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everyday i ride my bike past this massivebeast of a building called the robarts library. a monstrous, multi-faceted complex with thefootprint of an equilateral triangle in heart of the university of toronto’s downtowncampus. it houses the university's main humanitiesand social sciences library. and depending on who you ask, has been aniconic architectural monument, or the biggest ugliest eyesore of the toronto landscape forover 40 years. you may have seen monstrous buildings likethis one yourself. these geometric fortress like buildings - usuallymade of rugged, unfinished concrete - rose up all around the world during the mid 20thcentury.

originating in western europe, it quicklyalso spread to many cities in eastern europe, north america, and reaching as far as brazil,israel, japan and australia. these types of buildings have since been collectivelydefined by architectural critics and writers as “brutalism.” the term “brutalism" was popularized bybritish architectural critics of the 1950s. while it’s obvious to english speakers thatthe term was derived from the word "brutal" meaning crude and and harsh. it actually also originates from the frenchwords “beton brut” meaning “raw concrete”. of course not all concrete buildings are brutalist.

and in fact not all brutalist buildings arenecessarily made of concrete. but a defining principal of brutalism is anovert focus on material itself and attention to the sculptural form. but brutalism is not just aesthetics, it'salso a philosophy. in the mid-20th century it became associatedwith the “anti-bourgeois” and “socially progressive.” and supporters of brutalist architecture sawthem as bold monuments of egalitarianism and democracy. during the post war decades of the 1950s and60s, there was a strong reaction among many designers, architects and the general publicagainst both the overly ornamental styles

of beaux art architecture, as well as therigid, “glass-box” forms of the international style. many associated “shiny glass towers" withthe wealthy, privileged elite. and to many progressive thinkers - brutalismwas the more honest, unpretentious and egalitarian approach to architecture. for the most part, brutalism was a favouredstyle of public or institutional buildings such as government facilities, libraries,universities, museums, and social housing. concrete is a product that is relatively inexpensive,plentiful and accessible. the heavy and enclosed building envelope withlimited glazing made it easier for climate control, thus making it economically sensibleand practical for institutional use, which

in turn also symbolized a degree of modestyand public accountability. brutalists placed heavy emphasis on the exposureof structural materials and celebrated the internal functional use of the building. this approach may not seem unique to us today,but at the time it was a departure from previous styles. many classical buildings are adorned withelaborate facades that have no connection to the building’s function, and the internationalstyle of the 20s and 30s often aimed to conceal or deemphasize a building’s structure. the boston city hall is an example of wherethe designers overly expressed the building's functional volumes through heavily articulatedprotrusions on the facade.

it also aimed to link the exterior publicspace with the interior by extending the paved brick material of the public plaza into theinterior atrium space. brutalist architecture also often aimed toconnect with a building’s local context. the kyoto international conference centre,situated on the beautiful shores of lake takaragaike - utilized a triangular base to complimentthe forms of the surrounding mountains, while its inverted triangle is inspired by the shapeof a traditional japanese pagoda. gerhard kallmann, one of the principal designersof the boston city hall stated that "we have reacted against an architecture thatis absolute, uninvolved and abstract. we have moved towards an architecture thatis specific and concrete, involving itself

with the social and geographic context ... ratherthan an uncommitted abstract structure that could be any place ... without identity orpresence." whether brutalist structures today still embodythe once promising utopian dream of social progressivism is debatable, and perhaps entirelydismissible. in popular culture, especially film, brutalistbuildings have been used extensively in futuristic, dystopic films such as a clockwork orange,and bladerunner. toronto’s robart’s library was actuallyused for exterior shots of the zombie film resident evil: afterlife, while the universityof toronto’s scarborough campus meeting place was used for interior shots of the prisonscenes.

in a way, brutalism has become synonymouswith dystopian films - similar to how gothic is synonymous with horror films. but just like how many gothic buildings canbe breathtakingly beautiful despite being associated with the horror genre. many brutalist buildings have become iconicfor being associated with the dystopian genre. over the years, many once abhorred brutalistbuildings have evolved into deeply treasured and loved landmarks by its citizens. architectural critic ada louise huxtable oncecalled the former whitney museum “the most disliked building” in the city when it firstopened in 1966.

later she would go on to praise it for its“thoughtful planning and sensitive artistry in the use of materials” and as a “museumraised to the level of architectural art.” today - the legacy of brutalist architectureis complicated but its ideas and have lived on in the works of many contemporary designersand artists. there’s a growing appreciation for brutalistworks, but unfortunately there is also a growing risk of brutalist buildings being demolished. many already have been. and maybe you think they’re ugly and shouldbe demolished. but some of us grew up surrounded by its toweringwalls and it has since taken on a historic

and personal importance for us. and maybe if you look a little more closely- you may begin to appreciate the artistic beauty in its rugged, monumental sculpturalform. thank for watching everyone. i would love to know what some of your favouritebrutalist buildings are in the comments below. and if you're interested in watching morevideos about art, design and architecture - feel free to hit the subscribe button rightover here and i will see you guys next time! subtitles by the amara.org community

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