Brutal Scotland

‘Phipps has turned his often unsparing lens on the architectural heavyweights of the 1950s, 60s and 70s, finding raw beauty in their monumentality, as well as social optimism, progressive politics and the vanishing art of the abstract and obtuse in public life…. Phipps’s work performs a vital service, giving an overlooked architectural style a much-needed boost – some of them have never looked so good’ WALLPAPER

‘The imposing concrete buildings that defined British postwar architecture held a vision of the future – but many fell into disrepair. A new book finds the finest examples’ GUARDIAN

‘Delivers a satisfying hit of chunky concrete across 160 images, all photographed by Simon Phipps in stark black and white… A feast of exposed aggregate and chamfered corners’ ROB WILSON, ARCHITECTS JOURNAL

PRAISE FOR BOOKS IN THE BRUTALIST SERIES:

‘For those of us who don’t have the time to trot around the country, ticking these pioneering structures off their list, Phipps’ book is an essential coffee-table tour’ WIRED

‘Brutalism is back in vogue… Now we’ve come to love the iconic, it’s time to explore further deeper’ LONDONIST

‘A treat – both for lovers of brutalist architecture and concrete buildings, but also for history and photography enthusiasts’ WALLPAPER

‘Phipps’ volume serves as a reminder of the architectural heritage we must protect’ AESTHETICA

‘Awakens a curiosity in the subject in a most satisfying way by celebrating and cataloguing an oft-derided and omnipresent architectural style’ THE LONDON SOCIETY

Simon Phipps is an artist based in London. Born in Leeds, he studied fine art in Newport and Caerleon and is a graduate in sculpture from the Royal College of Art. An acclaimed photographer of post-war modernist architecture, he is the author of six books: Brutal London, Finding Brutalism, Concrete Poetry: Post-War Modernist Public Art, Brutal North: Post-War Modernist Architecture in the North of England, Brutal Outer London and Brutal Wales Cymru Friwtalaidd. Finding Brutalism was a winner of the 2018 DAM Architectural Book Award and a bronze medalist in the 2018 German Photobook Award. Brutal London was a finalist for the British Book and Production Awards 2017. Brutal Outer London was shortlisted for the 2023 Architecture Book of the Year Award.