4th July 2023
Brutalist Film Locations
Emerging in the 1950s, Brutalism is a style of architecture that grew from early 20th century modernism. Often controversial, brutalist buildings are characterised by a monolithic, geometric structure, as well as large-scale use of poured concrete. They often appear heavy and imposing, with unfinished surfaces and block-like silhouettes.
The term was first coined by architects Alison and Peter Smithson, derived from the term ‘beton brut’, meaning raw concrete. The French architect Le Corbusier is often associated with designing some of the first brutalist structures.
With millions of houses damaged due to the Second World War, housing became a priority, and a cheap, quick solution was needed. Brutalism initially represented an ambitious desire to build houses that provided the best quality of life for the inhabitants, with people rather than appearance in mind. Over time, though, they came to represent a bleak dystopia, with many considering them ugly marks on their city landscapes.
However, the few surviving brutalist buildings in the UK make unique and inspiring filming locations. This 1970s flat is a perfect example of how brutalism was designed with residents in mind - each flat has a private balcony and garden area, as well as large windows to maximise daylight. The hard angles of the design are softened by the abundance of gardens and greenery in the area.
H22782, North London
Another famous example of brutalism is Erno Goldfinger’s Trellick Tower, a striking West London tower block. Its unique appearance is due to the fact that the services are separated from the housing in order to reduce noise and disturbance, with the water tower placed at the top of the structure to minimise piping and utilise gravity. The windows of each flat are pushed to the largest possible dimensions to provide ample natural light, and again, each flat has a private balcony. Goldfinger even spent time as a tenant in his previous project, the Balfron Tower, in order to better understand life within his architecture.
RES-1456, West London
Atmospheric and gritty, the brutalist style can also be found in some of our industrial locations. E21689 features a striking wind tunnel and turbine, as well as imposing concrete walls in the wedge-shaped ‘return circuit’ area used to control the flow of air. With precise angles and cold, flat surfaces, it’s a space unlike any other, with a vast, cathedral-like quality.
E21689, Hampshire
Have a look at our 'Brutalist' keyword to see more locations like this, or browse our 'Industrial Buildings' category for a selection of unique commercial sites such as factories and warehouses.