1. T 01708 501762 | M 07734 712855 | E lisaemilywade@hotmail.com | www.lisawade.co.ukMAGAZINES: Runwild Media: The City Magazine
40 THE CITY MAGAZINE | June 2016 s luxurYloNdoN.Co.uk s
Brutalist architecture
is as divisive as it is
striking. Peter Chadwick’s
forthcoming ode to
Brutalism, This Brutal
World, catalogues one
man’s passion for a much-
maligned styleWords: ChrisAllsop
BruteForce
42 THE CITY MAGAZINE | June 2016 s luxurYloNdoN.Co.uk s
This BruTal house
The story of how This Brutal World came
into being demonstrates that a fondness
for the style is more widespread than
the unflinching pace of demolition
might suggest. When Chadwick, a
London-based creative director/graphic
designer who’s worked with artists such
as Groove Armada and Primal Scream,
was approaching his forties, he renewed
his neglected passion for photography.
Soon after, he discovered that he’d quickly
amassed some 30,000 images of Brutalist
architecture on his hard drive and
wondered what to do with his haul. Making
a reluctant first foray on to social media,
he set up a Twitter feed entitled This Brutal
House (named after his first ever house 12-
inch single from Nitro Deluxe) and began
launching the images into the ether. Soon
he was acquiring a thousand followers
every month. Nine such months on, the
publisher Phaidon sent him an email, and a
book deal ensued.
Chadwick had, unwittingly, tapped
into a resurgence of interest in Brutalist
architecture that has flowered over the past
few years. His own passion for the subject is
tied to his upbringing: raised in the north-
east of England in the ’70s and early ’80s,
the backdrop to his childhood was heavy
industry. The stark, functional landscape
left its mark, as it did for many; in his book’s
introduction, Chadwick points to Ridley
Scott, another native of the north-east, and
the film director’s appropriation of the ICI
chemical plant’s flaring chimneys for his
dystopian vision in Blade Runner.
While teenage Chadwick was kicking a
football against concrete walls, Brutalism
had established itself worldwide as a
low-cost solution for housing, university
and government buildings and shopping
centres (Chadwick’s earliest and most
enduring Brutalist love was the – sadly
now demolished – Trinity Square Car Park
in Gateshead, as seen in Get Carter). But it
wasn’t just about cost-saving – Brutalism
was tied to a socially progressive vision
that sought, as Chadwick has it, “to
transform and modernise living and
working conditions”. Architects such
as Marcel Breuer, Louis Kahn and Paul
Rudolph have their Brutalist masterpieces,
but the shining example of this synthesis
of progressive ideals with raw concrete is
Meades’ address in Marseilles.
raw emoTion
It’s with the French that we can also find
the root of the term Brutalism – ‘Béton
brut’ translates as ‘raw concrete’. The
‘brut’ was appropriated by architectural
critic Reyner Banham for his 1966 essay,
The New Brutalism: Ethic or Aesthetic?, and
Brutalism began to gain currency.
“Brutalism, in its purest form, is board-
marked concrete,” Chadwick explains. “That’s
when concrete, set within a framework of
wooden boards, retains the impression of
those boards in its surface. The National
Theatre is a good example: look closely at the
walls and you can see the grain of the wood.
There’s this wonderful, embedded natural
texture. Repetitive, angular geometric lines
and shapes are also a predominant Brutalist
feature. And, Brutalist structures have
uncompromising silhouettes that are very
bold. Their interiors and exteriors are very
honest and expressive.”
It’s that capacity for such a powerful
first impression that has helped to fiercely
split opinion. Those perhaps hearing the
term Brutalism after eyeing the hulking
structure that had suddenly colonised
the end of their Victorian terraces during
above, from left
Stone House / Interni Think
Tank, Milan, Italy, 2010 by
John Pawson. Courtesy John
Pawson; Monument Ilinden
(Makedonium), Krushevo,
Macedonia, 1974 by Jordan
and Iskra Grabuloski.
Courtesy Jan Kempenaers
THE CITY MAGAZINE | June 2016 41s luxurYloNdoN.Co.uk s
“H
eroic, bold, imposing...” Peter
Chadwick, author of This Brutal
World, is describing how he
sees Brutalist architecture, the subject
of his new book. “But,” he adds, “there
are some Brutalist structures that are
downright ugly and not appropriate for
their surroundings.”
Indeed, for a great many of the general
public, Brutalism is never appropriate. In
the ’80s, opposition to modern architectural
styles coalesced around Prince Charles after
his “monstrous carbuncle” speech to the
Royal Institute of British Architects. And,
for about 30 years afterwards, the civic
megaliths of Brutalism were lightning rods
for the ire of those opposed to the aesthetic
challenge of modernity.
But there are also many – and an
apparently growing number – with a
penchant for a looming grey edifice. Critic
Jonathan Meades (who really puts his
money where his mouth is, by residing in
Le Corbusier’s Brutalist Unité d’Habitation
in Marseilles) once said, “Brutalism:
challenging, idealistic and serious –
Brutalism is architecture for grown-ups.”
