Gifts For The Brutalist + Art Deco Architecture Lover
Brutalist buildings tend to create a love or hate reaction. I personally love and have been inspired by this modernist style for quite some time. Lin too. Brutalist buildings are no nonsense spaces, fortress like structures that serve a practical post war purpose for social housing, industry, cultural centers and institutions. There is so much beauty in their boldness, the chunky slabs of concrete, the uncompromising and unpretentious raw material and the interesting shapes they take from different view points.
Lin can be tough to shop for so I was so happy to have discovered Blue Crow Media. Founded in 2009 by Derek Lamberton, Blue Crow Media is an independent publisher dedicated to creating thoughtfully designed and carefully curated city maps. Their publications began with a series of food and drink city maps and apps, and since 2015 they have published a series architecture and design guide maps. The New York Times describes the maps as "part design manifesto, part urban architecture guide".
The majority of their maps celebrate Brutalist and concrete architecture, from London to Tokyo. They also publish an annual calendar dedicated to Brutalist architecture.
Their new series dedicated to public transport systems now includes London Underground Architecture & Design Map and Moscow Metro Architecture & Design Map, with more cities to come.
Their maps are available in independent bookshops worldwide. Check out the list of stockists and distributors is here. They work with a variety of professional writers, photographers, designers and developers to produce high quality products. So please contact them with ideas.
“Blue Crow is expanding its catalog to include artistic interpretations of transit maps with extra information about their signage, graphics, and architecture. The first two are London’s Underground and Moscow’s Metro, which are due out this fall. Additionally, the company has about 20 new maps–including some that deal with new themes–in the works.
Lamberton is aware that he’s dealing in an ultra niche market. (“The revenue is enough to maintain a high level of quality, but not enough to sit back and relax,” he says. “This is an ideal tension for me.”) But even so, he’s given me–and I’m sure other architecture fans–a new way and format to appreciate Brutalism. Hopefully the maps, which are a lot more gorgeous and digestible than dense history books, help other people fall in love with the style, too.”
They are so well done!! And I know Lin is going to love these. How cool would it be to jump in a car and take some Brutalists tours?!
I love the Art Deco Maps too offered by Blue Crow Media. The Art Deco New York Map, the second New York architecture guide after Concrete New York Map, is a two-sided folding map featuring over sixty-five leading examples of Art Deco architecture in New York. Art Deco landmarks such as the Chrysler Building, Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center are included alongside lesser-known works. The reverse side of the map features an introduction to New York City's Art Deco architecture, interiors and ornamentation by Allison C. Meier, original photography by Jason Woods and details about each building. Printed with a striking contrast of black and silver inks, this is a perfect companion for a walking tour or framing. This map measures slightly larger than A2 open, folds to slightly larger than A5 and is protected by a wide band.Talk about a great gift!!!
Another fave is the Brutalist Boston Map features more than forty leading examples of Brutalist architecture across the greater Boston area, including Boston City Hall (Kallmann, McKinnell and Knowles), Government Service Center (Paul Rudolph) and Madison Park High School (Marcel Breuer). Masterfully designed concrete structures such as Le Corbusier’s only North American building, the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts, are included alongside lesser known, but equally important works like the Charlestown Branch Library (Eduardo Catalano) and the Josiah Quincy School (The Architects Collaborative).
Designed as both a reference guide and travel companion, the map includes an introduction to the architecture of the era, along with photographs and details for each building, including the address, build date, and the architects or practice responsible.
Have always been obsessed with Chicago and this one is super neat! Edited by Iker Gil, with photography by Jason Woods, the new Concrete Chicago Map presents remarkable concrete and Brutalist architecture across Chicago and its suburbs. Featured buildings include work by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Bertrand Goldberg, Tadao Ando, C.F. Murphy, I.M. Pei, Studio Gang, Harry Weese and others.
Another stand out favorite is the London Underground Architecture & Design Map! The first in their new series of maps dedicated to public transport systems, the London Underground Architecture & Design Map is now available. Curated by transport design historian and broadcaster Mark Ovenden, with photography by Will Scott, this two-sided cartographic guide is an original, authoritative and fascinating insight into architecture and graphic design for transport lovers, students of design and anyone interested in the history of London.
The guide includes a geographical Underground map with featured stations marked, with corresponding photography and details on the reverse along with tips for where to find unique and unusual signage, roundels, clocks, murals and more. The map is protected by a slipcover featuring a distinctive die cut roundel.
Named by the Financial Times as one of the 'Best books of 2018'.
The map opens to 420 x 594 mm (16.5 x 23.4 in) and folds to (148 x 210 mm 5.8 x 8.3 in). It is protected by a Kraft slipcover.
And of course the Brutalist Paris Map is now available. Featuring the most striking examples of Brutalist architecture in Paris, this two-sided guide includes a map, an introduction by Robin Wilson, details of more than forty buildings, and photographs by Nigel Green. (Présentant les exemples les plus marquants de l’architecture Brutaliste de Paris, ce guide recto-verso comprend une carte, une introduction par Robin Wilson ainsi que les détails de plus de quarante constructions illustrées par les photographies de Nigel Green.)
Are you a fan of Brutalist Architecture? Art Deco? Know someone who is?! They surely need this under these under the Christmas tree!!
Thank you for taking pics Jenna!!!