26.7.10
24.7.10
THE TALENTED MUSICIANS WHO WROTE OUR SCORE; THE CHAP
Panos Ghikas & Johannes von Weizsacker are from The Chap
The Chap / Even Your Friend from Lo+LOAF TV on Vimeo.
22.7.10
21.7.10
BRUTALISM IS BACK IN VOGUE
Throughout the Thatcherite Eighties and Majorite Nineties, they were the buildings we all loved to hate. But over the past few years, something quite extraordinary has happened to the cityscape of Blairite Britain. Contrary to conservative expectations, some of our most despised structures have been restored, revamped - even given coveted listed status. The modern monoliths we once loathed have become our newest national monuments. Against all the odds, brutalism is back in vogue.
Everywhere you look, brutalist buildings are getting facelifts. The National Theatre has had a spring-clean, the South Bank Centre is embarking on a major renovation, and the Barbican has celebrated its 20th birthday with a self-confident, self-congratulatory retrospective. Most remarkable of all, high-rise blocks such as Denys Lasdun's Keeling House and Erno Goldfinger's Trellick Tower have been transformed into smart new homes. So how did a style that seemed to sum up everything that was awful about modern architecture suddenly become the height of fashion?...
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Everywhere you look, brutalist buildings are getting facelifts. The National Theatre has had a spring-clean, the South Bank Centre is embarking on a major renovation, and the Barbican has celebrated its 20th birthday with a self-confident, self-congratulatory retrospective. Most remarkable of all, high-rise blocks such as Denys Lasdun's Keeling House and Erno Goldfinger's Trellick Tower have been transformed into smart new homes. So how did a style that seemed to sum up everything that was awful about modern architecture suddenly become the height of fashion?...
READ MORE
BRIEF HISTORY OF BRUTALIST ARCHITECTURE
Brutalism gained large momentum in Britain during the middle 20th century, as economically depressed (and WWII-ravaged) communities sought inexpensive construction and design methods for low-cost housing, shopping centers, and government buildings. Combined with the socially progressive intentions behind brutalist "streets in the sky" housings like Corbusier's Unité, brutalism was promoted as a positive option for forward-moving, modern urban housing. In practice however, many of the buildings lacked many of the community-serving features of Corbusier's vision, and instead developed into claustrophobic, crime-ridden tenements (Robin Hood Gardens is a particularly notorious example). Some such buildings took decades to develop into positive communities. The rough coolness of concrete lost its appeal under a damp and gray northern sky, and its fortress-like material touted as vandalproof soon proved vulnerable to spray-can graffiti.
Brutalist designs were also often initially criticised as eyesores. The current Fodor's guide to London mentions the former Home Office building at 50 Queen Anne's Gate as "hulking." Because the style is essentially that of poured concrete it tends to be inexpensive to build and maintain (but very difficult to modify). However, in the case of Trellick Tower, the design has ultimately proved very popular with both tenants and owner-occupier residents. In time, many brutalist structures become appreciated as landmarks by their communities for their uniqueness and eye-catching appearance.
In recent years, the bad memories of underserved brutalist community structures have led to their eager demolition to make way for newer, more traditionally oriented community structures. Despite a nascent modernist appreciation movement, and the identified success that some of this style's offspring have had, many others have been or are slated to be demolished.
Brutalist designs were also often initially criticised as eyesores. The current Fodor's guide to London mentions the former Home Office building at 50 Queen Anne's Gate as "hulking." Because the style is essentially that of poured concrete it tends to be inexpensive to build and maintain (but very difficult to modify). However, in the case of Trellick Tower, the design has ultimately proved very popular with both tenants and owner-occupier residents. In time, many brutalist structures become appreciated as landmarks by their communities for their uniqueness and eye-catching appearance.
In recent years, the bad memories of underserved brutalist community structures have led to their eager demolition to make way for newer, more traditionally oriented community structures. Despite a nascent modernist appreciation movement, and the identified success that some of this style's offspring have had, many others have been or are slated to be demolished.
DENYS LASDUN- THE CHOSEN ONE- DESIGNS NATIONAL THEATRE
Above: Denys Lasdun's model of the National Theatre and Denys Lasdun
One of Britain's leading architects, Denys Lasdun, was chosen to design the building. In spite of Lasdun's fine modernist credentials he was to many a surprising choice – he had never designed a theatre.
Perhaps Lasdun's interview technique helps explain his appointment: of the twenty finalists interviewed by the committee Lasdun was the only one to appear without the support of a team. Lasdun's solo interview and such comments as “the essence of designing a theatre is a spiritual one,” seem to have appealed to the theatrical sensibilities of the committee: Laurence Olivier later wrote, 'Oh, my dear! We all fell for that. Well, he was a unanimous choice; we knew we'd got by far the most suitable man and probably the most brilliant man in England.' Lord Cottesloe, the Chairman of the Arts Council and the South Bank Board, wrote that “the committee was particularly impressed when he said he knew nothing about designing theatres and would have to sit down and learn what was needed from our committee.”
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