1955 December The New Brutalism by Reyner Banham Archive Architectural Review

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1955 December: 'The New Brutalism' by Reyner

Banham
27July2010|ByReynerBanham
ReynerBanhamsessayonTheNewBrutalism,firstpublishedDecember1955
Introduceanobserverintoanyfieldofforces,influencesorcommunications
andthatfieldbecomesdistorted.ItiscommonopinionthatDasKapitalhas
playedoldharrywithcapitalism,sothatMarxistscanhardlyrecognizeitwhen
http://www.architectural-review.com/archive/1955-december-the-new-brutalism-by-reyner-banham/8603840.article
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theyseeit,andthewidespreaddiffusionofFreudsideashaswroughtsuch
havocwithclinicalpsychologythatanyintelligentpatientcanmakeanervous
wreckofhisanalyst.Whathasbeentheinfluenceofcontemporary
architecturalhistoriansonthehistoryofcontemporaryarchitecture?
TheyhavecreatedtheideaofaModemMovementthiswasknownevenbefore
BasilTaylortookuparmsagainstfalsehistoricismandbeyondthattheyhave
offeredaroughclassificationoftheismswhicharethethumbprintof
Modernityintotwomaintypes:One,likeCubism,isalabel,arecognitiontag,
appliedbycriticsandhistorianstoabodyofworkwhichappearstohave
certainconsistentprinciplesrunningthroughit,whatevertherelationshipof
theartiststheother,likeFuturism,isabanner,aslogan,apolicyconsciously
adoptedbyagroupofartists,whatevertheapparentsimilarityordissimilarity
oftheirproducts.AnditisentirelycharacteristicoftheNewBrutalismour
firstnativeartmovementsincetheNewArtHistoryarrivedherethatit
shouldconfoundthesecategoriesandbelongtobothatonce.
IsArtHistorytoblameforthis?Notinanyobviousway,butinpractically
everyotherway.OnecannotbegintostudytheNewBrutalismwithout
realizinghowdeeplytheNewArtHistoryhasbittenintoprogressiveEnglish
architecturalthought,intoteachingmethods,intothecommonlanguageof
communicationbetweenarchitectsandbetweenarchitecturalcritics.Whatis
interestingaboutR.FurneauxJordansParthianfootnoteontheNew
BrutalismLubetkintalksacrosstimetothegreatmasters,theSmithsons
talkonlytoeachotherisnotthefactthatitisnearlytrue,andthusruinshis
argument,butthatitstermsofvaluationarehistorical.TheNewBrutalismhas
tobeseenagainstthebackgroundoftherecenthistoryofhistory,and,in
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particular,thegrowingsenseoftheinnerhistoryoftheModernMovement
itself.
Thehistoryofthephraseitselfisrevealing.Itsformisclearlyderivedfrom
THEARCHITECTURALREVIEWSpostwartrouvailleTheNew
Empiricism,atermwhichwasintendedtodescribevisibletendenciesin
ScandinavianarchitecturetodivergefromanotherhistoricalconceptThe
InternationalStyle.Thisusage,likeanyinvolvingthewordnew,opensupan
historicalperspective.Itpostulatesthatanoldempiricismcanbeidentifiedby
thehistorian,andthatthenewonecanbedistinguishedfromitbymethodsof
historicalcomparison,whichwillalsodistinguishitfromamereEmpirical
Revival.Theabilitytodealwithsuchfineshadesofhistoricalmeaningisin
itselfameasureofourhandinesswiththehistoricalmethodtoday,andtheuse
ofphrasesoftheformTheNewXismwhereXequalsanyadjectivalroot
becamecommonplaceintheearlynineteenfiftiesinfourthyearstudiosand
otherplaceswherearchitectureisdiscussed,ratherthanpracticed.
