Why does Gen Z love Eco-Brutalism so much? | Video Essay

Thanks to anyone who came from tiktok, very swag. but tiktok gotta be one of the worst things to grace the earth lol. Like the fact a handful of n*zis were going into the comments of that video was just insane. save europe mfs are weird.

[@joshuabushman7]

I think ya boy finally figured out the problem. The thing is, I live paycheck to paycheck so I rent a camera for free at my school. So the reason why I don’t have backups is because once I turn my stuff in they wipe everything. The FIRST time things went wrong I already explained in the video, but the second reason I finally figured out. My card reader has been ran through a little too much I guess and my card will randomly eject if I nudge is a little bit. So it will upload empty spaces for clips it hasn’t actually filled with data. That’s just my theory but it happened on the new video I’m making but I was able to catch it

[@TJThomas116]

bro that sounds really frustrating glad you figured it out

[@theunlawfullpenguin6855]

that sound painful, great video though

[@WHYsauce]

Joker arc speed run, bros got it figured out, except now he has Steve Jobs beef 😢

[@sheepysnowtato824]

I find it so funny that this even matches the moral of the video, persisting through tough times and making humor out of it.

[@gabrielmachadobsb]

Concrete is terrible for the environment, but hempcrete is one of the most eco friendly materials available today. If one takes ecobrutalism as more than just an aesthetic movement, hempcrete should be the quintessential ecobrutalist material

[@evelyncarr6421]

Hey fam, hempcrete is non-structual and primarily has use as an insulator. It would not be possible to do brutalist architecture just by substituting in hempcrete.

[@ballsdeep69_69]

Don't need to make new ecobrutalist buildings. Convert and reclaim already concrete structures by adding nature to it. Reclamation and conversion, think that's what ecobrutalist is about.

[@Umbrellagasm]

​@@evelyncarr6421 came to say this - I don't think you can make something larger than a small single story house with hempcrete

[@markd.9042]

Like brutalist solarpunk

[@thegrandnil764]

Concrete is worse for the environment than single-family wooden homes? You need to keep things in context Mf.

[@KarlSnarks]

It would've been so cool tho, if eco-brutalism was genuinely "let's take the ideas and principles of brutalism, and make it eco-friendly with mycilium-based concrete alternatives, passive cooling/heating, and community gardens" like solarpunk but with a distinct style, instead of "brutalism slap it with trees".

[@mossystone584]

Eco brutality shouldn't be solar punk bust more distinct. I love brutalism because it's supposed to be the most brutal and utilitarian and purposeful as possible. I agree with the mycelium brick thing that would be cool but would just be a brutalist structure but out of eco friendly structure. Which is BASED and would be cool!! *edit I pressed send early But my favorite idea would be too use a material that isn't concrete like a metal structure with lots of holes and informative structures meant for lants to be there with Intention, having lots of glass to accommodate for the plants

[@godisyourmother991]

i've actually got a lot of reason to believe that myco-architecture and myco-construction could be seriously beneficial to us. mycelium acts as a really good plaster and even just spent fungal blocks make great bricks. and instead of the materials working against the ground, they work and bond with it to become even more structurally sound

[@noahraab2429]

But doesn’t brutalism look and feel fairly unwelcoming and uncomfortable?

[@superioropinion7116]

eco-brutalism is about nature taking over.Treating it as if it's a legitimate architectural style by making it comfortable and habitable defeats it's whole purpose

[@NedInYaHead]

@@noahraab2429 if you've ever been to the Barbican complex or Southbank in London, you'll know this isn't true. Concrete has the advantage of being extremely flexible in the shapes you can make with it, and that means that although it has the potential to create very imposing, unfriendly structures, there is also great freedom to build natural, human-oriented ones as well.

[@stalhein_bracoff]

as an architect, an architecture shitpost-ish video essay was not something i thought existed but now i want more. great fucking work my guy

[@santiagoch2451]

Same here, I need more of this

[@Iliadic]

This is probably similar to what you're looking for: kzbin.info/www/bejne/emfJdYONaLiEd5Y

[@prehistoricorchid3455]

I always saw it a more of a "life without humans" and its somewhat comforting

[@lincolndunford6693]

@prehistoric orchid how can you find humanity’s extinction comforting?

[@prehistoricorchid3455]

@lincolndunford6693 humanity is, to be frank, disgusting. I've seen so many atrocities we commit, what other creature gets off to the pain and mutilation of others? There is good to be had from the human experience, yes, but we destroy nature and ourselves. An infection has a will to live but it must be destroyed to preserve the host, no? Ideally humanity would shape up and live in cohabitation with nature. But that feels more and more like a frail imagined possibility than something that can be reached. I don't say this to be a doomer, but yeah, those are my thoughts.