Or architect David Adjaye: “I find lumps of
concrete like this, sexy.” Is this passionate
disagreement another example of ivory
tower versus concrete reality, or is it the
result of a misreading of what Brutalism
stands for?
Brutalism:
challenging,
idealisticand
serious
jonathan meades,
critic
LEFT
Grand Central Water Tower,
Midrand, South Africa, 1996
by GAPP Architects & Urban
Designers. Courtesy GAPP
Architects
righT
De Rotterdam, Rotterdam,
The Netherlands, 2013
by OMA. © Matteo Rossi/
ARTUR IMAGES
bELow
Casar de Cáceres Bus
Station, Cáceres, Spain,
2003 by Justo Garciá Rubio.
Courtesy Justo Garciá Rubio
THE CITY MAGAZINE | June 2016 43s luxurYloNdoN.Co.uk s
Repetitive,
angular
geometriclines
andshapesare
alsoapredominant
Brutalistfeature
the post-war period could be forgiven
for thinking that the term referred to
what life was like living and working
within that era. Some commentators
even accused the new style, with its
superhuman proportions, as being of
fascist dimensions. Of course, those
Brutalist buildings that remain today
are insignificant in size in comparison
with what’s being erected on the London
skyline. And it’s a significance that
continues to dwindle.
“Increasingly we are losing a lot of
those post-war buildings – whether
housing estates or office blocks –
and they are being replaced by
structures that are, quite
honestly, substandard,”
says Chadwick. “And
that’s happening all over London.”
If this lack of consideration continues,
Chadwick posits, the future architectural
heritage of London will have a whole
swathe – from the late ’40s to the early
’90s – eradicated, with only landmark
structures such as the Barbican and the
National Theatre as signposts to a lost style.
It’s unsurprising to hear such a passionate
appeal from an author of a book that is as
much a handsome coffee-table addition as
it is a stamp collector’s private collection
– a pictorial homage interspersed with
poignant lyrics from favourite bands such as
Underworld, or quotes from architects such
as Thom Mayne: “I think all good architecture
should challenge you, make you start asking
questions. You don’t have to understand it.
You may not like it. That’s OK.”
below
Sunset Chapel, Acapulco,
Mexico, 2011 by Bunker
Arquitectura. Courtesy
Bunker Arquitectura
50 THE CITY MAGAZINE | January 2016 s luxurYloNdoN.Co.uk s
| STYLE |
7
8
put your best foot forward with an exotic edge at towering new heights
animal instinct
1
2 3
4
5
6
TributeSandal10
5,£635, Saint Laurent, harrods.com
Passion pumps, £570.44, Paul Andrew, fa
rfetch.com
Abelpump,£
478.56, Jimmy Choo, farfetch.com
Th
ree-tonewedgesandal,£600,Pierre
Hard
y,farfetch.com
Bethany leopard-print pumps, £248, DVF, matchesfashion.com
Chunky heel sandal, £4
74.73,AlexandreBirman,farfe
tch.com
Rockstud 100 black ayerspumps,£755,,V
alentino,harveynichols.co
m
Python san
dalswithgoldchain,£1,135,Givenchy
, net-a-porter.com
80 THE cITy MAGAZInE | december 2016 s luxurylondon.co.uk s
| style |
trEnDs ComE anD go, but whErE blaCK tiE is ConCErnED, it Pays to stiCK with traDition
evening, gents
kilgour
For Kilgour’s Carlo
Brandelli, styling
is as important as
cut. The impression
shawl jacket is a big
move away from
the traditional, but
retains the rigours of
Savile Row tailoring.
‘Hollywood black tie’
for the discerning
gentleman.
kilgour.com
John lewis
The high street is
holding its own in
the evening wear
stakes. John Lewis
has released a bright
sapphire velvet
tuxedo jacket, that
looks great with a
bow tie, but can also
be paired with jeans
and a T-shirt for a
more relaxed look.
johnlewis.com
thomas Pink
Sartorially, there’s
little that can beat
the classic tuxedo.
Thomas Pink’s
offering is about as
classic as it gets,
while managing to
provide a slim-
fit silhouette.
Traditional and
contemporary in
equal measure.
thomaspink.com
hardyamies
As evening
formalities get
even less formal,
Hardy Amies has
created a cocktail
suit to replace the
tuxedo, with mother
of pearl buttons
and ceremonial
pattern detail. A
sharp alternative to
stuffier suits.
hardyamies.com
casely-hayford
Mayfair private
members’ club
Annabel’s has
collaborated with
father and son duo
Casely-Hayford to
create the Annabel’s
Smoking Jacket.
Inspired by the club’s
history, but with
a modern cut and
camouflage lining.
casely-hayford.com
Wool mohair stand
collar shawl jacket,
from £1,000
Dickens suit, £725,
Carra bow tie, £59
Shawl lapel velvet
jacket, £175, black
velvet bow tie, £25
Black wool pinhead cocktail
jacket, £450, wool roll neck
from £295
Annabel’s smoking
jacket, £675
THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2016 15
| NEWS |
s luxurYloNDoN.Co.uk s
the hOteL
the restaurant
the drinks
The Rosewood London has been
the recent recipient of the AA
5 Red Star Rating, given to only
the very best hotels in the AA
Guide. The Edwardian Grade II-
listed building in High Holborn
has individually styled bedrooms
and suites, two high-end
restaurants, and is minutes from
Covent Garden. This Christmas,
Rosewood will also be travelling
around London in a specially
designed red Mini, collecting
Christmas wishes. Three lucky
people will have their wishes
granted in time for the big day.
