By Freya Stokes
The modernist movement of the 1930s was one that made an irreversible impact on the architectural
world, inspiring the Brutalist style of the 1950s and the contemporary style of the 21st century. Monolithic
structures dominated Western cities, rejecting the ornamental and embracing simplicity.
The styles are characterised by the use of bold and blocky shapes, modern materials such as concrete, and
the philosophy of “form follows function”.
While many magnificent and iconic structures came out of modernism, I can’t help but mourn a world in
which decorative and intricate buildings were the norm. The polarising differences between structures
built pre and post modernism tell tales of changed values, including society’s increased prioritisation of
practicality and cost efficiency over architectural beauty.
In a city built out of concrete and privacy glass, Ultimo TAFE’s heritage buildings are quite the sight for
sore eyes. Designed by William Kemp in 1892, the Romanesque Federation-style buildings sit on Mary
Ann Street, adorned with stained glass windows and stone carvings depicting Australian fauna and flora.
Created with the intent to be both beautiful and functional, the original red-brick college hosts a charm
and character that I struggle to find in the works of contemporary architecture.
Yes, modern urbanism can be breath-taking. However, I believe that in our pursuit of efficiency, we’ve lost
the moral imperative to make our spaces beautiful and human.
Featured image: TAFE Ultimo’s brutalist style Building D against the classical Turner Hall. Picture: Freya Stokes