[@wintermint7]

@lincolndunford6693 Because then we don’t have to be anxious about the impending complete ecological collapse caused by Capitalism. No humans = no Capitalism. I’m not saying I agree with the extinction of the human race, but I can definitely empathize with the idea of not wanting to live under a Capitalist mode of production and all of the alienation that it entails anymore.

[@treerawrxd]

@@lincolndunford6693cause we suck

[@spookbag24]

@@lincolndunford6693 cause we suck

[@AuntieHauntieGames]

Something I think people do not realize when discussing Brutalism is that the style is not dedicated only to concrete. Concrete is just the most popular material in brutalist architecture because it was cheap and available, and also because it allowed architects to more easily 'defy gravity' with their gravity-bound structures. But there brick brutalist buildings, metal brutalist buildings, wood, even glass ones. Heck, most American skyscrapers are brutalist buildings constructed with steel and glass.

[@Naitrio]

The twin towers seem like very brutalist buildings to me... and yeah that is all

[@unhash631]

Brutalism literally came from the french phrase "béton brut" which directly translates to raw concrete. Stop spreading cap. Also, concrete is not cheap. It is readily-available but it is not cheap. If it is, a lot of buildings using this style wouldn't look so ugly.

[@amaianita]

@@unhash631 not everything should be taken literally from the original word. definitions of style can be expanded. if it was this literal, then the buildings would just be blocks without windows or use of metal for example. if all definitions were literal, then baroque style would have to use deformed pearls in it all the time, because the word originally was meant as an insult, because it was "ugly and over the top, like a deformed pearl". and concrete is cheap for what it is. which is a sturdy widely available material. seems like the only thing you got from this video is the french definition and that was enough for you.

[@augusto7681]

Part of brutalism aesthetic is the heavy use of concrete. I wouldnt say most American skyscrapers are brutalist, they are just tall buildings made of glass. Most of them are actually modernist.

[@unhash631]

@@amaianita Ok. You’re probably one of those folks who says that you can’t define what a woman is and there are more than two genders 🙄 Etymology is important in these scenarios because it allows for efficient communication between you and the designers. Go, call it whatever you want but don’t put the blame on architects when they didn’t make something in your vision just because you can’t use certain words literally. Have you actually worked with structural designers before? A lot of the cost-cutting they do is actually using less concrete particularly the structures whose purpose is mostly aesthetic. If it's really cheap, those aesthetic components in existing brutalist buildings would be more ubiquitous.

[@KonekoD]

You've done more in 23 minutes to help me understand the Gen Z mindset and humor than anything else from the past 2-5 years. You kids are alright. A little weird but it's that way for every generation. 😅

[@Sandyttt]

As a gen z such as myself I always found it strange that we're called weird, yet a **certain** generation owned pet rocks 😂

[@sheepysnowtato824]

@@Sandyttt As a Gen Z myself, pet rocks are adorable and you can't change my mind

[@harunatsu6756]

Those obnoxious sound effects are completely unnecessary

[@wherethequietbeingsgo]

As a current architecture major who also enjoys shitting on some architectural aesthetics (such as brutalism/eco-brutalism) this very much buttered my biscuits.

[@joshuabushman7]

Let’s gooooo

[@Noodle-Segootal]

I'm not a fan of brutalism and I've always felt like "eco-brutalism" wasn't supposed to be something you strive for but the message that once society crumbles all that will be left are the buildings we once lived in and the plants.... but I also don't use Tiktok, so I don't know what's going on with zoomers there.

[@denjisleftnu-]

I dont have TikTok so i never knew the term for eco-brutalism. I've seen some more different pictures on Pinterest than the ones in the video that I'm genuinely interested in but i think it's different from eco brutalism because it looks a lot more like post apocalyptic images. It doesn't only include brutalism architecture, it can be a metro and railways being infested by plants or smth

[@guidedexplosiveprojectileg9943]

​@@denjisleftnu-It reminds me of the city in Nier Automata because there is concrete and plants everywhere

[@Zombina638]

@@guidedexplosiveprojectileg9943same

[@jpthompson09]

I love brutalism but only when its done right (e.g. Washington Metro stations)

[@remygallardo7364]

I find this perspective really interesting. As a millenial the reason why I personally have an interest in eco-brutalism is because, to me at least, it represents the collapse of society and the rebirth that we want and crave. It satisfies the deep hatred for the systems that we currently have that need to be broken so that we can make change and progress in a more sustainable method into the future. It is at least more romantic than just idolizing post-apocalypse aesthetics and idolizing the look and feel of games like The Last of Us because instead of total collapse and desolation it looks more like the repurposing of abandoned ideas that once harmed us.

