2897: Brutalism is not ‘Brutal’ Nov 26, 2024

The term 'brutalism', often associated with a style of architecture marked by raw concrete and angular forms, actually derives from the French word béton brut, meaning ‘raw concrete’. It was coined by the architect Le Corbusier in the 1950s, who used the phrase to describe his own unrefined use of concrete in building design. Contrary to popular belief, the word is not connected to the word ‘brute’ or ‘brutal’, which imply harshness or violence. Instead, it refers to the material’s unpolished, industrial aesthetic. That said, the word was later influenced by ‘brutal’ to give the form it has in English.