Brutalism, commonly known as Brutalist architecture, is a style that came to the forefront of society during the 1950s. It was inspired by early 20th century modernism.  It id characterized by massive, monolithic appearance with a rigid blocky  aesthetic and large use of in-situ concrete. The movement began to decline during the 1970’s, having been much criticised for being unfriendly and baron.

The term ‘brutalism’ was created by the Architects, Alison and Peter Smithson. The term became popularised by Reyner Banham in 1954. It derives from ‘Béton brut’ and was first associated with Le Corbusier.

The Style became a popular throughout the 1960s as the austerity gave way to dynamism and reasurrance. It was commonly used for shopping centres, and skyscrapers/highrise buildings.

It became synonymous with the progressive social buildings that Architects backed as up and coming ‘streets in the sky’. With an ethos of ‘social utopia’, together with the influence of constructivism, it became increasingly widespread across European communist countries such as the Soviet, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia.