Brutalist bathrooms that bare all

Brutalism divides opinion; but examples such as these brutalist bathrooms showcase that there's plenty to like about the 20th-century movement's strong character.

Brutalist architecture is defined by its raw concrete forms and stripped-back geometric components, which make for a bold exterior. Whether seen as a grey eyesore or a powerful visual, there's no doubt that the architectural style, which first gained prevalence in the 1950s and 1960s, has impacted modern design and left a lasting impression. From the eco-brutalism of a reinforced hillside in Tokyo to urban landmarks such as the Barbican in London, it is a movement that continues to mesmerise.

Around the world in brutalist bathrooms

Importantly, brutalism continues to inform many interiors too. The round-up of brutalist bathrooms below forms a case in point. From concrete and lava stone basins to smooth sunken tubs, here, we note remarkable spaces with a stripped-back aesthetic that showcase the movement's popularity across the globe.

A Californian guest house by Mork-Ulnes Architects

‘There’s something elemental, honest and in a strange way, quite natural about concrete,’ said Casper and Lexie Mork-Ulnes, the husband-and-wife team of Mork-Ulnes Architects, of their compact concrete guest house in California’s Sonoma Valley. When using concrete as a material in bathrooms, it is easy for the space to feel cold and harsh. The architecture duo carefully placed a small window, bringing warm light into a bathroom that is furnished with Vola fixtures and a pair of ‘Favilla’ lamps by Manuel Vivian for Axolight.

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Tsingpu Retreat by Neri&Hu Design and Research Office

Tsingpu is a 20-room boutique hotel located in Yangzhou, China. Design and research office Neri&Hu took over the neglected warehouse and transformed it into a calming retreat comprising grey-bricked pavilions, courtyards and internal decorative pools that evoke tranquillity. The bathrooms of each suite respond to the overall concept of this calming oasis. With concrete acting as its main material canvas, details of white oak, walnut and steel are welcomed, gently nodding towards the traditional architecture of this area.

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Balnarring house by Branch Studio Architects

This lakeshore house is situated just outside of Melbourne, cantilevered over water at Balnarring, on the tip of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. Immersed in vibrant greenery, its façade takes on a cabin-like charm with large timber panelling. However, the inside tells a different story. Its stripped-back interior features large skylights, raw concrete floorings and walls, offering a contemporary take on indoor-outdoor living. The bathroom is a testament to this, with a large glass roof connecting residents with the natural surroundings. Exposed brass pipes communicate the simplicity and functionality of the house.

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East London home by DGN Studio

This Victorian semi-detached terrace in east London has been given a contemporary spin and exudes calmness through a clever material composition that blends brutalist concrete with light-coloured wood. The home, which was designed by architects Daniel Goodacre and Geraldine Ng, feels light and sleek. In tune with the rest of the house, the bathroom is grounded on a heavy, concrete base and boasts minimalist surfaces anchored in craft, clever material choices and fine detail. The large window floods the space with light, which bounces off the smooth surfaces in neutral or natural colours, adding a soft aesthetic to the naked concrete.

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Mexico City house by Pedro Reyes and Carla Fernández

In Coyoacán, south of Mexico City, Mexican artist Pedro Reyes and his wife Carla Fernández showed Wallpaper* around their brutalist home showcasing hammered concrete walls, chunky furniture hewn from volcanic stone and an abundance of rich, overblown greenery. ‘The use of concrete is very canonical, very clichéd, but it has many possibilities,’ says Reyes, pointing out the handmade bricks covered with a wax-like concrete paste, which he developed with his men. ‘There’s a palette of finishes still waiting to be recovered from brutalism.’ The couple also designed much of the furniture. In the bathroom, the lava-stone master bath and basin are artworks in themselves, partnered with a matching mirror in the master bathroom.

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Three Object Apartment by DeMachinas

Three Object Apartment reveals its structural bones with an ode to unfinished architecture. The home is situated on the first floor of this Athens structure, which was left incomplete for 30 years. Now transformed into a dwelling, the building has become a contemporary, conceptual interpretation of its brutalist architecture, offering a raw, honest backdrop for Greek practice DeMachinas to create a sculptural, textural home for its private client. The bathroom displays smooth concrete walls and is softened with timber detailing for cabinets and joinery. An unexpected burst of red in the tap detailing adds to its contemporary feel.

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A modern beach house by Matt Goodman Architecture Office

Responding to the 2015 wildfires, this Australian beach house by Matt Goodman is a balanced piece of minimalist concrete architecture. The design is clean and crisp, with large openings and exposed concrete which highlights a utilitarian approach. The bathroom follows this approach, posing as a large minimalist wet room, where flooring and walls merge into one wrapped in large grey tiling. Elegant detailing, from the lone waterfall showerhead to the crisp glass panel, adds to the overall contemporary look, which is softened by timber furnishings.

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Nico Sayulita by Palma

On the Mexican Pacific Coast, Nico Sayulita is a hospitality experience showcasing eco-brutalism at its finest. Designed by architecture studio Palma and developer Hybrid, the five-suite building incorporates the airiness and openness of the rooftop, which immerses guests within the jungle and offers glimpses of the ocean. The bathroom continues this indoor-outdoor feeling, with a terracotta-hued bathtub in the centre of the room and a stripped-back, raw sink. 'The terrestrial level on the “Jungle suite”, a room encircled by native foliage, features a concrete built-in tub for a spa-like experience,' the team write.

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Fishmarket by Ab Rogers

Designer Ab Rogers met artist Hiraki Sawa at the annual Wonderfruit cultural gathering in Thailand in 2018. Discovering a common interest in cooking, eating, and creativity, Sawa asked Rogers to design his studio 'For me, a studio is not just a space where I create something, a work of art, but a generous space where I’m allowed to do all the steps leading up to the creation of something,' Sawa says. 'Where I can cook delicious food, eat, talk, think, sometimes walk around, take a bath, enjoy the wind on the balcony, throw myself into the online space, or lock myself in the toilet.' The space is industrial and showcases the buildings bones. The bathroom is separated by large neon-coloured panels and kept simple, minimal and functional.

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Star House by Atelier Gratia

Located in the southern Taiwanese city of Kaohsiung, this home is an amalgamation of glass and concrete that playfully juxtaposes the translucent and opaque and balances privacy and openness. 'The [glass] creates a dialogue with the city, while the [concrete] establishes a sheltered sanctuary for its inhabitants,' the architects write. The bathroom comprises concrete volumes stacked on top of each other like building blocks, while an angular skylight above cast linear light across the floor.

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Casa Mérida by Ludwig Godefroy

Casa Mérida in Mexico boasts concealed concrete courtyards and contemplative rooms nestled on the Yucatán peninsula. Its unashamed brutalism allows for the residence to stand in raw and honest confidence. This bathroom area offers a softer twist on the architectural style; exposed concrete formwork gives texture to the walls and shower enclosure within one of the bedrooms. The concrete's dappling allows for a more organic feel while staying true to its stripped-back aesthetic.

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