Thepassionofsuchdiscussionhasbeengreatlyenhancedbytheclarityofits
polarizationCommunistsversustheRestanditwassomewhereinthis
vigorouspolemicthatthetermTheNewBrutalismwasfirstcoined.Itwas,in
thebeginning,atermofCommunistabuse,anditwasintendedtosignifythe
normalvocabularyofModernarchitectureflatroofs,glass,exposedstructure
consideredasmorallyreprehensibledeviationsfromTheNewHumanism,a
phrasewhichmeanssomethingdifferentinMarxisthandstothemeaning
whichmightbeexpected.
TheNewHumanismmeant,inarchitectureatthattimebrickwork,segmental
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arches,pitchedroofs,small
windows(orsmallpanesat
anyrate)picturesque
detailingwithoutpicturesque
planning.Itwas,infact,the
socalledWilliamMorris
Revival,nowhappilydefunct,
sinceKruschevsreversalof
thePartysarchitecturalline,
thoughthisreversalhas,of
course,takenthegutsoutof
subsequentpolemics.ButitwillbeobservedthatTheNewHumanismwas
againaquasihistoricalconcept,oriented,howeverspuriously,towardthat
midnineteenthcenturyepochwhichwasMarxismsGoldenAge,whenyou
couldrecognizeacapitalistwhenyoumethim.
However,Londonarchitecturalcirclesareasmallfieldinwhichtoconducta
polemicofanykind,andabusemustbedirectedatspecificpersons,rather
thanclassesofpersons,sincetherewasrarelyenoughunanimity(except
amongMarxists)toallowaclasstocoalesce.TheNewBrutalistsatwhom
Marxistspitewasdirectedcouldbenamedandrecognizedandsocouldtheir
friendsinotherarts.Thetermhadnosoonergotintopubliccirculationthan
itsmeaningbegantonarrow.
AmongthenonMarxistgroupingtherewasnoparticularunityofprogramme
orintention,buttherewasacertaincommunityofinterests,atendencytolook
towardLeCorbusier,andtobeawareofsomethingcalledlebetonbrut,to
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knowthequotationwhichappearsattheheadofthisarticleand,inthecaseof
themoresophisticatedandaestheticallyliterate,toknowoftheArtBrutof
JeanDubuffetandhisconnectioninParis.Wordsandideas,personalitiesand
discontentschimedtogetherandinamatterofweekslongbeforetheThird
Programmeandthemonthlieshadgotholdofthephraseithadbeen
appropriatedastheirown,bytheirowndesireandpublicconsent,bytwo
youngarchitects,AlisonandPeterSmithson.
Thephrasehadthuschangedbothitsmeaninganditsusage.Adoptedas
somethingbetweenasloganandabrickbatflunginthepublicsface,TheNew
Brutalismceasedtobealabeldescriptiveofatendencycommontomost
modernarchitecture,andbecameinsteadaprogramme,abanner,while
retainingsomeratherrestrictedsenseasadescriptivelabel.Itisbecauseitis
bothkindsofismatoncethatTheNewBrutalismeludesprecisedescription,
whileremainingalivingforceincontemporaryBritisharchitecture.
Asadescriptivelabelithastwooverlapping,butnotidentical,senses.Non
architecturallyitdescribestheartofDubuffet,someaspectsofJacksonPollock
andofAppel,andtheburlappaintingsofAlbertoBurriamongforeignartists
and,say,MagdaCordellorEdouardoPaolozziandNigelHendersonamong
Englishartists.Withtheselasttwo,theSmithsonscollectedandhungthe
I.C.A.exhibitionParallelofLifeandArt,which,thoughitprobablypreceded
thecoiningofthephrase,isneverthelessregardedasalocusclassicusofthe
movement.
Themoreinstructiveaspectsofthisexhibitionwillbeconsideredlater:forthe
momentletusobservethatmanycritics(andstudentsattheArchitectural
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Association)complainedofthedeliberatefloutingofthetraditionalconcepts
ofphotographicbeauty,ofacultofugliness,anddenyingthespiritualinMan.
ThetoneofresponsetoTheNewBrutalismexistedevenbeforehostilecritics
knewwhattocallit,andtherewasanawarenessthattheSmithsonswere
headedinadifferentdirectiontomostotheryoungerarchitectsinLondon.
