Brutalist Plants

Green vs grey, plants vs concrete: 175 images of Brutalist structures interrogated by nature. Olivia Broome has curated a visual celebration of Brutalist plants.

Brutalist architecture is commonly associated with a cold, austere aesthetic. But architects have long found ways of incorporating greenery into their more brutal designs, creating a striking contrast between the hard and the soft, the cold and the complex, the sharp edges of concrete and shapes of living plants. And even when not designed to do so, nature often has its own way of reclaiming the built environment. From green roofs to living walls, from the pocket gardens of Le Corbusier’s Unité d’Habitation to the lush courtyards and conservatory of London’s Barbican Centre, Olivia Broome has curated a visual celebration of brutalist plants.