The National Theatre from Waterloo Bridge:
Still a brutalist nightmare? - or are we now coming round to appreciate its "aesthetic of broken forms"? (Mark Girouard).
Architectural opinion was split at the time of construction. Even enthusiastic advocates of the Modern Movement such as Sir Nikolaus Pevsner have found the Béton brut concrete both inside and out overbearing. Most notoriously, Prince Charles described the building in 1988 as "a clever way of building a nuclear power station in the middle of London without anyone objecting". Sir John Betjeman, however, a man not noted for his enthusiasm for brutalist architecture, was effusive in his praise and wrote to [Denys] Lasdun stating that he "gasped with delight at the cube of your theatre in the pale blue sky and a glimpse of St. Paul's to the south of it. It is a lovely work and so good from so many angles...it has that inevitable and finished look that great work does."
Despite the controversy, the theatre has been a Grade II listed building since 1994. Although the theatre is often cited as an archetype of Brutalist architecture in England, since Lasdun's death the building has been re-evaluated as having closer links to the work of Le Corbusier, rather than contemporary monumental 1960s buildings such as those of Paul Rudolph. The carefully refined balance between horizontal and vertical elements in Lasdun's building has been contrasted favourably with the lumpiness of neighbouring buildings such as the Hayward Gallery and Queen Elizabeth Hall, and is now in the unusual situation of having appeared simultaneously in the top ten "most popular" and "most hated" London buildings in opinion surveys. A recent lighting scheme illuminating the exterior of the building, in particular the fly towers, has proved very popular, and is one of several positive artistic responses to the building.
but why does it have to be grey?
Posted by: Luis Enrique | November 19, 2009 at 03:17 PM
They've painted the staircases by the Hayward Gallery/Royal Festival Hall in bright primary colours. Looks quite effective. It'd be quite something if they did the same to the whole National Theatre.
Posted by: Mick H | November 19, 2009 at 04:31 PM
It has to be grey to look organic, like wood and rocks. It is fabulous as it is.
Posted by: Nicole S | November 19, 2009 at 04:49 PM
Building with concrete doesn't justify being plug ugly...or grey.
http://www.moa.ubc.ca/_img/history/outside_moa.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/1/19/Civilzation.jpg
on the other hand...http://www.respect-authority.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/bunker1.jpg
Posted by: DaninVan | November 20, 2009 at 01:01 AM
"organic"?
Posted by: Luis Enrique | November 20, 2009 at 02:48 PM
Yes, available in health food shops. Alright then, 'natural'.
Posted by: Nicole S | November 20, 2009 at 03:45 PM
In what perverse way is that monstrosity "natural"?
At least this one has soul...http://www.rogersradiointernet.com/BC/CKWX/images/2007/sfu.jpg
[Simon Fraser University]
Posted by: DaninVan | November 20, 2009 at 10:13 PM