[@MildMisanthropeMaybeMassive]

Yes. This. Eco-brutalism has always reminded me of the posts apocalyptic landscapes of _The World Without Us, I am Legend, Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, The Last of Us_ and _Horizon: Zero Dawn_ Usually post-apocalyptic stories are bleak and dour, but the serene and beautiful ecosystems from these stories stand in stark juxtaposition to that. Instead we see nature reclaim the world from the brutal manmade alterations. It’s a not a sad eulogy about the death of the world. It shows the old world passing on and allowing itself to reset for a new world to be built from its ruins and untethered from its bias.

[@MildMisanthropeMaybeMassive]

People for a long time have been fantasizing about what they would do in a zombie apocalypse. It’s weird that when they speak about it they are weirdly optimistic and look forward to the opportunities and freedom it would grant them. They’re usually Gen Y and Z. These generations are deeply unhappy, feel trapped and alienated in a world that’s too interconnected through technology while lacking any genuine face to face, touch to touch, heart to heart human connection. We feel that advancing at our jobs or owning a home are impossible goals without the possibility of death to vacate one. Yesterday Ted Kaczynski died, and the first mainstream news video that I clicked on KZbin was filled entirely with sympathetic comments treating this terrorist serial killer as a hero or martyr and saying he was right. The most critical comments said simply he had the right idea and noble intentions but just went about it wrong. Several years ago _“Thanos was Right”_ was trending as a meme. And not everyone who was memeing was being ironic. The world as we know it dying and giving us the opportunity to restart is very comforting for some because some have never had it good. For many of us saw it as doomed and dying from an early age. It’s sadly the only way some of us believe we can find a way out and a future for ourselves.

[@ff-qf1th]

My only issue with this: a more just society requires just systems, not the absence of systems. I want to keep modern technology (especially medicine) in the transition to socialism, which requires centralisation & administration of standards to some extent. From this perspective, A societal collapse actually sets us back rather than aiding in transforming society for the better. (Remember that historically, after collapse of a civil society the most likely outcome is a strongman stepping in to "fix" things) I'm not an ML/tankie by the way, I believe in both democratic socialism and anarchism, imo both of these strategies working parallel to each other is the best way to advance our goals of building a better world for all.

[@remygallardo7364]

@@ff-qf1th That matches much of the spirit of my initial comment. I personally don't find any solace in the idea of collapse, but repurposing and coopting? Absolutely. Things which are terrible need not be eradicated if they can instead serve a purpose and eco-brutalism in my view showcases an example of a bad thing being adapted and used for good, but itself is not really a goal so much as an artistic metaphor. I do not actually WANT eco-brutalism, but I appreciate seeing it for what it represents to me.

[@kevinbutwithaneinsteadofani]

This the one

[@POTATOEMPN]

i think it is likely because people are confusing eco-brutalism for Solarpunk/Solar Punk type futuristic architecture. They see "oh, trees on balcony = Solar Punk so must be a good future."

[@joshuabushman7]

Yeah a little bit haha

[@guidedexplosiveprojectileg9943]

How does one mix that up? Haha

[@juanmanuelpenaloza9264]

Brutalism basically creates a giant canvas that invites someone to graffiti it. It's massive concrete walls beg for a splash of color. It just so happens that with eco-brutalism, that color is green.

[@skitterly]

Yes! I go to an art school that has a couple of this style of buildings and it’s an absolute CRIME that they won’t let us put a mural on it. Like, it needs color! This is psychological torture to us poor artists

[@allergy5634]

@@skitterlyThat’s awful, the entire philosophy of Brutalism was that it was meant to be decorated by the masses. Not by the extortion of the poor that built Gothic churches and palaces. The blank canvas to be filled is the entire point of brutalism

[@tau-5794]

Gothic architecture was not made by "extorting the poor", it was made to bring glory to God and elevate the menial, repetitive lives of the poor. The more beautiful the church, the closer to the ideal of heaven the common folk could be, and so more harmonious with the society.

