Brutalism is a style of architecture that emerged in the 1950s in the United Kingdom. Following World War II, reconstruction projects were limited to scarce building materials and fast construction techniques. Without the luxury of time or resources, decorative details were omitted in favor of a minimalist approach that exposed structural components and building materials. What began as a solution to a problem has now become an iconic style with a cult-like following. Indicative of the style are monochrome color pallets, raw concrete and steel, and chunky, geometric shapes. Materials like glass, brick, and wood are also common. Some of the most famous architects associated with Brutalism include Le Corbusier, Ernô Goldfinger, Marcel Breuer, James Gowan, Paul Rudolph, Paula Mendes da Rocha, and John Bancroft. Brutalism has had a love/hate relationship with the public over the years. The style was most commonly put to use in designing large, imposing institutional buildings - courts, city halls, universities, and libraries - in addition to low-cost social housing. Its popularity eventually waned as it became associated with totalitarianism, austerity, and urban decay. Since its heyday, Brutalism has had a polarizing effect. Though many still criticize the style for being cold, Brutalism has had a resurgence of interest recently - perhaps as a backlash to the squiggly, pastel-hued maximalism that has taken over design in recent years. This time, the tenets of Brutalism have been scaled down from imposing institutional buildings to domestic interior spaces.