Brutalism is a word that everyone is familiar with, originating from the French word ‘brut,’ which means raw or savage. Brutalism in web design is a form that does not conform to the modern rules governing web design; it goes against the rules but in a very creative and positive manner.
Brutality or brutalism is not a common trend in web designing, as its occurrence only lasts for a while and is seen to come and go. This does not mean it is of no significance in the world of web design, but it does not fit and resonate with the times, as modern formats of web designing have been invented. Though trends in web designing may change annually, brutalism does not. This is one of the reasons it is unique.
Brutalism can appear dull and less captivating if not applied properly for the right brand. There are measures to be taken when applying brutality web design.
In this article, we will discuss what brutality web designing is, steps guiding brutality web designing, some real-life examples of websites that use brutality web design, and criteria that guide on when to use brutality web designing and when not to use it.
Brutality web design is a simple but raw, plain, and crude web design style. It is a web design format not concerned with form and beauty but with the essential aspects, like a website’s functionality and effectiveness to web visitors.
It was first developed in the 1950s in the area of architectural design. After World War II, people concentrated on building houses solely from their raw materials, like cement and stones, since resources or money were limited. People’s focus was to build a solid structure not concerned with aesthetics but has the effectiveness to serve the purpose it is being built for. Some examples of buildings are the Boston city hall and the Met Breuer, which is the former Whitney Museum.
This style of designing was adopted in the early days of web designing when the focus was not on beauty but on the website satisfying the process of why it was created and doing so effectively. Brutality web design uses materials from the web, which means it uses more HTML codes and tools than JavaScript and CSS.
Some of the observable features you can observe in any brutality web design are
Although various brutality web designs may share these traits, they may not have similar patterns. Some web designers who like using the brutalism style of web design sometimes combine little modern techniques.
Characteristics of Brutality Web Design
Above, a fair description of brutality web design was provided, but more is needed. More is needed to be familiarized with the brutality web designs and spot them quickly. There is no better way than through its characteristics, and they are:
Brutality web design focuses more on a simple style, neglecting all modern forms of web design development. It focuses primarily on the primary purpose the website was created by executing and creating a simple website that satisfies its purpose. Brutal web design is piloted in detail to relate to hierarchy, spacing, symmetry, and more.
Beauty does not matter in brutality web design, and it strictly focuses on the goal of using the available resources to create a functional and effective website.
Relevance, in this case, talks about how much the design (brutality web design) is embraced by web designers and users, resulting in its long or short life span. The brutalist web design style is a trend that only lasts for a short time when it occurs or reoccurs. Because it is not easily embraced, it is still being used by web designers whose character is brutality.
Principles of Brutality Web Designing
Brutality web design has no love for waste, as It demands you effectively use what is needed to create an effective website. And this could entail using HTML tools that are not styled or using default settings for shapes, dots, colors, and so on. Also, you should ensure that your website’s contents or functionality are presented straightforwardly. This means it should not stress the web’s visitors.
A shallow view of a website brutally designed, the appeal is outdated, but an in-depth look reveals the design has core stability and strength. The separation of lines, presentation in tables, and typography gives it a classic look. Also, using colors like white, black, and other natural colors gives it a strong look.
As mentioned earlier, when it concerns brutality, web design beauty is not the priority compared to effectiveness. Effectiveness is concerned with the easy usability of the website by web viewers wanting to interact with the website. Hence, it is a question of how fast and easy it is to use that website with brutality web design. A brutal web design does not have to be unpleasant; it can still be designed while retaining its basic features, giving it a classic look.
Brutalism as a web design style is not solely for projecting strength and rawness. It can be seen as a see-through glass (transparent) of precisely what the website’s brand represents. Hence, projecting what the website is genuinely about simply yet accurately.
Examples of brutality web design
Is Brutality Web Design an Excellent Web Design Style to Use?
In general, brutality web design is not for everybody, as it is a very risky approach to web designing and a tricky design trend to master (both in technique and where it should be applied).
Advantages of Brutality Web Design
Disadvantages of Brutality Web Design
Brutality web design is characterized by its simple style of website design, as it does not concern with the modern trends governing web design. It does not need to be necessarily beautiful as it prioritizes functionality and effectiveness over beauty and form, giving it a strong, stable, and transparent structure. To recap, the quality of brutality web design not being sustainable is not because it is not practical or productive but because many prefer an appealing approach, and it is not brutality web design.
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