[@ruzgar1372]

Good analysis

[@Vicky-uv8ri]

The algorithm has blessed me! I am not Gen Z but from a country with a lot of sovjet architecture and when I look at these intimidating beton blocks, I think of how cheap they used to be. I think of the renting market not being a constant rat race. And they are also very honest, in a way, in your face. The Fast Casual architecture that is popping up all around town is supposed to stand for nothing because it only hosts pop-up stores and makes me feel unwelcome, not at home because it might be something else next month. But to put the "eco" in ecobrutalism, the sovjet times were also a time of great injustice, so having moss growing over the past is a peaceful sight.

[@joshuabushman7]

Sick. This was exactly what I was trying to explore in this video essay. I always find it interesting to hear from people from other countries because even when people live in brutalist cities, the conversation is still love it or hate it

[@abumy4]

​@@joshuabushman7in a way, you can take most people from any of post soviet sphere countries, and they will have similar views. It's changing, but very slowly,and that is the sad part, especially if you look at W europe countries that already are ahead in terms of human comfort first (look into Netherlands project to replace highways in cities with pedestrian zones and parks)

[@8878_TRIX]

I personally like the end time aesthetic because it reminds me of Ghibli movies like castle in the sky. It gives me some peaceful and mysterious vibes. Like a world far away from the burdens of everyday life. And brutalism looks cool to me because I'm emotionally attached to it because of everything sci-fi like Neon Genesis Evangelion. Things larger than myself are just impressive. And the things you said in your video: maybe but I never thought about it. And also I liked everything post apocalyptic since I startet to gain interest in anime eleven years ago. Eco-Brutalism is just visually pleasing because organic forms contrasted with straight lines have often times just the right amount of complexity. And in the end everything is just about stimulating your brain with different levels of complexity (not necessarily meaning complex but the amount of novel/new things vs the amount of familiar things). So maybe I'm also not liking the aesthetic for the same reasons because I didn't even notice a trend since I don't use TikTok. Greetings from Germany, I hope someone can understand my English lol.

[@kellybraille]

Your English is great! 👍

[@8878_TRIX]

@@kellybraille Thanks😅

[@Leo-gq1yi]

‘i hope someone can understand my english’ says the person writing a beautifully thought-out comment with advanced language in what i’m pretty sure is perfect english

[@nbeutler1134]

@@Leo-gq1yiliterally all europeans commenting on any post lmao

[@nakynie463]

Soso true!

[@godisyourmother991]

i tend to like eco brutalism because it represents nature taking back over to me. since i was a kid i've wanted to live out in nature, a primitive lifestyle. but until i can get there, i am stuck here, and it's sometimes fun to imagine when the earth grows back over our blemishes. i've obsessed over places like chernobyl that were evacuated after nuclear warfare that has now started to flourish in the absence of people. i loved the video, thank you.

[@georgerockwell6124]

im fifteen this is deep

[@brydie191]

@@georgerockwell6124 its actually fourteen

[@supme7558]

If you dont wanna take shower i guess

[@godisyourmother991]

@@supme7558 that's a pretty rudimentary idea of people living without technology. bathing has been a thing for a very long time. there's water all over the world

[@user-gu9yq5sj7c]

You don't need brutalism to have more plants. I prefer nature to be more pristine without blemishes like you say. Or those blemishes cause trash or toxins to nature. I prefer to have the architecture I like with nature. There are people living off grid, homesteading, having community farms, or terraforming. You can look up those videos. Such as Mossy Earth, DW Planet A, and NHK Japan Zero Waste. The Aesthetic City has people wanting beautiful architecture.

[@cloudscovermyflaws]

This is genuinely one of the best video essays I’ve seen in recent years. It’s got a perfect mix of educational material, social commentary, and a strangely hopeful message. I am amazed just from hearing you speak about all this. It’s an instant subscribe for me.

[@gordshorde]

pre video opinion: we're sick of our current society tearing us and the earth down, so it feels cathartic to watch nature take over again, it feels like the release of anger we have against our situations caused by the shit thats causing pollution and climate change.

[@joshuabushman7]

Yeah kinda haha

[@TheoCynical]

True but it’s kinda a sham just because of how toxic concrete apparently is. But I agree. We need a reset. I’m a millennials and even I agree with the sentiment because it’s a bit suffocating. Gen Z grew up with so much tension of riots, the pandemic, living at home for 2 years, I’m sure they’re wound up because it is and desire release. It’s understandable.

[@hata6290]

@@TheoCynicalget out of here gramps 💀

[@Laotzu.Goldbug]

Imagine being a member of the latest generation and thinking that the world is "tearing you down" and not actually giving you things on a silver platter that have never been given to any generation in human history.

