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Glite Dictionary
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brutalist

brutalist

7.7
A building with a raw, plain look and big concrete blocks
  • noun
  • /ˈbruːtəˌlɪst/
  • Specialized
translation icon : edificio brutalista
  • A famous brutalist was recently renovated to serve as a contemporary art museum.

Examples

  • Many people find the appearance of a brutalist harsh, but others appreciate its bold design.

  • The new library is a stunning brutalist structure.

  • The new library is a striking brutalist that stands out among the older brick buildings.

  • Many people admire the brutalist design of the building.

  • The university's new library is a stunning example of a brutalist building with its massive concrete structure.

  • Many consider the old government building downtown to be a classic brutalist design due to its heavy, angular forms.

  • His love for architecture led him to study the notable brutalist structures scattered throughout the city.

How Unadorned

brutalist
  • Specialized
7.7
modernist
15 5.5
house
∞ 1.0
church
∞ 1.0
palace
241 1.0

Surface Forms

brutalist singular
brutalists plural

Morphology

brutalist = brutal (semi-transparent) = brutal + ist

Formally analyzable as 'brutal' + '-ist', but the architectural meaning (a building in the Brutalist style) is a specialized extension and not fully predictable from the base alone.

Etymology

Brutalist (a building) takes its name from the French words béton brut, meaning 'raw concrete'. That's why a brutalist often looks like large blocks of rough concrete with little decoration.