The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Brutalism

In a web landscape saturated with soft shadows, rounded corners, and glassmorphism, a counter-movement has been steadily gaining momentum. Digital Brutalism is not just an aesthetic choice; it is a philosophy that prioritizes function, raw materials, and structural transparency over decoration.

01 // The Philosophy of Raw Data

Brutalism in architecture was characterized by the use of raw concrete (béton brut). In web design, our “concrete” is the browser’s default rendering engine, monospace typefaces, and high-contrast outlines. By stripping away the veneer of modern CSS frameworks, we expose the underlying logic of the information.

To design brutally is to design honestly. There is no hiding behind blur effects.

02 // Technical Implementation

Achieving a “system UI” look requires precise control over layout grid and typography. It often involves fighting against the browser’s tendency to smooth everything out. Here is a snippet of how we handle the glitch text effects in this portfolio:

const scramble = (text: string) => {
  return text.split("")
    .map((char, i) => {
      if (Math.random() < 0.1) {
        return CHARS[Math.floor(Math.random() * CHARS.length)];
      }
      return char;
    })
    .join("");
};

The key is to ensure that even with the chaotic visuals, the usability remains intact. Navigation should be predictable, and content should be legible.

03 // Performance Implications

Ironically, brutalist websites often perform significantly better than their polished counterparts. By eschewing heavy image assets and complex shader passes (unless, like this site, they are the main feature), we reduce the Time to Interactive (TTI) drastically.

• Reduced DOM complexity
• Lower paint costs
• Immediate visual hierarchy parsing