Radical statement or eyesore? Japan's divisive brutalist buildings

The Guardian

29-01-2025

Emerging after the second world war, Japan's brutalist architecture is characterised by its geometric shapes, functionality and unconventional use of concrete – which is often left unfinished to showcase the material's textures and imperfections. Paul Tulett traveled the country to photograph extraordinary examples. 'Brutalist architecture in Japan might not ruffle feathers locally but it's considered divisive elsewhere,' he says. Brutalist Japan by Prestel publishing can be purchased here
Paul Tulett: 'Brutalism outside of Japan is like Marmite. Love it or hate it. Some find it refreshingly raw – an honest counterpoint to contemporary glass-based disingenuous attempts at state transparency. Others are reminded of communism or when the UK nearly slid down the pan in the 1970s. Having failed to do the most basic research prior to moving to Okinawa, I was pleasantly surprised by the preponderance of brutalism here and the absence of negative associations'
'The general line is that the brutalism here is born out of necessity, as Okinawa is seasonally battered by typhoons. Homes must be robust and 90% of new dwellings are concrete. Swift adoption of the material was prompted by postwar reconstruction needs. We also need to factor in concrete's resistance to termites – pests greedy for the traditional material of wood. Then there are earthquakes and a damp climate'
'Weathering and deterioration of concrete can lead to stains, cracks and crumble that upset some. Intended radical philosophical statements become eyesores. With hindsight, I became concrete-obsessed at a young age. During a school trip to London, I envisaged a battalion of Star Wars stormtroopers pouring from Queen Elizabeth Hall, the Hayward Gallery and the National Theatre. A sure gauge of whether something is brutalist or not is this: would it look good in a sci-fi movie?'
'To the haters, brutalism reflects the increased intrusion of government and state power. It is no accident that brutalist architectural forms often harboured state departments. Brutalist buildings afford sobering historic reflection – much like the preservation of communist statues in former Soviet states' Photograph: Paul Tulett
'This residence reflects the philosophy that true architectural harmony is achieved not by bending the land to our will, but by listening to its whispers. Amid the rampant uniformity where cities clone themselves, losing their inherent voice, this home seeks to preserve the memory of the terrain, embracing the spirit of the place. The building's form, an organic response to the site, eschews the aggressive imposition of the flat and the straight for convenience's sake'
'Darth Vader's holiday home? This striking complex features affordable housing stacked above a ground-floor elderly day care centre. It models Okinawa's social aspect of planning. The reverse inequality theory, foundational to Nago City's 1973 Comprehensive Plan, challenges development strategies focused solely on income growth, focusing instead on community-centred urban planning. In Okinawa, where communal ties and collective wellbeing are highly valued, such approaches are essential'
'This silhouette, a composition of bold geometric lines and the stark honesty of exposed concrete, channels the brutalist ethos. Its colossal, forthright forms stand in sharp relief to Kyoto's delicate tapestry. Yet, within its robust frame, the structure nurtures the flexible, organic essence of 'metabolism' – a Japanese architectural vanguard of the 1960s. The design, a tessellation of modular units and transformable spaces, breathes the metabolist vision of perpetual evolution'
'It has been argued that concrete is the 'natural choice' of construction material in Japan as it resonates with the half-a-millennium-old practice of sukiya – the considered composition of raw and rough natural materials. The material expression of concrete's rawness is deemed to chime with an almost genetic appreciation for an elemental, unrefined aesthetic. Apparently, the Japanese have a unique long experience with wood, pottery and stone, but for what people are these not traditional materials? I can only think of the Inuit'
'Situated within Komazawa Park, this tower had to support a substantial 33-ton water tank above ground, which was essential for supplying water throughout the park. It also accommodated an antenna for television broadcasts. Below ground, the structure housed a general electric room, machine room, broadcast room and telephone exchange. And it played a pivotal role in controlling traffic within the park while serving as a commemorative landmark'
'This station emerges like a scene from a sci-fi odyssey. An architectural spaceship, launched in 1995, it defies its historical backdrop with a daring leap into futurism. The station is a stargate to the storied city of Uji and greets travellers not with wooden torii gates, but with a concrete vault that arcs like the heavens above a distant planet. The design is audacious, a semicircular cocoon that dares to embrace both the circle's Zen-like simplicity and the boundless possibilities of the cosmos'
'The exclusive suite garden here showcases the gardener's artistry with a Kyoto stone pathway reminiscent of scattered hailstones, encouraging a moment of pause and reflection. By presenting the Japanese experience, I hope to challenge the stereotypical negative attacks levelled at brutalism more broadly. The aim is to provoke thought about examples of brutalism closer to you. With understanding comes appreciation.' You can see more of Tulett's work at @brutal_zen