houstonmacbro Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 Question: Would the Houston Alley Theatre be considered brutalism architecture? FYI, this was a very fascinating story if you get a chance to read it or listen to the piece on NPR. by Barbara Bradley Hagerty Listen Now [4 min 24 sec] add to playlist Explore more examples of Brutalism Enlarge Heidi Glenn/NPRThe Third Church of Christ, Scientist, in Washington, D.C., is an example of Brutalism, a movement in modern architecture marked by unadorned poured concrete. The church's members want it torn down, but architects want to preserve it. Enlarge Heidi Glenn/NPRLongtime church member Darrow Kirkpatrick says the city's landmark restrictions infringe on the congregants' freedom of religion. Enlarge Heidi Glenn/NPRChanging the light bulbs is an expensive task. According to Kirkpatrick, it can cost as much as $8,000 because scaffolding has to be erected. So the church lets many go dark before replacing them. (The church does keep several rows dark, however, to reduce an annoying hum they emit.) All Things Considered, August 21, 2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marmer Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 Question: Would the Houston Alley Theatre be considered brutalism architecture? Yes, it and the former Houston Post building are the two best examples of New Brutalism in Houston, now that the former HISD headquarters has been torn down. They need a Genie Super Straddle to get above those seats. That would be a one-time cost of about $6,000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan the Man Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 Howard Barnstone's Center for the Retarded on Allen Parkway is another good example of local Brutalist architecture.Brutalism is my least favorite style of Modern architecture. It's too cold and forbidding. I prefer the more techtonic approach of the earlier Modernists (Mies, Gropius, and early Corbusier). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 I agree. Brutalism is probably my least favorite style of architecture, period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 Another main Houston example was the former HISD headquarters on Richmond. I doubt it is anyone's favorite style, but the Alley has aged well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonmacbro Posted August 22, 2008 Author Share Posted August 22, 2008 Another main Houston example was the former HISD headquarters on Richmond. I doubt it is anyone's favorite style, but the Alley has aged well.Oh yeah, didn't they used to call the HISD headquarters the mausoleum?The Alley is okay, but it really needs a good brick cleaning. It always looks smudged to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 Oh yeah, didn't they used to call the HISD headquarters the mausoleum?The Alley is okay, but it really needs a good brick cleaning. It always looks smudged to me.Actually one reason I think the Alley has aged well is that it does look smudged. The patina of 40 years exposure to the elements softens it up a bit.I never heard HISD called that, but I'm surprised. The interior atrium was very light-filled and attractive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westguy Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 Is the Kimbell Art Museum considered brutalist? Because a lot of things by Louis Kahn certainly are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted August 23, 2008 Share Posted August 23, 2008 Is the Kimbell Art Museum considered brutalist? Because a lot of things by Louis Kahn certainly are.It looks that way in some respects but it overall avoids the hulking look that typically goes with brutalism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbigtex56 Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 Howard Barnstone's Center for the Retarded on Allen Parkway is another good example of local Brutalist architecture.Brutalism is my least favorite style of Modern architecture. It's too cold and forbidding. I prefer the more techtonic approach of the earlier Modernists (Mies, Gropius, and early Corbusier).I agree. Brutalism is probably my least favorite style of architecture, period.Another main Houston example was the former HISD headquarters on Richmond. I doubt it is anyone's favorite style, but the Alley has aged well.Allow me a feeble response.Brutalism is, by definition, substantial, massive. Steel and glass structures look like lightweights in comparison; delicate, almost ephemeral. The massive crudely cast concrete of Brutialist structures give structures weight, both physical and temporal.One can easily picture a Miesian construction imploded and hauled away. The HISD headquarters looked as if it would take an atomic bomb to remove it. Its destruction made us aware of how much sheer material had been invested in its construction, and what an inconvenience and waste its demolition involved.Maybe Brutalism was the last gasp of an architecture which wasn't supposed to be temporary. Its sheer bulk and mass was supposed to be reassuring. It was the embodyment of a need for substance in architecture (a quality which is currently underrepresented, IMO.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 I LOVE Brutalist architecture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BryanS Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 A lot of these brutalist buildings were built in the 1960's. Build it strong, forget everything else. Jester Center, University of Texas ...and right accross the street... The Perry-Casta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 Lyndon Johnson Library Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonmacbro Posted August 24, 2008 Author Share Posted August 24, 2008 Lyndon Johnson Library This one is just downright scary! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westguy Posted August 24, 2008 Share Posted August 24, 2008 Lyndon Johnson Library Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan the Man Posted August 25, 2008 Share Posted August 25, 2008 Its sheer bulk and mass was supposed to be reassuring.Given the timeframe of Brutalism's popularity, perhaps this was a response to the Cuban Missile Crisis. Just think of how many government buildings were designed in this style... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
infinite_jim Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 I like Brutalism, however the imitators of this style are quite reprehensible. Really anyone who uses concrete in a civic minded program and invests in some material honesty could be considered Brutalist. The best example is the gunite walls of Le Corbusier's Ronchamp Chapel, imo.Louis Kahn's work could be considered Brutalism but not in the most strict definition, perhaps the Bangladesh parliament bldg complex. Other notables are J. Sterling's pre-pomo work and Paul Rudolph's yale architecture bldg.I've never been to or seen the alley theater so this thread has given me a new mission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plumber2 Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 Oh yeah, didn't they used to call the HISD headquarters the mausoleum?The Alley is okay, but it really needs a good brick cleaning. It always looks smudged to me.The HISD headquarters was refered to as the "Taj Mahal" by a few news reporters back in the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonmacbro Posted August 28, 2008 Author Share Posted August 28, 2008 The HISD headquarters was refered to as the "Taj Mahal" by a few news reporters back in the day.Ah yes. I thought it was some 'colorful' reference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLWM8609 Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 I would think the Brutalist designed buildings on the Gulf Coast would have a good advantage over others in hurricanes, wouldn't you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted August 28, 2008 Share Posted August 28, 2008 I would think the Brutalist designed buildings on the Gulf Coast would have a good advantage over others in hurricanes, wouldn't you think?...that, and the occasional exploding refinery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdmarc Posted August 29, 2008 Share Posted August 29, 2008 Other notables are J. Sterling's pre-pomo work and Paul Rudolph's yale architecture bldg.article on the Yale Architecture Building renovation/restoration http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/28/arts/design/28yale.html?em Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subdude Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 article on the Yale Architecture Building renovation/restoration http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/28/arts/design/28yale.html?emI read that and my gut reaction was that the article was a lot of professional architecture critic blather. I have a difficult time believing that posterity will view this as a masterpiece. The new annex looks a bit bolted-on. I suppose it is considered a great architectural sin to build additions in the style of the original building, but here it looks like a new building just had a collision with the older Brutalist one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Maybe this is why I grew to hate brutalism so much. My alma matter (McGill) had the most beautiful old historical buildings on it's campus, mixed in with some random brutalism from the 60s/70s, and the contrast I thought was just awful. Here's an example. The building on the left is where Ernest Rutherford used to do his experiments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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