Brutalism

Photo © Annette Spiro

The Paulo Mendes da Rocha Residence in São Paulo, Brazil by Paulo Mendes da Rocha, 2006 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate

The term Brutalism was first used in the early 1950s to describe the simple concrete buildings designed by Le Corbusier. Stark and angular, Brutalism grew out of the International Style, but the designs may strike you as less refined. Brutalist buildings can be constructed quickly and economically.

Brutalist architecture has these features:

• Precast concrete slabs
• Rough, unfinished surfaces
• Exposed steel beams
• Massive, sculptural shapes

The Prizker Prize-winning architect Paulo Mendes da Rocha is often called a "Brazilian Brutalist" because his buildings are constructed of prefabricated and mass-produced concrete components. Shown here is his home in São Paulo, Brazil.