[@_blank-_]

@@Laotzu.Goldbug Yeah, gotta get what we want through pipe b-words.

[@murhafdarwish3748]

your video was randomly recommended when i first opened youtube to find something to watch while eating. i liked the title so i clicked on it and absolutely loved it! your editing style, your humor, and your presentation abilities are brilliant. i was especially able to understand and relate to what you were saying because as an 18 year old myself, you were able to touch a part in me with your amazing ability to summarize the struggle that i and a lot of other people of our generation grew up in. after watching your video, i realized that your channel is still small. i'm so grateful for the algorithm that brought me such a video from a small channel. i subscribed, and i really hope for you to keep up the amazing work and for your channel to flourish!

[@joshuabushman7]

Hey thanks man means a lot :)

[@ollie2111]

Same, the algorithm has picked their next Chosen One lol

[@lariozavc7828]

same here

[@GabbaaGhoul]

yes!! the algorithm has chosen him but i believe he really is a great artist and creator. a good arranger of ideas, sense of humor, and concepts easy to digest. also that stinks about the editing issue!!! whaaaat 🥲 but still pulled a banger of a video despite that

[@vanianbulman]

"Gen-Z humor is unique because it's distasteful by default" *Laughs in literally every generation of teenager*

[@Alleellaa]

As a designer, I feel your pain. Having worked on many, many projects over the years, I’ve had this happen. You’re going along making progress, then for whatever reason, all your work goes **poof.** Doesn’t matter how many hours, sometimes days, went into it. All progress is lost. Does the boss care? Maybe, but it’s still due tomorrow. And it’s now 1am. Good luck! Lol. After hearing about your situation, I had to acknowledge and empathize with your frustration. I’m glad you didn’t give up tho, so far I’m loving the video! Back to watching I go :)

[@joshuabushman7]

Yeah, and if I’m being honest the first time was definitely a user mistake, but these programs should not make it so easy to just delete GB of footage lol. I was so mad I didn’t care if it messed with the acing of the video, had to slip it in the video

[@KabochaOu]

This is really thoughtful, and I think you’re spot on that people liking eco-brutalism is just people liking brutalism, but aged over time. I’ve always really liked brutalist architecture, especially when it’s situated in and around really good landscape architecture, because I think it provides a really minimal backdrop that highlights the form of the plants around it. I also appreciate you actually defining brutalism properly-not that it’s “brutal” but that it’s just based on raw concrete haha. I do want to raise a critique though: I don’t think that the love of eco-brutalism comes from Gen Z absurdism. I totally agree that we’re an absurdist generation, but I think a lot of the micro-aesthetic obsessions that get popular on TikTok are more based on nostalgia. In the Internet era nostalgia gets easier and easier, and for as futuristic as it looks, brutalism is a pretty old and bygone architectural style. A lot of these popular aesthetics are sort of a mood board of items from a very specific time and place, expanded into a bigger world, like steampunk or dieselpunk, solar punk, frutiger aero, dark academia, or eco-brutalism. Eco-brutalism is definitely apocalyptic, but I think it’s important to note that a lot of people who talk about apocalypses look forward to it. It’s a revelation or reset: it’s not absurdist, it’s our desire to wipe the slate and start something new out of the concrete skeleton of the old, maybe. Anyway great video, subscribed.

[@joshuabushman7]

Oh interesting. Yeah that totally makes sense. Ig this is just my take on why we maybe like post-apocalyptic situations. Needless to say, I think we ALL want some escapism haha

[@s_c_u_m3172]

@@joshuabushman7 yeah ngl i grew up in a place that had a ton of brutalist architechture but also a lot of plant life and parks and pleasant places like that and now that aesthetic just feels extremely nostalgic to me

[@OsirusHandle]

Brutalism is precisely NOT an absurdist movement, it is explicitly political and always was; Brutalism was in the east block the movement of "public construction", always linked with the idea of the revolutionary anti-corporatism. In the west, it was the first attempt at making "buildings for the masses" in the same strain, and it feels like it what it is; its real, its there, it makes its presence known. And in an age of nothings, of apoliticism and apathy, brutalism is something.

[@user-gu9yq5sj7c]

@@OsirusHandle Isn't brutalism a bit apathetic or apathetic inducing? Or that brutalism is what some apathetic people create? I think the OP and Joshua kind of meant the plants and brutalism and it looking apocalyptic to them was absurdist. Tho I don't get why people don't just like or build what's best or what they like instead of apocalyptic, absurdist, and in the process of rising from a collapse. Such as The Aesthetic City and the comments there trying to push for more beautiful architecture. You don't need brutalism to have more plants.