AlisonSmithsonfirstclaimedthewordsinpublicasherowninadescription
ofaprojectforasmallhouseinSoho(ArchitecturalDesign,November,1953)
designedbeforethephraseexisted,andpreviouslytaggedThewarehouse
aestheticaveryfairdescriptionofwhatTheNewBrutalismstoodforinits
firstphase.Ofthishouse,shewrote:hadthisbeenbuilt,itwouldhavebeen
thefirstexponentoftheNewBrutalisminEngland,asthepreambletothe
specificationshows:Itisourintentioninthisbuildingtohavethestructure
exposedentirely,withoutinteriorfinisheswhereverpracticable.Thecontractor
shouldaimatahighstandardofbasicconstruction,asinasmallwarehouse.
Thepublicationofthisprojectledtoanextensiveandoftenhilarious
correspondenceinvariousperiodicalsthroughthesummerof1954,a
correspondencewhichwanderedfurtherandfurtherfromitsoriginalpoint
becausemostwriterswereinfactdiscussingeithertheexhibitionParallelof
LifeandArt,orthe(asyet)unpublishedschoolatHunstanton.Whenthiswas
finallypublished(AR,September,1954)thediscussiontookasharperandless
humoroustone,forhereinthreedimensionalandphotographicreality,andin
theclassicModernMovementmaterialsofconcrete,steelandglass,wasthe
Smithsonsonlycompletedbuilding.ThephraseTheNewBrutalismwas
immediatelyappliedtoit,thoughithadbeendesignedinthespringof1950,
longbeforeeventhehouseinSoho,buttheBrutaliststhemselveshave
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acceptedthisappellation,andithasbecomethetagforHunstantonwherever
thebuildinghasbeendiscussed.
Hunstanton,andthehouseinSoho,canserveasthepointsofarchitectural
referencebywhichTheNewBrutalisminarchitecturemaybedefined.What
arethevisibleandidentifiablecharacteristicsofthesetwostructures?Both
haveformal,axialplansHunstanton,infact,hassomethingliketruebiaxial
symmetry,andthesmallGymnasiumblockalongsidetheschoolisakindof
exemplarinlittleofjusthowformalthecompleteschemewastohavebeen
andthisformalityisimmediatelylegiblefromwithout.Bothexhibittheirbasic
structure,andbothmakeapointofexhibitingtheirmaterialsinfact,this
emphasisonbasicstructureissoobsessivethatmanysuperficialcriticshave
takenthistobethewholeofNewBrutalistArchitecture.
Admittedly,thisemphasison
basicstructureisimportant,
evenifitisnotthewhole
story,andwhathascaused
Hunstantontolodgeinthe
publicsgulletisthefactthat
itisalmostuniqueamong
modernbuildingsinbeing
madeofwhatitappearstobe
madeof.Whateverhasbeen
saidabouthonestuseof
materials,mostmodernbuildingsappeartobemadeofwhitewashorpatent
glazing,evenwhentheyaremadeofconcreteorsteel.Hunstantonappearsto
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bemadeofglass,brick,steelandconcrete,andisinfactmadeofglass,brick,
steelandconcrete.Waterandelectricitydonotcomeoutofunexplainedholes
inthewall,butaredeliveredtothepointofusebyvisiblepipesandmanifest
conduits.OnecanseewhatHunstantonismadeof,andhowitworks,and
thereisnotanotherthingtoseeexcepttheplayofspaces.
ThisruthlessadherencetooneofthebasicmoralimperativesoftheModern
Movementhonestyinstructureandmaterialhasprecipitatedasituationto
whichonlythepenofIbsencoulddojustice.Themassofmoderatearchitects,
hommesmoyenssensuels,havefoundtheiraccepted,practicesforwaivingthe
requirementsoftheconsciencecodesuddenlycalledinquestiontheyhave
beenputrudelyonthespot,andtheyhavenotlikedtheexperience.Ofcourse,
itisnotjustthebuildingitselfwhichhasprecipitatedthissituation,itisthe
thingstheBrutalistshavesaidanddoneaswell,but,aswiththeinfectedSpa
inAnEnemyofthePeople,theplayofpersonalitiesfocusesaroundaphysical
object.
