Brutalism In Houston

[Subdude]

Occasionally the Chronicle actually has an article about local archtecture. I'm not a huge fan of brutalism, but both the Alley and the HISD building are nice examples.

Aug. 13, 2005, 7:35PM

Brutalism's tough sell

Undervalued style, HISD building fading fast

By SCOT BROOKS

Ever met someone you didn't care for at first, but before you know it, you're friends?

Brutalism can be like that. You probably don't know much about this architectural style, but you know you hate it. It came and went in a 1960s flash, leaving behind only a handful of examples marked by exposed construction, asymmetry, and large-scale detailing. The term is the unfortunate kind that spawns bumper stickers (''Brutal buildings suck''). But it gets at something confrontational in the style, which is an acquired taste. I'm one of the people who loves it.

Getting to know Brutalism isn't easy. There are only a few great Brutalist buildings in the world, and not many more average ones. If you bunched them all together, you'd have maybe enough to make a small town.

Several are in Houston.

BRUTAL IS BEAUTIFUL: Designed by Neuhaus & Taylor in 1969, the HISD Central Administration Building is slated for demolition. Photo circa 1970. Bert Brandt, photographer. From the book Houston: The Once and Future City by George Fuermann.

Link to the article

[YakuzaIce]

My taste for brutalism comes and goes. But on the whole I tend to like it. Outside of known brutalist buildings, there are two buildings off the southwest freeway right next to each other that are around five stories. I am pretty sure they are brutalist, they are corrupted by atrocious signage. (both banks)

[Subdude]

Another good local example is the old Houston Post, now Houston Chronicle building at 59 and West Loop.

[N8TIV]

Don't forget the Galleria Building - Neimans?

[zaphod]

The HISD school district HQ building aka Taj-Mahal by the folks who work in it, is really cruddy if you go inside of it. I went in their a few times for various things and everytime, you have to walk down the asmatic's endless hallway of doom(ie the employee smoking area) to come to this area where there are floors and steps covered in water from the water damage,and the ceiling tiles tell all.

Brutalist buildings are cool, too bad many of them are shoddily built public buildings at things like housing projects which suck terribly anyways.

[jm1fd]

Another good local example is the old Houston Post, now Houston Chronicle building at 59 and West Loop.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As I drove by the barnacle offices today I wondered to myself if it qualified as brutalism....guess so.