.

From BBC

The Banana Flats were given category A-listed status by Historic Environment Scotland as a leading example of Scottish brutalism in 2017.

From BBC

In 2017, they were given category A-listed status by Historic Environment Scotland as a leading example of Scottish brutalism.

From BBC

It came about, it might have even come about the exact same year that the term “brutalism” was coined and those first buildings were erected in the U.K. in the early 1950s.

From Los Angeles Times