Thequalitiesofthatobjectmaybesummarizedasfollows:1,Formallegibility
ofplan2,clearexhibitionofstructure,and3,valuationofmaterialsfortheir
inherentqualitiesasfound.Thissummarycanbeusedtoanswerthe
question:ArethereotherNewBrutalistbuildingsbesidesHunstanton?Itis
interestingtonotethatsuchasummaryofqualitiescouldbemadetodescribe
Marseilles,PromontoryandLakeshoreapartments,GeneralMotorsTechnical
Centre,muchrecentDutchworkandseveralprojectsbyyoungerEnglish
architectsaffiliatedtoClAM.
But,withthepossibleexceptionofMarseilles,theBrutalistswouldprobably
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rejectmostofthesebuildingsfromthecanon,andsomustwe,forallofthese
structuresexhibitanexcessofsuaviterinmodo,evenifthereisplentyof
fortiterinreaboutthem.InthelastresortwhatcharacterizestheNew
Brutalisminarchitectureasinpaintingispreciselyitsbrutality,itsjemen
foutisme,itsbloodymindedness.
Onlyoneotherbuildingconspicuouslycarriesthesequalitiesinthewaythat
Hunstantondoes,andthatisLouisKahnsYaleArtCentre.Hereisabuilding
whichisuncompromisinglyfrankaboutitsmaterials,whichisinconceivable
apartfromitsboldlyexhibitedstructuralmethodwhichbeingaconcrete
spaceframeisasrevolutionaryandunconventionalastheuseofthePlastic
TheoryinstressingHunstantonssteelHframes.Furthermore,theplanisvery
formalinthedispositionofitsmainelements,andmakesakindofsymmetry
abouttwoclearlydefinedaxesatrightanglestooneanother.Andthisisa
buildingwhichsomeBrutalistscanapparentlyacceptasaconstituentNew
Brutaliststructure.
But,withallduediffidence,thepresentauthorsubmitsthatitstilldoesnot
quiteanswertothestandardsetbyHunstanton.Foronething,theSmithsons
workischaracterizedbyanabstemiousunderdesigningofthedetails,and
muchoftheimpactofthebuildingcomesfromtheineloquence,butabsolute
consistency,ofsuchcomponentsasthestairsandhandrails.Bycomparison,
Kahnsdetailingisarty,andthestairrailandbalustrading(ifthatistheword
forstainlessnetting)isjarringlyoutofkeywiththeroughshutteredconcrete
ofthemainstructure.Thismaybeonlyamatterofdetailingbutthereis
anothershortfallaboutYaleArtCentrewhichcouldnotbebrushedoffso
easily.
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EverySmithsondesignhasbeen,obviouslyorsubtly,acoherentand
apprehensiblevisualentity,butthisLouisKahnsdesignnarrowlyfailstobe.
Theinternalspaceswillbeclutteredwithdisplayscreenswhich,inthenature
ofhisprogrammeandhissolutionofit,mustbesusceptibleofbeingmoved,so
thatformalclarityisalwaysthreatened.Butbeyondthistherelationofinterior
toexteriorfailstovalidatetheaxeswhichgoverntheplan.Available
viewpoints,theplacingoftheentrances,thehandlingoftheexteriorwallsall
tendtoloseorplaydownthepresenceofplanningaxes.Nodoubtthereare
excellentfunctionalreasonsforthedoorsbeingwheretheyare,andexcellent
structuralreasonsforthewallsbeingtreatedinthewaytheyarebutifthese
reasonsweresocompelling,whybotherwithanaxialplananyhow?
