Ugliest buildings in the world? A (fun) beginners' guide to Brutalism | Alternative Architecture

What is Brutalism? Join Reece Davey, V&A East's resident architecture aficionado, on a whistlestop tour around everything you need to know about one of the most loved and hated architectural styles. So buckle up, it’s about to get brutal 🏢

Nicknamed 'the mad house' by locals in Marseille, France, the Unité d'habitation was the first Brutalist building ever made. Designed by Le Corbusier (AKA the 'father of modern architecture'), this housing development – with its rooftop pool, in-house school and stark concrete construction – was like nothing seen before. It even inspired architects and city planners across Europe who were rebuilding their cities after World War II.

Reaching Britain in the 1950s, Brutalist architecture began popping up across London – from the concrete 'city within a city' of the Barbican Centre, the 'ugliest building on the Thames' (otherwise known as the National Theatre), to London Zoo's (Harry Styles-approved) retro-futurist penguin pool, as well as many social housing projects. But as political agendas and social attitudes changed throughout the 20th century, did Brutalism stand the test of time? And what remains of it today?

Come along with Reece as he journeys across London to explore how this radical architectural style brought some of the most iconic – and divisive – buildings to the city.

00:00 Introduction – ‘the ugliest building on the Thames??
00:49 What is Brutalism?
01:25 What defines a Brutalist building?
01:50 The first Brutalist building – Unite d'habitation in Marseille, France
02:09 Brutalism's arrival in the UK – The Economist Building
02:53 The Barbican Centre
03:14 The Royal College of Physicians
03:42 Penguin pool – London Zoo
03:58 Elephant and rhino enclosure – London Zoo
04:31 Balfron Tower and the gentrification of Brutalism
05:20 Robin Hood Gardens and demolition
05:47 The fall of Brutalism
06:35 Will Brutalism have a comeback?
07:20 Credits and bloopers

Reece Davey is a content creator and architecture graduate on a mission to make architecture fun and accessible for all. In each episode of his new series, 'Reece’s Alternative Architecture', he serves up a slice of architectural history with his own unique POV. By visiting buildings in London (and beyond) to explain how and why they were built, Reece aims to provide the tools for understanding and enjoying the built environment like never before. Follow Reece on Instagram at:   / houseofdvey  

A two-storey section from Robin Hood Gardens will go on display at V&A East Storehouse when it opens to the public in 2025. Read more about architecture in the V&A collection: https://www.vam.ac.uk/collections/arc...