Architectural photographer Bharath Ramamrutham credits the “strong, identifiable geometries” of Brutalist architecture for making them so visually arresting. No surprise then that #brutalist has over 2,30,000 posts on Instagram. The revival of interest in documenting and preserving the style is seen in more than just Phaidon’s upcoming Atlas of Brutalist Architecture . Design houses around the world are drawing inspiration from the concrete buildings to create everything from decor to appliances. We round up a few options.
Compiled by Susanna Myrtle Lazarus
Launched during the London Design Festival late last month, Tiipoi’s Siment collection captures examples from India's brutalist architectural history. It comprises three small plant pots shaped like the country's water towers, and two vases that echo the forms of its metro flyovers. The design studio — which is based in London and Bengaluru — captured the designs in a photographic study in preparation for the collection. From ₹6,600 to ₹7,500, on tiipoi.com.
German artist Guido Zimmerman’s Cuckoo Blocks — taking inspiration from The La Flaine hotel in France and the Glenkerry House in London — were a response to the rising cost of living in urban centres. Available at approximately ₹1.86 lakh on allyoucanart.de
Inspired by columns and beams, Delhi-based Portside Cafe’s Beam Desk (above) — from their Cement Collection — is fully clad in printed, treated leather. The drawers are reminiscent of the crumbling concrete exteriors of ignored Brutalist buildings. At ₹1,16,200 (including taxes) on portsidecafe.com
A block of concrete that remotely brews your morning cuppa: late last year, Norway-based design house Montaag created an espresso machine christened AnZa. At approximately ₹68,000, on anzacoffee.com.
The humble garden gnome got a Brutalist makeover from Rome-based Plato Design (below). Christened NINO, the hand-worked monochromatic cement comes in three colours — grey, white and pink. At approximately ₹7,500, on shop.platodesign.it
