New Brutalism, Again

In January 1955, Architectural Design published its first long-form article on New Brutalism. The article, co-authored by Alison and Peter Smithson and Theo Crosby asserted that New Brutalism could be attributed to two sources: the works of Rudolf Wittkower and traditional Japanese architecture. This paper will offer a close examination of these influences which have too often been overlooked in historiographies of New Brutalism. Through a deeper focus on the collaborations between Crosby, Alison and Peter Smithson, I will reveal the lesser-known friendship and intellectual exchange between the three architects in the formative years of their careers. By tracing the debates amongst Reyner Banham, the Smithson couple and Crosby on the role of history and tradition in New Brutalism, I aim to shed light on the evolution, and mutation, of the New Brutalism discourse.