Thisisahardthingtohaveto
sayaboutaseriously
consideredbuildingbya
reputablearchitectofsome
standing,butcontactwith
Brutalistarchitecturetendsto
driveonetohardjudgements,
andtheonethingofwhichthe
Smithsonshaveneverbeen
accusedisalackoflogicor
consistencyinthinking
throughadesign.Infactitis
theruthlesslogicmorethananythingelsewhichmosthostilecriticsfind
distressingaboutHunstantonorperhapsitisthefactthatthislogiciswornon
thesleeve.Oneofthereasonsforthisobtrusivelogicisthatitcontributesto
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theapprehensibilityandcoherenceofthebuildingasavisualentity,becauseit
contributestothebuildingasanimage.
AnImagewiththeutteranceofthesetwowordswebridgethegapbetweenthe
possibleuseofTheNewBrutalismasadescriptivelabelcovering,invarying
degreesofaccuracy,twoormorebuildings,andTheNewBrutalismasa
slogan,andwealsogosomewaytobridgethegapbetweenthemeaningofthe
termasappliedtoarchitectureanditsmeaningasappliedtopaintingand
sculpture.Thewordimageinthissenseisoneofthemostintractableandthe
mostusefultermsincontemporaryaesthetics,andsomeattempttoexplainit
mustbemade.
AgreatmanythingshavebeencalledanimageS.M.dellaConsolazioneat
Todi,apaintingbyJacksonPollock,theLeverBuilding,the1954Cadillac
convertible,theroofscapeoftheUnitatMarseilles,anyofthehundred
photographsinParallelofLifeandArt.Imageseemstobeawordthat
describesanythingornothing.Ultimately,however,itmeanssomethingwhich
isvisuallyvaluable,butnotnecessarilybythestandardsofclassicalaesthetics.
WhereThomasAquinassupposedbeautytobequodvisumplacet(thatwhich
seen,pleases),imagemaybedefinedasquodvisumperturbatthatwhichseen,
affectstheemotions,asituationwhichcouldsubsumethepleasurecausedby
beauty,butisnotnormallytakentodoso,fortheNewBrutalistsinterestsin
imagearecommonlyregarded,bymanyofthemselvesaswellastheircritics,
asbeingantiart,oratanyrateantibeautyintheclassicalaestheticsenseof
theword.Butwhatisequallyasimportantasthespecifickindofresponse,is
thenatureofitscause.WhatpleasedSt.Thomaswasanabstractquality,
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beautywhatmovesaNewBrutalististhethingitself,initstotality,andwith
allitsovertonesofhumanassociation.Theseideasofcourselieclosetothe
generalbodyofantiAcademicaestheticscurrentlyincirculation,thoughthey
arenottobeidentifiedexactlywithMichelTapiesconceptofunArtAutre,
eventhoughthatconceptcoversmanyContinentalBrutalistsaswellas
EdouardoPaolozzi.
NeverthelessthisconceptofImageiscommontoallaspectsofTheNew
BrutalisminEngland,butthemannerinwhichitworksoutinarchitectural
practicehassomesurprisingtwiststoit.Basically,itrequiresthatthebuilding
shouldbeanimmediatelyapprehensiblevisualentityandthattheform
graspedbytheeyeshouldbeconfirmedbyexperienceofthebuildinginuse.
Further,thatthisformshouldbeentirelypropertothefunctionsandmaterials
ofthebuilding,intheirentirety.Sucharelationshipbetweenstructure,
functionandformisthebasiccommonplaceofallgoodbuildingofcourse,the
demandthatthisformshouldbeapprehensibleandmemorableistheapical
uncommonplacewhichmakesgoodbuildingintogreatarchitecture.
Thefactthatthisformgivingobligationhasbeensofarforgottenthatagreat
dealofgoodbuildingcanbespokenofasifitwerearchitecture,isamarkofa
seriouslydecayedconditioninEnglisharchitecturalstandards.Ithasbecome
tooeasytogetawaywiththeassumptionthatifstructureandfunctionare
servedthentheresultmustbearchitecturesoeasythatthemeaningless
phrasetheconceptualbuildinghasbeencoinedtodefendthesubstandard
architecturalpracticesoftheroutinefunctionalists,asifconceptualbuildings
weresomethingnew,andsomethingfaintlyreprehensibleinmodern
architecture.