[@OsirusHandle]

@@user-gu9yq5sj7c I would consider functionalism to be apathetic, and cheap buildings may look similar, but brutalism is absolutely not apathetic; the proper buildings are avtually very serious architectural projects and arent similar to functionalism; the grey council blocks you see everywhere are not brutalist architecture. Consider the london theatre which has multiple somewhat irrelevant platforms, spiral staircases everywhere and is formed in a very peculiar shape; done so intentionally.

[@bloxrrey]

omg i was about to write about how i disagreed about your take and then the plot twist happened, you got me you silly goofy goober! i think people prefer the idea of ecobrutalism when it looks natural is because it portrays itself as if there are no humans and the plants grew there after and took the place back. and when done by corporations it definitely has that ecomodernism feel and feels as if the plants were forced to be put there. you said something like this later on too. good work lad.

[@bloxrrey]

i have always seen ecobrutalism as a dystopia just because i associated it with ecomodernism but i now see how it can be a utopia or at least a beacon of hope. W video

[@joshuabushman7]

Thanks mate. I guess it’s not so much people loving arcitecture but more of the idea behind it.

[@user-gu9yq5sj7c]

@@bloxrrey You don't need brutalism to have more plants. Why not just like the architecture you like? And you can add plants to any architecture. Such as a wood cabin in the woods. The Aesthetic City and the comments there trying to push for more beautiful architecture. I see architecture I like, beautiful architecture, and futuristic architecture and tech more as hope. I see brutalism as more the opposite and more apathetic inducing. Especially when there's so much of it and the lack of diversity.

[@bloxrrey]

@@user-gu9yq5sj7c I totally agree, I was just saying that I can see how people like it after watching it. It might now be practical or even somewhere you would want to live but it has a sort of calmness? I’m more of a fan of solarpunk though

[@waterbears9874]

I used to be like a big fan of brutalist architecture, but the more ive thought about it recently the more i feel like it would be depressing to live around

[@namedrop721]

As someone who has had to…it is. Depression.

[@KR-mm4el]

in eastern europe, where this brutalist architecture is prominent, that would be the least depressing aspect of life. poverty, homelessness, job insecurity, overwork and alienation would all be the more pertinent elements of depression than some tall buildings.

[@Loderyod]

Can confirm

[@unplugcompany6752]

I work in a office space that has brutalism, I don’t recommend it. It’s so depressing to work there

[@crazydragy4233]

Monotony is depressing and has little to do with style. Bad architecture kills and not organic cities are merely zombies

[@9000ck]

I'm a gen-xer and have loved eco brutalism for a long time (I didn't know it had a name). It is nostalgic for my childhood; my earliest childhood was the end of the post-war regulated capitalism period and governments were still building libraries and schools in the brutalist style. There is an old brutalist style school building down the road from me which I often fantasise about changing into a community space, library and art gallery and covering it with plants. There is such a potential in that building and the fact that it will probably be sold off to developers to build apartments makes my childhood pre-neo-liberal blood boil.

[@tvsonicserbia5140]

Honestly as someone who lives in Serbia, an ex socialist country, I love brutalism. It's particularly prominent in the capital Beglrade. I feel like a lot of these photos just don't do it justice. In Belgrade in particular, these buildings are mostly a part of New Belgrade, the modern residential/economic area built after WW2 on a huge and flat piece of land to accommodate the growing city and economy. In a wide open space irl, most of these buildings really look majestic and create interesting sightlines. And while brutalism is often presented in conjunction with grey skies, on a clear sunny day, the concrete takes on a slightly warmer hue, and it's lightness works nicely with the many shades of the clouds against a blue sky, I really never found it depressing.

[@leoneedfan123]

slažem se

[@_blank-_]

Y'all are too poor to afford paint? Even North Korea paints its ugly buildings pastel colors to be less depressing. F**k brutalism, this style is a mentaI iIIness.

[@jumpinghunter9152]

Agree with you, as a citizen of post soviet country i never seen brutalism as something depressing, i always seen it as a representation of the time when humanity was at the peak of its technological and industrial expansion, when people stopped trying to cover the overwhelming power of their creations behind elegant forms and finally accepted and appreciated this power. And it is true that concrete constructions look ten times more bright and warm when they are lit by the sun light, sometimes it is even somewhat enchanting to see brutal constructions of late XX century looking so warm and friendly in the bright sun light.

