New Brutalism and the Myth of Japan

Juliana Kei, YS (2019) New Brutalism and the Myth of Japan. Histories of Postwar Architecture, 4 (4). pp. 242-255.

Access the full-text of this item by clicking on the Open Access link.

Text Upload version_20191206.docx - Author Accepted Manuscript Download (55kB)

Abstract

This paper seeks to shed new lights on the New Brutalism through re-orienting attention to the repeated evocations of Japan in Alison and Peter Smithson’s writings since the 1950s. In these articles, the Smithsons did not only present Japanese architectural tradition as a yardstick of the Modern Movement and hence New Brutalism, but also took pride in the fact that their understandings of Japanese culture were based on the mass media. This study examines how New Brutalism was simultaneously shaped by mass media’s post-war media boom and their portrayal of Japan. It suggests that Japan had several efficacies for New Brutalism, including as an inspiration for mass-produced architecture and mass-produced culture. The problems associated with their references to Japan will also be considered.

Item Type:	Article
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	07 Jan 2020 10:47
Last Modified:	15 Mar 2024 16:46
DOI:	10.6092/issn.2611-0075/9633
Open Access URL:	https://hpa.unibo.it/index
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3069389