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Editions Umbrella 13
Interview Elliott Lewis-George
“The Barbican in London is a fantastic example of how brutalist architecture can work. It’s just so well thought out. From the spacious apartments to the walkways to the Tube stations that keep you within the complex, it’s all very clean and orderly.”
“Brutalist architecture gives you a great focal point for exploring the city. You can pick out these buildings and they can map out your route as you walk through the metropolis. You can end up exploring parts of the city that you would otherwise ignore.”
“The Alton Estate in Roehampton is interesting because it had a bad reputation in the ’80s and ’90s, despite the fact it had won awards. It was designed by London County Council Architects which was known for having a utopian vision. The estate offers fantastic views of Richmond Park, is really well planned and is apparently now a thriving environment.”
“I studied at Manchester University among the sprawl of concrete that spilled into the suburbs. I spent nearly every weekend partying at the brutalist Hulme Crescents in knocked-through flats and squats that were integral to that whole Madchester acid house scene. I don’t doubt that those buildings facilitated that ‘24-hour party people’ lifestyle.”
“In the late ’50s to mid ’70s, brutalism offered a vision of the future” “Critics argue that brutalist buildings don’t age well. However, I think there’s also a stigmatism attached to brutalism that derives from the way the buildings are managed. If corners were cut when the buildings were built and left unsupervised then these environments don’t just become brutalist by name but brutalist by nature.” “I live with my wife in west London and we can see the Trellick Tower from our bedroom window. It’s fair to say that Erno Goldfinger’s masterpiece is my favourite example of brutalism, and the reason I started the @ThisBrutalLife Instagram account in the first place.”
“In the ’80s, certain trendy music mags labelled bands like Depeche Mode, The Human League and Soft Cell as ‘futurists’. I believe these bands were born in, and influenced by, a brutalist environment. Le Corbusier, the godfather of brutalism, famously said that “a home is a machine for living in”, and I think electronic musicians like Kraftwerk echoed that sentiment in their music.” “My appreciation for brutalist buildings resonates in other aspects of my life: I value attention-to-detail, functionality and cleanliness in everything from my job to my clothes.” “Whether you like them or not, these stark concrete edifices dotted around our cities provoke an emotion. I sometimes feel like today’s buildings are just a bit characterless.” Join Corin in celebrating the beauty of brutalism around the world by following @ThisBrutalLife on Instagram