Last week, National Civic Art Society President Justin Shubow appeared on the Who Versus podcast for a lively discussion about architecture, power, and the values embedded in our public buildings. What began as a discussion of Brutalism and the movie The Brutalist opened into a broader reflection on how architectural choices shape civic experience and reveal the assumptions behind them.
“Jonathan Meads, a BBC filmmaker, made this entire documentary defending Brutalism,” Shubow explained. “He said it’s sinister architecture representing a harsh time… that’s why he likes it.”
Some defenders of modernist design, Shubow explained, are candid about these effects and even admire the sense of unease such buildings can provoke. “They’re getting a thrill from this great threat that you get from some of these buildings that are overhanging you and look like they’re kind of going to crush you.”
That kind of clarity, co-host Phil Reboli noted, is what has set the National Civic Art Society apart. “I think you got on our radar back in 2016, '17, '18… people who wouldn’t otherwise care about art deeply cared about this thing in a way that I wasn’t expecting,” he said.
Listen to the full episode at Apple Podcasts or watch at YouTube.