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Opinions re architectural style/influence of this '70s building?
I'm wondering if this U.S. government building, built in 1974, can be identified as an example of any particular architectural style or influences.
I'll give you an answer but first can you tell us where this is.
Bonner County? Great name. Don't know why anyone would want to do their homework on a un-important gov building in Idaho tho... maybe that's a more interesting research topic?
But, to answer your question, the style is boring bureaucratic precast.
Boring my ass
Mmmm ... curved brick
it's brutalist style. the massing and materials resemble work by louis kahn, and the window detail is similar to a few designs by marcel breuer. both were prominent architects working in the US who had already had a few completed projects in this style in the 1960's - so it's quite likely this designer was influenced by their work.
brutalism as a style is hard to define - it's kind of something you know it when you see it - but generally refers to buildings with strong heavy massing and rich surface texture in basic materials like concrete and brick [the term originated from the french word for unfinished concrete]. it was never as popular with the public as with architects, but lately has become a focus of interest among the design-curious who appreciate the bold rugged qualities and what was often an interesting effort to integrate nature into the buildings.
this example isn't a particularly inspired design though, it's kind of basic and flat.
Probably more technically, brutalist modern or brutalist-international style
When you see a building that doesn't quite fit into any particular "pedigree" of styles but seems like there is some blend of various styles in the era of "modernism" architecture... then it is not a single style but composed of multiple style.... a mutt. Most day to day architecture is a mixture of whatever styles / influences that influenced the architect that designed the building.
DMVPOST STYLE - DMV went to bed with Post office and had this.
Which actually birthed the child though?
The building is a mash-up of some 1960's ideas.
Marcel Breuer's precast panel facades
and Paul Rudolph when he built with brick
I would submit that the OP's building's would have been better is the architect had more fully embraced one of the two divergent architectures that they tried to combine here. Either Breuer's modularity or Rudolph's compositional techniques.
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