And why brutalism dominates US college campuses.

Help keep Vox free for everybody: http://www.vox.com/give-now

Subscribe to our channel and turn on notifications (🔔) so you don't miss any videos: http://goo.gl/0bsAjO

When you look at college campuses across the US, you’ll see massive concrete buildings everywhere. Many of these are designed in a style of architecture called "brutalism," and it's as divisive as it is distinctive.

Brutalist buildings strive for honesty and transparency in their form and materials. This often means using simple materials like raw untreated concrete as well as using bold geometry.

Its origins can be traced back to the architect Le Corbusier, who pioneered many of the concepts that would become popular amongst brutalist architects.

Brutalism found its way onto college campuses in the wake of World War II. With veterans returning from the war and a baby boom in the US, campuses expanded their facilities to accommodate the growing enrollment. And they wanted to convey their ambition and progressiveness by utilizing these modernist styles.

But as is explored in the video above, these buildings weren't always popular with the public. And they became less so as time went on. We look at Evans Hall at UC Berkeley, which some people view as the ugliest building on campus and whose future hangs in the balance of shifting tastes in architecture. So what does the future hold for these buildings?

Vox is on a mission is to help everyone, regardless of income or status, understand our complicated world so that we can all help shape it. Part of that mission is keeping our work free.

You can help us do that by making a gift: http://www.vox.com/give-now

Watch our full video catalog: http://goo.gl/IZONyE
Follow Vox on TikTok:   / voxdotcom  
Check out our articles: https://www.vox.com/
Listen to our podcasts: https://www.vox.com/podcasts