An architectural style characterised by the bold, unfinished exposure of raw concrete, large geometric forms, and a deliberate rejection of ornament.

The name derives from the French béton brut, meaning raw concrete, popularised by Le Corbusier and adopted as a stylistic label in the 1950s.

Flourished particularly in Britain, the Soviet Union, and former communist states from the 1950s to 1970s, where its austerity matched post-war ideals of function over decoration.

Subject to significant controversy and demolition campaigns in recent decades, though also experiencing a strong revival of critical appreciation and preservation advocacy.

The Barbican Centre in London, completed in 1982, is often cited as the largest and most complex example of Brutalist architecture in Europe.