Brutalist architecture emerged as an architectural style in the UK in the 1950s and is characterized by structures that showcase raw building material (like unpainted concrete, steel, and timber), monochrome colors, and angular shapes. I stumbled upon this style when looking up Edmonton’s equivalent of Calgary’s Central Library.

Recall that the Central Library looks like this:

Beautiful, huh? But not brutalist (it’s modernist). Compare it to this thing, Edmonton’s Stanley Milner Library:

I’m pretty sure that’s a tank. Or a cruise ship? Whatever it is, it’s an example of brutalist architecture.

And now I’ve found the Wiki page all about buildings in Canada with this architecture style and I have feelings.

THE BUILDINGS HAVE EYES

(Allan I. Carswell Astronomical Observatory)

Why does a center for the arts look like a place where you’d go to get lobotomized?

(Confederation Centre of the Arts)

Why does an apartment complex look like a place you’d go to live after you get lobotomized at the center for the arts?

(The Crossways)

What in the MC Escher fever dream is this?

(Habitat 67)

Edit: OH JESUS CHRIST IT’S HUGE

LOBOTOMY SCHOOOOOOOOOOL

(Stephen Leacock Collegiate Institute)

“Build a standard-looking hotel”
“Okay.”
“Now put an alien spaceship on top.”
“…What?”
“Alien spaceship. Just throw it up there. Fuck it.”
“Bu—”
“DO YOU WANT TO GET LOBOTOMIZED?? ‘CAUSE I KNOW A GUY!!!”

(Westin Harbour Castle Hotel)