Prora is not Brutalist architecture (I think)

[anon85905360]

Continuing the discussion from Book of brutalist archictecture postcards from the Soviet era:

@atl

I think my “favorite” – in that it’s the most grotesque – brutalist building is at Prora.

I… don’t think so? Isn’t Brutalism a conscious development rooted in Modern architecture, like the Bauhaus, which was abhorred and supressed by the Nazis? And Prora just Nazi utilitarianism in the context of their “Kraft-durch-Freude” tourism program?

I think we apply “brutalism” overly broad today to everything that is kind of blocky or unwieldy or lacks a (shitty) post modernist facade, but the actual architectural style is far more limited in scope and period.

[nungesser]

I’m a big Brutalism fan (or at least I appreciate it from afar) and I agree, Prora is utilitarian and stark, but not Brutalist.

[anon48584343]

Agreed.

Prora looks like a precursor to ugly and soulless Soviet apartment blocks.