A Manifesto


We admire and seek to defend the distinctive and irreplaceable architecture that speaks of Birmingham's history in the second half of the Twentieth Century.
We have been provoked into action by the loss of a number of fine buildings of the 1970s- The Post and Mail, the Central Library, and the NatWest Tower.
We believe that that the public have been influenced by the use of phrases such as "1960s concrete monstrosity" and we aim to inform and enable the people of Birmingham to appreciate the best of 20th century design and architecture.
We accept that the Council wants to improve the economic fortune of the City; however this has resulted in indiscriminate demolition. We believe the time has come to stem the time of indiscriminate demolition of any building of this period and to look afresh at the best of what remains.
We aim to rescue the terms 'Modernist' and 'Brutalism' from those who would use them to write off Modernist buildings. We view Modernism as an ethical approach to design in which the form of the building strictly follows its function.
We believe that the best buildings of the period are honest, strong and full of character.
From our unique position we can provide an independent voice and become an information repository for this period of Birmingham's architectural history.

(Alan Clawley & Mary Keating March 2018)

Monday, 4 June 2018

Frederick Gibberd. A reluctant Modernist?


Frederick Gibberd in the news....
Do let us know what you think about his architecture. Not just this, but other work by him.


Corporation Square
This iconic architecture is at risk. Frederick Gibberd’s only piece of architecture left in the city where he trained.
Andy Foster in 'Birmingham' describes it as:
'a cool Portland stone podium with carefully placed slit windows over a recessed ground floor. Plant rooms treated as rectangular sculptural masses, with vertical slots linking visually to the podium: an early hint of late Corbusier in the city.'
Brutiful Birmingham has applied to list it. Please show your support for this and help campaign to save it.
Photo by Frankie Finlay.
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