Architects have long found ways of exploiting the contrast between the natural and the manufactured, but nowhere more keenly than in the meeting of plants and Brutalism, which creates a striking contrast between hard concrete and the soft, organic shapes of plants. And if not designed, nature often has its own way of reclaiming the built environment. From green roofs to living walls, pocket gardens and lush courtyards. Olivia Broome has curated an impressive selection of striking images from around the world.
Olivia Broome runs the successful Brutalist Plants instagram account @brutalistplants, which has a global online following. Recounting the story behind her online community and its relation to this publication, Broome shares, “Back in 2018, I was still using Tumblr and curating my blog with images, and after some photos of abandoned buildings and former Yugoslavian war monuments started appearing on my feed, I liked them so much that I decided to move over to Instagram and post them there instead. I've been reposting images onto my page since then, and have created a small but strong community of followers and contributors.
Broome states, “I hope that within the book, there's something for everyone. Even people who aren't fans of brutalism can appreciate nature blooming in an unusual space. There is something about a plant in a corner or a room which draws your attention. We all live in a world filled with nature, so we inherently resonate with greenery and gain a sense of peace from it. When we leave buildings to the grasp of nature, it does what it does best: thrive and survive.”
This book is carbon neutral. This is the first edition. 208pp, hardback, 151 x 199mm.
