In the aftermath of World War Two, the UK found itself in a difficult position. The mass destruction of buildings, flats, and homes coupled with a huge baby boom meant there simply were not enough homes to go around. The government had to fix the issue and it had to do it quickly. So, what does a country do when it needs to build a record-breaking amount of homes in such a short period of time? The answer came in the form of a new architectural style, one that would transform the world and stand at the centre of a debate which was set to rumble on for decades.
Early history
During the early 1950s, brutalism started to grow in popularity. The style found its way into local flats and apartment buildings with many journalists of the time heralding the movement as a revolution. The buildings were the first real examples of high-rise living and transformed living standards for the poorer communities but why?
The short answer focuses on one word. Space. The buildings were far larger than any mass living buildings in the past and featured generously sized living rooms and walkways several metres in the air that were as wide as roads. So, what made all of this possible? In essence, the entire brutalist movement is in debt to concrete. The material quite literally laid foundations for the style to explode into popularity.
At first, brutalism was welcomed by the masses with open arms. With the promise of larger homes and convenient living, first-time buyers flocked to the buildings. For the 1950s the amount of space that these buildings featured was quite frankly unheard of and the movement undoubtedly had huge promise.
Fall in popularity
As the century progressed the nation and the world slipped into one of the worst recessions in human history. The early 1980s saw a catastrophic loss in wealth for the masses and with this a general feeling of unrest. Naturally, those living in the now fairly run-down brutalist flats began to resent these structures as their general quality of life decreased.
This collapse in popularity meant the movement slowed and pretty much collapsed in the late 80s and early 90s. Many planners and architects of the time preferred to base their buildings on modern inspiration and there was a general move toward sleeker design. This was effectively the end of brutalism and the movement has struggled to rebuild its reputation ever since.
Brutalist resurgence
Now, in the 21st century, many brutalist buildings are being torn down to make way for new structures with modern designs. Despite much of the public opinion falling in favour of demolishing these ageing structures, there is a fair amount of resistance. Those in favour of retaining these buildings cite the substantial influence many of the tower blocks had on modern culture and as such many of the structures are now listed in an attempt to save them for future generations.
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