鈥淚n some landscapes Brutalism might seem out of place, but in a country of rugged contours, magnificent castles and ancient megaliths the rough grey mass and monolithic beauty of post-war concrete often feels entirely appropriate,鈥 begins writer John Grindrod in the introduction of聽Brutal Wales. The book is visual artist Simon Phipps鈥 (b. 1964) monochrome photographic exploration of the country鈥檚 often-forgotten architectural heritage. Here, Cardiff鈥檚 Central Police Station building, pierced through with rows of windows, goes hand in hand with the arches of the desolate Semtex Boiler House in Brynmawr.
Brutalist architecture emerged in the late 1940s. Its significant features include imposing concrete forms, expressive structures, rough surfaces and unusual shapes. The term 鈥渂rutalism鈥 was first used by British architect Alison Smithson to describe an unexecuted project with partner Peter Smithson. Some of the best-known Brutalist structures include Denys Lasdun鈥檚 National Theatre in London (1976), Le Corbusier鈥檚 Unite D鈥橦abitation in Marseille (1952) and Gerd and Magdalena H盲nska鈥檚 M盲usebunker (1982) in Berlin. Now, alongside Germany, France and England, Phipps鈥 series places Wales on the map of modernist destinations.
For several years, Phipps has been chronicling overlooked sites. After his previous titles聽Brutal London (2016),听Finding Brutalism听(2017), Concrete Poetry (2018) and Brutal North (2020), Brutal Wales聽is the newest addition to Phipps鈥 black and white documentary series. The publication collates images of over 60 notable, as well as many lesser-known, structures. As Grindrod says: 鈥淚n their bold imagination and visionary execution [these buildings] help connect us to a period in our history that is all too easily overlooked and neglected 鈥 the recent past.鈥 The album provides an architectural and historical perspective on the nature of Welsh Modernism and its effect on the nation鈥檚 towns and landscapes.
From an unnamed electricity substation in Swansea to the sculptural forms of Margam Crematorium, these monochrome shots record the style’s defining characteristics. The walls of Argoed High School in Mynydd Isa retain the mark of the wooden shuttering, whilst Mold’s County Hall has a truly dynamic fa莽ade. This book shows that, contrary to popular opinion, Brutalist structures can be rich in texture and detail. Here, we also gain an insight into the Trostre steelworks in Llanelli and the undercroft of George Street Bridge in Newport.
鈥淧hipps project鈥 鈥 states academic Mark Durden in the closing section 鈥 鈥渋s giving visibility to the extraordinary variety and richness of Britain鈥檚 post-war modernist architecture … in showing us the importance of the craft and artistry integral to even its most lowly functional buildings and structure, he offers us a valuable, comprehensive and beautiful manual and guide for this architecture鈥檚 preservation.鈥 In an age when the Twentieth Century Society (C20) continues to campaign to save sites such as the Ringway Centre in Birmingham, Phipps鈥 volume serves as a reminder of the architectural heritage we must protect.聽
Simon Phipps: Brutal Wales | September Publishing
Words: Fruzsina Vida
Image credits:
1. Simon Phipps, Margam Crematorium, Port Talbot
2. Simon Phipps, The Crown Buildings(Cathays Park Buildings), Cardiff
3. Simon Phipps, Margam Steel Works (Abbey Works) (now Tata Steel), Port Talbot
4. Simon Phipps, County Hall, Mold
