European Media

  Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Loreto  Brutalism by the Mediterranean © Daren Frankish. All rights reserved. When you think about Brutalist architecture, Spain's Costa Blanca probably isn't the first place that immediately comes to mind. Sunshine, beaches, fishing boats and whitewashed Mediterranean buildings perhaps. But tucked away in the old fishing district of Duanes de la Mar in Jávea – or Xàbia in Valencian – is one of the most unusual Brutalist buildings I have come across. The Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Loreto, better known locally as the Parroquia del Mar , is extraordinary. From the street it doesn't immediately look like a church. There is no traditional stone façade, no Gothic tower and certainly no attempt to imitate the religious architecture of the past. Instead, you are confronted by enormous curved pieces of reinforced concrete rising towards the sky. It looks more like a sculpture than a building. And that is what makes it so interesting. © Daren Frankis...

  20 Bedford Way  Brutalism in the Heart of Bloomsbury © Daren Frankish. All rights reserved. London has some wonderful examples of Brutalist architecture, but one building that doesn't always receive the attention it deserves is 20 Bedford Way. Standing in Bloomsbury, right in the middle of London's university district, this enormous concrete building is the home of the UCL Institute of Education. It was designed by Sir Denys Lasdun, the same architect responsible for the National Theatre on London's South Bank, and once you know that, the similarities become quite obvious. Huge areas of exposed concrete, deeply recessed sections, massive stair towers and strong horizontal lines immediately give the building that unmistakable Lasdun appearance. It certainly isn't subtle. And that is exactly why I like it. © Daren Frankish. All rights reserved. Brutalism in Bloomsbury What makes 20 Bedford Way particularly interesting is its location. Bloomsbury is an area most people a...