Preservation Greensboro’s walking tours of downtown Greensboro have us seeking out “Brutalist” architecture. The cement buildings at Governmental Plaza are Brutalist; so is Parking Garage #2, on the corner of West Washington and Green Streets. According to Preservation Greensboro’s website, the term Brutalism comes from French, “béton brut” which means “raw concrete.” The style was popular in the 1960’s, especially with governmental and institutional clients, and the emphasis was on the mass and weight of a structure. It is a play on gravity and on suspending heavy forms, often above voids. Greensboro happened to be growing when Brutalism was a popular style and several prominent architects are associated locally with the movement.* 

Today’s photo features the back side of the 712 North Eugene Street office of the Guilford County Schools. Driving around Florence Street today, in Fisher Park, we noticed the back of the Central Office building, the visual weight of the concrete stairs, the cement strips along the building, and we concluded it is of the Brutalist genre. Also, the above complex dates from 1960-1969. Thanks to Preservation Greensboro, we look at massive amounts of cement in a whole new way! 

*reference and read more from Preservation Greensboro, here (it is an interesting link).