High Holborn, WC1,
rosewoodhotels.com
ROSEWOOD LONDON
L-R His Majesty the Oud 100ml,
£150, Atkinsons,
houseoffraser.co.uk; Uomo eau de
parfum Intense 100ml, £52.50,
Valentino, johnlewis.com; Mayrit
100ml, £200, Loewe,
harrods.com; Amber homme
intense 100ml, £73, Prada,
selfridges.com
theaFtershaVe
SUSHI SAMABACocktail expert Richard Woods has added to
his cocktail menu at Sushisamba, with six new
cocktails reflecting the restaurant’s cultural
homes of Japan, Brazil and Peru. The ‘Miso Mule’
mixes Japanese miso with vodka, lime, ginger and
coconut, while the ‘Sesame Old Fashioned’ puts
salted caramel and maple with sesame washed
whisky. If you’re still lacking plans for New Year’s
Eve, the restaurant will once again be hosting a
party inspired by the Brazilian Réveillon tradition,
when Rio de Janeiro revellers dress in white and
set candlelit offerings afloat to honour Yemenja,
the goddess of the sea.
110 Bishopsgate, EC2, sushisamba.com
1. 32-year-old Union of the
Crowns, £306, Royal Salute,
available in global travel retail
2. Monkey Shoulder 70cl,
£24.25, Monkey Shoulder,
masterofmalt.com
3. Crystal Head vodka 70cl,
£49.99, Crystal Head vodka,
amazon.co.uk
4. John Walker & Sons
Odyssey 70cl, £600, Johnnie
Walker, thewhiskyexchange.com
5. Mozart Black pure 87
liqueur 50cl, £18.95, Mozart
Distillery, harrods.com
6. Bulldog gin 70cl, £22,
Bulldog, ocado.com
1
2
3
4
5
6
14 THE CITY MAGAZINE | December 2016 s luxurYloNDoN.Co.uk s
cityedit
The commodiTies and consumables raising
our inTeresT raTes This monTh
[CityLife]
HAMBURG
The Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg has
never been shy of extolling its own virtues, and
with good reason: it’s the second largest city
in Germany and the second biggest port in
Europe. The seafaring influences are clear
to see from the intricate architecture and
2,500 bridges crossing streams and rivers
– more than London, Amsterdam and
Venice combined. The music scene is
huge, too, with more than 100 live venues
– the city gave The Beatles their start in
Europe, after all. At Christmas, the city is
packed with revellers enjoying the multiple
markets that sprawl out from the city centre. The
prettiest, outside the town hall, is the archetype
of a traditional market, offering hand-crafted
decorations, gingerbread hearts, and, of course,
some heavy duty mulled wine. Just be careful
on those bridges after you’ve
had a few.
the city
the wish list
1
If you’re looking for a place to stay while skiing the
Telluride hills of Colorado, and have £6 million to
spare, this uber-chalet might make perfect sense.
The five-bedroom, eight-bathroom property is within
walking distance of central Mountain Village, and
gives easy access to the gondola. The outside design
mixes American stone and wood with an influence
of traditional European chalets. Once inside, you’re
greeted by a custom, two-and-a-half storey circular
steel and cherry staircase. Alongside the bedrooms
are a family room with a bar, chef’s kitchen and a ski
room that opens directly onto the trail.
Telluride, Colorado, £5.8 million, christiesrealestate.com
741Mountain Village BouleVard
Ridge moneyclip,
£110, Dunhill,
dunhill.com
Patent-leather Oxford
shoes, £290, Hugo Boss,
mrporter.com
23
4
5
6
Black 4-ply worsted 2-piece
dinner suit, £1,500, Chester
Barrie, chesterbarrie.co.uk
Slim-fit double-cuff
tuxedo shirt, £140, Hugo
Boss, mrporter.com
718ct yellow gold skull dress
stud set with diamond eyes,
£10,355, Deakin & Francis,
deakinandfrancis.co.uk
the investment
Reverso Classic Medium
Duetto Pink Gold, £17,700,
Jaeger-LeCoultre,
jaeger-lecoultre.com
Pre-tied cotton-velvet bow
tie, £155, Tom Ford,
mrporter.com
62 THE CITY MAGAZINE | October 2016 s luxurYlONdON.CO.uk s
B r i d g i n g t h e g a pBridges provide more than a means of getting from A to B – their construction can have profound effects
on the communities that live on either side. Bethan Rees explores the social, economic and cultural
benefits of these symbolic structures
Manhattan Bridge Brooklyn Bridge
THE CITY MAGAZINE | October 2016 63
| ENGINEERING SPECIAL |
s luxurYlONdON.CO.uk s
B r i d g i n g t h e g a p
| ENGINEERING SPECIAL |
Hassan II Bridge, Courtesy of Marc Mimram