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Allgreatarchitecturehasbeenconceptual,hasbeenimagemakingandthe
ideathatanygreatbuildings,suchastheGothicCathedrals,grew
unconsciouslythroughanonymouscollaborativeattentiontostructureand
functionisoneofthemostinsidiousmythswithwhichtheModernMovement
issaddled.EverygreatbuildingoftheModernMovementhasbeena
conceptualdesign,especiallythoseliketheBauhaus,whichgooutoftheirway
tolookasiftheyweretheproductsofpurefunctionalism,whoseaformal
compositionsarecommonlyadvancedbyroutinefunctionalistsindefenceof
theirownabdicationofarchitecturalresponsibility.Butaconceptualbuilding
isaslikelytobeaformalasitistobeformal,asastudyoftheSmithsonspost
Hunstantonprojectswillshow.
HunstantonsformalityisunmistakablyMiesian,asPhilipJohnsonpointed
out,possiblybecauselIT.wasoneofthefewrecentexamplesofconceptual,
formgivingdesigntowhichayoungarchitectcouldturnatthetimeofits
conception,andtheformalityoftheirCoventryCathedralcompetitionentryis
equallymarked,buthereonecansafelyposittheinterferenceofhistorical
studiesagain,for,thoughtheexactpriorityofdateasbetweentheSmithsons
designandthepublicationofProfessorWittkowersArchitecturalPrinciplesof
theAgeofHumanismisdisputed(bytheSmithsons)itcannotbedeniedthat
theywereintouchwithWittkowerianstudiesatthetime,andwereasexcited
bythemasanybodyelse.
ThegeneralimpactofProfessorWittkowersbookonawholegenerationof
postwararchitecturalstudentsisoneofthephenomenaofourtime.Its
expositionofabodyofarchitecturaltheoryinwhichfunctionandformwere
significantlylinkedbytheobjectivelawsgoverningtheCosmos(asAlbertiand
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Palladiounderstoodthem)suddenlyofferedawayoutofthedoldrumof
routinefunctionalistabdications,andneoPalladianismbecametheorderof
theday.
TheeffectofArchitecturalPrincipleshasmadeitbyfarthemostimportant
contributionforevilaswellasgoodbyanyhistoriantoEnglishArchitecture
sincePioneersoftheModernMovement,anditprecipitatedanicedisputation
ontheproperusesofhistory.Thequestionbecame:Humanistprinciplestobe
followed?orHumanistprinciplesasanexampleofthekindofprinciplesto
lookfor?Manystudentsoptedfortheformeralternative,andRoutine
PalladianssoonbecameasthickonthegroundasRoutineFunctionalists.The
Brutalists,observingtheinherentriskofareturntopureacademicismmore
pronouncedatLiverpoolthanattheAAsheeredoffabruptlyintheother
directionandweresooninvolvedintheorganizationofParallelofLifeand
Art.
Introducingthisexhibitionto
anAAstudentdebatePeter
Smithsondeclared:Weare
notgoingtotalkabout
proportionandsymmetry
andthiswashisdeclarationof
warontheinherent
academicismoftheneo
Palladians,andtheanti
Brutalistsectionofthehouse
madeitclearhowjustified
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wasthissuspicionofcryptoacademicismbytakingtheirstandnotonlyon
PalladioandAlbertibutalsoonPlatoandtheAbsolute.
ThenewdirectioninBrutalistarchitecturalinventionshowedatonceinthe
SmithsonsGoldenLaneandSheffieldUniversitycompetitionentries.The
former,onlyrememberedforhavingputtheideaofthestreetdeckbackin
circulationinEngland,isnotableforitsdeterminationtocreateacoherent
visualimagebynonformalmeans,emphasizingvisiblecirculation,
identifiableunitsofhabitation,andfullyvalidatingthepresenceofhuman
beingsaspartofthetotalimagetheperspectiveshadphotographsofpeople
postedontothedrawings,sothatthehumanpresencealmostoverwhelmed
thearchitecture.
