Hoxton Mini Press release Brutalist Plants, a carbon neutral, first edition book by Olivia Broome, the creator and curator behind the Instagram account of the same name that has grown into a community of photographers and fans of all things nature and concrete over the past six years.

The hardback book celebrates brutalism and nature from around the world across 208 pages, with images from a variety of photographers, each contributing their photos to make the publication possible. Admire architecture and greenery from Shaughnessy Place in Vancouver to Jurong Bird Park in Singapore, The Calouste Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon to the Vertical Garden in Japan, the water towers of Sausset Parc in Aulnay-sous-Bois, France and much more; indulging at each step in the majesty of the most severe aesthetic of the man-made world juxtaposed beautifully with the untameable essence of mother nature.

Reinforced hillside, Aogashima, Tokyo, Japan
Photograph: © Yasushi Okano – @okay.designing.

Design reporter Alice Finney wrote the book’s introduction, ‘Greening the Grey’, whilst Broome herself writes about ‘The Story of Brutalist Plants;’ talking about flora, brutalism and the beginnings of her Instagram account, before going on to thanking each and each photographer who gave permission for their images to be included.

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. Even when not designed to do so, nature often has its own way of reclaiming the built environment. From green roofs to living walls, 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.

What’s more, for every order received, Hoxton Mini Press will plant a tree, so if nature, concrete and coffee-table books are your thing, order your copy today.

@hoxtonminipress
@brutalistplants

The abandoned Haludovo Palace Hotel, Krk Island, Croatia.
Architect: Boris Magaš