[@user-gu9yq5sj7c]

You don't need brutalism to build giant buildings. There's giant buildings in many different styles. Like ornate, beautiful, cultural European ones or glass skyscrapers too. There's small brutalist buildings too.

[@peloidvoid1619]

I had a soft spot for this style of architecture for the past 8 years when I used to take an architecture class in hs. it influenced a lot of my designs. I liked how the flora stood out against the white/gray concrete. Although i used more wood & glass(I'm also a fan of the portal series. P2 had a similar aesthetic) i wish i could find my projects since i lost them somewhere in my family home. I remember it being everywhere on the design side of tumblr... or im remembering things wrong.

[@chris_troiano]

First of all, congrats on this video blowing up. I clicked on it because the building I work in is like this. The DM building at FIU was built in the 1970s in a Brutalist style. In 2013, its barren inner courtyard was redesigned as the “Sky Lounge,” taking advantage of the high windowed ceiling. It’s somewhere in between the fully manufactured Ecobrutalism of that apartment building and natural overgrowth. The eco- parts were fully and carefully designed to update the building. They strung vines on the walls and created hanging, sculptural nets with air plants. I suspect this is true for a lot of Ecobrutalism, some effort to update and bring warmth to old Brutaist buildings. Ten years later, the vines in the Sky Lounge didn’t grow up the trellises as planned, but started to wither instead. It’s still a lovely courtyard, but not the overgrowth of greenery I think the designers envisioned.

[@OmanAMNOTGOODWITHCOMPUTER]

Surprised your channel isn't more popular, interesting yet comedic style of commentary. Fantastic music choice and the transitions between goofy humor and symbolical topics was really nice. The ending words especially surprised me. Really entertaining overall, hope to see more stuff like this.

[@Aburuzzz]

Good job pushing through those corrupted video files! The video was defiantly worth it. Nice work.

[@joebuslife9275]

Just throw out the Mac next time. Problem solved 😂

[@joelsavoie8641]

Banger vid. I definitely agree about the appeal being that something will live past humanity, and that our end will not be the end. Something I think about occasionally in that vein as someone with a casual interest in biology and paleontology is that I wish I could see all the insane evolutionary radiations that will come out of the capitolocene mass extinction event. Not to talk as if I'm sure about the destruction of humanity, but over an evolutionary time scale, no way this shits gonna last for a million years. Shout out to plastivore bacteria, we've set em up real nice.

[@joshuabushman7]

That’s super cool. Kinda shows we have empathy farther than just for the things directly effecting us or even our lifetime

[@mossystone584]

@joshuabushman7 yeah, but also the cynicism that we are over. And hope that what lives after doesn't go through what we fid

[@TrashSpace69]

Thanks for still uploading the full video even after going trough the struggle of losing footage 3 times! That's some real dedication.

[@lolman9727]

Thank you so much bro, I've been searching for the "AlfaOxtrot" Music playlist, especially Libet's Delay for ages

[@MsTheLounge]

the fact he had to recored this like a million times, made me appreciate this so much more.

[@joshuabushman7]

Thanks

[@demezzerate6769]

@@joshuabushman7 are you backing up your footage anywhere else at all? i feel like that’s a no brainer

[@prikas4313]

I really like your recognition of the two interpretations of eco-brutalism and their connections to greenwashing and absurdism. I think the more hopeful, futuristic view of eco-brutalism falls into the same problems that solarpunk and ecofuturism encounter too. It's fun and reassuring to imagine using technology and harnessing nature to sidestep and smooth over our current unsustainable development; if only we could build special buildings with special concrete that can support all these plants and not rot under their growth. Not that technology won't play a role in an ideal future, but I think there are more concrete (haha) measures that can be taken to introduce greenery, things that sometimes look nice but are less exciting, like good old tree-lined streets that we know help with shade, urban heat island mitigation, and air purification. We don't need to keep waiting for new technology to shift to more sustainable architecture.

[@joshuabushman7]

Yeah there are millions of different things we could be doing, and the technology is there even. But ig for a lot of city planners and businesses, the only incentive is to make it LOOK eco friendly

[@emilianogonzalez526]

dude i didn't even realize I just watched a 23 min video without pausing, you just got me super interested in it. keep the awesome work my man

[@ffawn]

i love listening to you talk. long format content is healing my tiktok gen z brain thank you

[@andreasgg9613]

Ive never been so shocked to look at the subscriber count from a youtube video

[@m0nclers473]

i started loving ecobrutalism during my first playthrough of portal 2; i just love how these extremely clinical and lonely settings can become SO full of life when its left alone. i learned so much and thanks for working so hard on this video!!

