Brutalism: Concrete Made Beautiful

Brutalism created the backdrop of the historical fiction film The Brutalist, 2024 winner of the Academy Award™ for Best Actor, Cinematography and Original Score. The style emerged in post-WWII Europe, where architects and city planners experimented with malleable concrete to quickly and inexpensively house people displaced by the widespread destruction of residential neighborhoods. Architects emphasized the inherent beauty and integrity of the raw material by exposing the concrete rather than hiding it within the structure.

Brutalist architecture gained traction in the United States as part of the Modern Movement in the 1960s, when architects experimented with concrete forms for individual buildings as well as large campuses, including government centers, schools, and multi-unit housing developments.

On this tour you’ll have a chance to see many key Brutalist buildings by prominent Chicago architects including Bertrand Goldberg, Walter Netsch, Harry Weese and others.

The 3.5-hour bus tour will explore how concrete evolved as an important construction material. The tour will include a stop at Ozinga to demonstrate how concrete is manufactured and its environmental impact.