AlexCorey
New Member
To brand someone a philistine for disliking brutalism is somewhat, um... brutal don't you think?
Or has it suddenly become "cool" to love these old concrete lumps? What's next, a concrete iPhone?
I agree that philistine is a harsh word to use to describe someone who doesn't like the style, however I would not follow that with a generalization that the buildings are concrete 'lumps'.
You don't need to particularly enjoy an architectural style in order to advocate for its preservation; if that was the case, our record of conservation would be a mish-mash of personal opinions, and entirely baseless - not a good position when attempting to justify why buildings ought to be preserved.
Brutalism isn't the easiest style to like, but there are notable buildings (such as Robarts, or the Manulife Centre) that should be protected. Habitat '67 is a great example, as is Place Bonaventure, where the addition of windows, textured concrete and extensive landscaping did wonders for the original design. You don't need to completely strip these buildings - it just takes some creativity, rather than an easy-out approach.