Brutalism emerged as a web design trend around 2017, standing in stark contrast to trends that promoted clean, organized, and user-friendly websites. Instead, brutalism was the complete opposite.
Brutalism embraced disorder and a lack of spacing, featuring rigid typography, extreme primary colors, and, above all, a time when user experience was not even a secondary priority. Its designs resembled **splattered paint artworks—raw, unstructured, and chaotic.
There were moments when this style worked, but due to its complete disregard for user experience, it only left an impression for its disruptive and unapologetic purity. However, in an industry where UX is more essential than ever, brutalism faded into the void of the internet’s vast landscape—until…
The Revival of Neo-Brutalism
By early 2021, 2000s-inspired aesthetics gradually took over pop culture, fashion, and design trends. We saw the resurgence of grunge aesthetics, colorful gradients, holographic patterns, space-inspired themes, and even **graphics that directly emulated the early days of the web.
Neo-Brutalism emerged from a deep need for purity and simplicity, now adorned with modern pop culture elements. Despite its obvious similarities to the original brutalism trend, this resurgence feels different—not just an attempt to revive a past trend but a refined movement that blends brutalist aesthetics with usability.
The bold primary colors, sharp-edged shapes, and square typography are back—but now they are encapsulated within structured blocks, designed with the user in mind.
Neo-Brutalism: A Smarter Approach to UI Design
Neo-Brutalism provides UI design with structured grids, giving order and meaning to its elements while ensuring user experience remains a priority. It offers just enough freedom to let its aesthetic shine, while intelligently integrating past influences into modern design principles.
🚀 Want to see a brand where we applied this technique?
👉 Check it out here: UI Design & UX Web Development for Happy Socks Chile
