A good joke that went around this week:

There's a common misconception that Brutalist buildings were unpainted, but thanks to microscopic analysis of the exteriors we can now recreate what they looked like in their prime. pic.twitter.com/P2AW49BONS

— Cairo Smith (@cairoasmith) May 1, 2026

Some people (surely none of our regular readers) don’t know what “brutalism” is. Quick primer: Brutalist architecture is a mid-20th century style (1950s–1970s) defined by raw concrete, massive blocky forms, and structural transparency. It often features rough, unadorned surfaces.

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