šæ Is Brutalist Architecture really as bad as we think?
šæ Is Brutalist Architecture really as bad as we think?
#29 New Youtube Vide, New Perspective on the Amazon Building, and I'm Launching ArchiNotion!!
From the Curator šš»
Yo, What's up! Joseph here
Iāve packed this weekās newsletter with a lot of info so skip this part and get to reading/watching/enjoying!
Video of the Week š„
New video is up! Iām really trying hard this year to be more consistent on Youtube so I hope you all enjoy this video! Commenting and subscribing will definitely give me some great support and make me want to create more videos š
Oh ALSO!! We finally reached 1,400 subscribers!! Man that was a goal I was hoping to hit for a looong while but the next goal is 5k by the end of the year so consider helping me get there by sharing and subscribing! Love ya!
From the Socials š²
I just hope you find the absurdity of this architecture and thread as entertaining as I do. It really does look like a bad Taco Bellā¦lol
Article of the Week š
The New Amazon Headquarters Is Butt-Ugly. Thatās Because Itās Not for Us.
In the never ending saga of whether the Amazon building is cool or not, we are back with a new take on it..
Marianela goes on to write,
But what the buildingĀ looks likeĀ matters less than theĀ role it playsĀ for Amazon as a company and for Arlington as a city. In its current state ā not a constructed building but a series of images of a building that will exist in the future ā its role is to attract attention to Amazon, specifically to paint it as a leader in āgreenā capitalism, and investment in Arlington. Its role is also to continue to build an idea of what āprogressā should look like.
And this is true, what better way to claim progress than making these bold statements of what we envision the future to look like and try to strive for it?
Marianela then compares what these corporations are doing to Soviet Architecture and the brutalist buildings of the era,
Ukraine used postmodern designs in state projects, while postmodernism almost everywhere else in the world was used exclusively by corporations (think of those McDonaldās with the pastel interiors). Just like the Amazon headquarters attempts to appeal to investors through its image of āeco-friendlyā capitalism, the buildings inĀ Soviet ModernismĀ also represent the values of its commissioners (in this case, the Ukrainian state), which evolved over time from a professed socialist politics to a more conservative statism, to finally a flirting with capitalism before the collapse of the USSR brought with it economic collapse and a fragmented nationalism.
So is it a bad thing? The question that I always come back to is, why does brutalism get such a bad wrap? I personally love brutalist buildings and how innovative they were.
(Brutalism) Offensive to people with more ātraditionalā aesthetic tastes ā like Donald Trump, for example, who a few months before leaving office issued an executive order that all federal buildings should be built only in a āclassicalā style ā brutalismās form, as the book lightly suggests, is a direct result of its progressive aims. Yes, brutalismās concrete heaviness can be intimidating, but as Instagram accounts like @brutgroup have demonstrated, this intimidation is often awe-inspiring. Brutalism also invariably features elements that are humanly scaled: cozy ceilings, wooden handrails, textured walls.
Its revival speaks to the appeal of this type of architecture, designed to elicit a reaction from itsĀ users, not just from potential investors. Though much of brutalism mightāve been propaganda for an authoritarian socialism, good propaganda still has to appeal to its mass audienceĀ ā in this case, working people.
Marianela says something here that really converts my thinking, āThough much of brutalism mightāve been propaganda for an authoritarian socialism, good propaganda still has to appeal to its mass audience.ā The only way forward is to throw these crazy ideas out there and see what sticks, right?
Maybe thatās what this project is. Aside from all of the hate it gets, Iām sure the architects know that there are still tons of problems to work through but they have to be given the opportunity and sell the vision in order to work on this new/better future of buildings.
What are your thoughts on this? Obviously the image is from a horrible angle that eliminates the user but maybe the image is just a story being told by pretty trees and shiny glass. A story that tells us what the future can look like if we accept the challenge to work through these design problems and make it happen.
Resource of the Week š
ArchiNotion - Launching Soon
Before I end this post, I want to tell yāall about something Iāve been working on that Iām proud of. Thatās ArchiNotion, a site where I create design tools and templates super accessible all as Digital Downloads.
My goal is to help young designers and future architects get started as quickly as possible and on the right foot. Archinotion helps solve that problem by creating streamlined portfolio templates and portfolio websites all with free programs that everyone has access to. No more having to learn InDesign or Illustrator over night to turn in your portfolio, my templates utilize Google Slides and Notion. Both of these tools are powerhouse tools that are underrated by designers because they arenāt the āstandardā of use by everyone.
Sometimes itās not about how you did it but about how well you did it.
So, join me Sunday as I launch my first digital product or follow the journey as I continue building ArchiNotion on Twitter. The products are now live for Pre-Order so snag one and use the discount code: Youtube to get all products 50% off.
Also, it would mean the world to me if you shared the product, if youāve received any value from this newsletter, it only takes a couple seconds to tell a friend, Tweet about it, or even post to your IG stories and let other future designers know about resources they can take advantage of! ā
If you enjoyed this issue of Life of a Designer, consider buying me a coffee to show your support!š
That's all for this week, follow me on Twitter, Instagram, & Discord š²
I'll be back next week, same time, same place!Ā šŖš½