Amid the Cold War, urban renewal efforts ushered in a Brutalist phenomenon that reshaped Washington, D.C., in the mid-20th century. Many high-profile public buildings were designed and constructed with exposed structural elements and building materials, including concrete, brick, steel, and glass. They were viewed as cost-effective and efficient, but many haven’t aged well, and public reaction continues to debate their architectural significance.
Architecture professor Angela Person and photographer Ty Cole are curators of “Capital Brutalism,” currently on view at the National Building Museum. Person and Cole provide an overview of the exhibition, which explores the history, current state, and future of seven polarizing buildings and the WMATA Metro system. They highlight archival documents, drawings, construction photographs, architectural models, and contemporary photographs to provide context and shed light on the buildings’ stories. Select “re-imaginings” of these buildings by leading architecture firms, including Studio Gang, Brooks + Scarpa, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, Gensler, and BLDUS, are also presented.
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