Apparently the British are coming to grips with their “brutal” past -- their architectural past, that is.

Wikipedia defines Brutalism as “…an architectural style that spawned from the modernist architectural movement and which flourished from the 1950s to the 1970s… Brutalist buildings usually are formed with striking repetitive angular geometries, and often revealing the textures of the wooden forms used to shape the material, which is normally rough, unadorned poured concrete.”

In this article in the UK’s Guardian newspaper, architecture critic Steve Rose begins to notice a change in the way that modern architects interface with Brutalism.  Two landmark Brutalist British buildings are currently endangered, while another has seen a recent hugely successful renovation (clicking on the photo links is recommended).  It’s a common story -- architecture becomes appreciated only when sufficient time goes by, and then when successful renovation projects highlight the unique characteristics of a given style.

Of course, here in Ohio we have recently witnessed much the same story -- a Brutalist building, the Cleveland Trust Tower, went through asbestos abatement in preparation for demolition, and then was rescued in the eleventh (almost the twelfth) hour.  The plans for the Marcel Breuer-designed building -- the first recent-past property to be included on the List of Ohio’s Most Endangered Historic Sites -- include the first Ohio “Hotel Indigo,” one of the most sought-after and innovative hotel chains nationally.

In Columbus, the Ohio Historical Center has received a facelift and is facing the coming decades in excellent condition.  Click here for a construction photos on America’s most architecturally unique state museum complex.

Photo: Poster from Ingenuity2007/Breuer (Cleveland Trust) Tower Design Competition -- jmuscatello/Creative Commons License