Finding Brutalism, a book by Simon Phipps

In the run-up to Christmas celebrations, we continue to present architecture books. This time we're looking at the 20-year long photographic documentation of British post-war architecture by London-based photographer and sculptor Simon Phipps.


Right now interest is spreading in Brutalist architecture, which we have recently discussed both in reference to Le Vele in Naples and the exhibition called SOS Brutalism. Save the Concrete Monsters! running from 9 November 2017 to 2 April 2018 at the DAM in Frankfurt.
Accompanying the exhibition “Finding Brutalism” showcasing the pictures taken by London-based photographer and sculptor Simon Phipps at the Museum im Bellpark in Kriens, near Lucerne, Switzerland, the book of the same name has been published by Park Books.
For more than 30 years, Simon Phipps has been documenting the rebuilding of Britain after World War II through its architecture. His archive documents Britain's post-war modernism and new brutalism in architecture and recognises the enormous contribution that architects have made to the transformation of the political and social landscape of the country. This can be seen in a whole slate of public and private buildings, schools, universities, churches, museums, galleries and even whole new towns.
The book features photographs taken by Simon Phipps of about 160 buildings completed between the 1950s and the 1980s, all from the artist's perspective to get across the sculptural power of these “béton brut” creations. 
Essays by Catherine Ince and Owen Hatherley and an interview with the architect Kate Macintosh by Stephen Parnell accompany the photos, which show us Brutalism from the UK perspective. A real treat for Brutalist architecture lovers and architecture photography lovers alike, expanding their experience with photos that give a very personal approach to the buildings, also thanks to the photographer's artistic background.

Christiane Bürklein

Book: Simon Phipps, Finding Brutalism
published by Hilar Stadler and Andreas Hertach. Photographs by Simon Phipps. With contributions by Catherine Ince and Owen Hatherley and a conversation with Kate Macintosh by Stephen Parnell 
1st edition, 2017, Hardback, 258 pages, 10 colour, 192 duotone and 28 b/w illustrations
20 x 25.5 cm
ISBN 978-3-03860-064-0
In collaboration with the Museum im Bellpark, Kriens
http://www.park-books.com/index.php?lang=de&page=press&book=856
All images © Simon Phipps, Courtesy Museum im Bellpark