ButtheSheffielddesignwentfurthereventhanthisandaformalismbecomes
aspositiveaforceinitscompositionasitdoesinapaintingbyBurrior
Pollock.Compositionmightseemprettystronglanguageforsoapparently
casualalayout,butthisisclearlynotanunconceptualdesign,andon
examinationitcanbeshowntohaveacomposition,butbasednotonthe
elementaryruleandcompassgeometrywhichunderliesmostarchitectural
composition,somuchasanintuitivesenseoftopology.
Asadisciplineofarchitecturetopologyhasalwaysbeenpresentina
subordinateandunrecognizedwayqualitiesofpenetration,circulation,inside
andout,havealwaysbeenimportant,butelementaryPlatonicgeometryhas
beenthemasterdiscipline.Now,intheSmithsonsSheffieldprojecttheroles
arereversed,topologybecomesthedominantandgeometrybecomesthe
subordinatediscipline.Theconnectivityofthecirculationroutesisflourished
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ontheexteriorandnoattemptismadetogiveageometricalformtothetotal
schemelargeblocksoftopologicallysimilarspacesstandaboutthesitewith
thesamegracelessmemorabilityasmartellotowersorpitheadgear.
Suchadominanceaccordedtotopologyinwhoseclassificationsabrickisthe
sameshapeasabilliardball(unpenetratedsolid)andateacupisthesame
shapeasagramophonerecord(continuoussurfacewithonehole)isclearly
analogoustothedisplacementofTomisticbeautybyBrutalistImage,and
Sheffieldremainsthemostconsistentandextremepointreachedbyany
BrutalistsintheirsearchforUneArchitectureAutre.Itisnotlikelytodisplace
HunstantoninarchitecturaldiscussionsastheprimeexemplarofTheNew
Brutalism,butitistheonlybuildingdesignwhichfullymatchesuptothe
threatandpromiseofPamllelofLifeandArt.
AnditshowsthattheformalaxialityofHunstantonisnotintegraltoNew
Brutalistarchitecture.MiesianorWittkoweriangeometrywasonlyanadhoc
devicefortherealizationofImages,andwhenParallelofLifeandArthad
enabledBrutaliststodefinetheirrelationshiptothevisualworldintermsof
somethingotherthangeometry,thenformalitywasdiscarded.Thedefinition
ofaNewBrutalistbuildingderivedfromHunstantonandYaleArtCentre,
above,mustbemodifiedsoastoexcludeformalityasabasicqualityifitisto
coverfuturedevelopmentsandshouldmoreproperlyread:1,Memorabilityas
anImage2,ClearexhibitionofStructureand3,ValuationofMaterialsas
found.
RememberingthatanImageiswhataffectstheemotions,thatstructure,inits
fullestsense,istherelationshipofparts,andthatmaterialsasfoundareraw
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materials,wehaveworkedourwaybacktothequotationwhichheadedthis
articleLArchitecture,cest,avecdesMatieresBruts,etablirdesrapports
emouvants,butwehaveworkedourwaytothispointthroughsuchan
awarenessofhistoryanditsusesthatweseethatTheNewBrutalism,ifitis
architectureinthegrandsenseofLeCorbusiersdefinition,isalsoarchitecture
ofourtimeandnotofhis,norofLubetkins,norofthetimesoftheMastersof
thepast.EvenifitweretruethattheBrutalistsspeakonlytooneanother,the
factthattheyhavestoppedspeakingtoMansart,toPalladioandtoAlberti
wouldmakeTheNewBrutalism,eveninitsmoreprivatesense,amajor
contributiontothearchitectureoftoday.
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1955 December The New Brutalism by Reyner Banham Archive Architectural Review

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1955 December The New Brutalism by Reyner Banham Archive Architectural Review

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10/7/2014

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1955 December: 'The New Brutalism' by Reyner

The Architectural Review

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