[@AudiaLucus]

Love all the connections you have drawn, especially how our feelings relate to our preference in aesthetics

[@benno6981]

Instantly in love with your style and videos, keep it up man !!

[@Yurgen_S]

holy shit so that's how it feels to find a gem in KZbin

[@amykilroy7389]

The depth you go into is honestly admirable! The way you write is so driven and thought provoking so thank you for sharing this with us! Would love to know your thoughts on more things like art, fashion, etc!

[@puppylightning]

beautiful comment

[@tootiredtolive881]

Man... this video was amazing! I'm so glad YT recommended your channel to me.

[@maddieandtherose]

I can’t even describe how much I love this video it’s just *chefs kiss* perfect in every way - thank you for making it :)

[@darkripple3961]

One thing about ecobrutilism that i havent seen brought up is the sheer amount of complications that follow it. Plants can be incredibly heavy, meaning that it puts a lot of strain on the building, and on top of that, you have to be extra careful about how much water is used cause not only can it also be heavy, but can get into the building and damage its structure

[@starorcarina8525]

I grew up with this love for Traditional and “Nostalgic” Buildings that my parents and my grandparents would always miss, they would sigh whenever they see a place that once filled with lush greenery now turned into a random mall and housing estates, my Grandmother used to own this Beautiful Shophouse, which those houses would cost even more of a fortune due to Inflation and it would be considered a Heritage Building today.I always loved Cultural side of the Buildings of my Country, because it just reminds people of simpler times and it made me happy to see them happy, even though I will never fully understand that happiness because I’m Gen Z, I don’t remember seeing Kampungs and Fishing Villages in my area, I don’t remember Farms and Open Air Markets where Hawkers sell their Wares and I don’t fully remember a time where someone could live in a Shophouse so easily especially when you’re near the old ports. This interest only grew further when I saw Eco Brutalism and Biophilic designs and later the added bonus of Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Dravidian and Malay Architecture, I started to like the Idea of Tradition and Nature in a Building, I took up Landscaping because of that and I even drew sketches of my ideas, for myself of course, I understand your views of Brutalism and it’s Eco Counterpart and I Fully agree with it but to me No matter what you do it’s gonna to affect the environment in a good way and in a bad way like for example, Solar Panels in its entirety. As for Aesthetic, I always had eyes for Fantasy in general, Sci Fi wasn’t a thing I was into until I saw Solarpunk and Lunarpunk, the very idea of Solar Panels not having a negative impact and Bioluminescent Energy being a common usage for Electricity is just Fantastical in its own way, and when I found that I wasn’t the only one who likes to draw Cultural-esque buildings via Genshin Impact’s Liyue, Inazuma and Sumeru regions, I couldn’t believe it cause I thought I was the only one and it hit hard on my face Honkai Star Rail’s Xianzhou became a thing, I crave for a Future like that and it’s Future I can at least draw of.

[@Calypso.13]

I loved your style of editing and the concept of this video ! Hope to see more video of this kind 👍

[@jamlog1481]

Insane to see a video essay made by someone who very clearly grew up watching video essays. New wave

[@Girlinacloset_]

Sometimes youtube really sends hidden gems your way . So glad i found your channel. I have never been more shocked to see someones sub count before. U deserve millions!

[@EckserDR]

Really like eco-brutalism because it makes my imagination run wild with scenarios and storys with post war/end/society Also gives a feeling of solitute that makes me feel like i'm the only one exploring these places that was made by an ancient society that has fallen It gives a melancholic feeling because of this civilization that died and it also gives hope with the plants growing around it, after all is never the end just a new start 10/10 essay you got my like 😎👍

[@joshuabushman7]

Thanks, means a lot mate

[@rusticbear195]

This was such a cool video. I've never heard of Eco-Brutalism before, but the amount of effort you put into creating the video really shows, and your delivery for your discussion of architecture was fascinating

[@bence5987]

We could see the kitchen building's roof out of our dorm window and I remember there was a short amount of time where a puddle of rain water got stuck in a place on the roof and some kind of plant just grew out there. I have no idea how it even got there in the first place, but I found it interesting how nature can cling onto life in the most unexpected of places. Anyways they got rid of it and nothing grew there ever since then, but the memory of that plant on the kitchen roof sits in the back of my mind and this video brought it out again. Really cool video, thank you for this.

[@swagmund_freud6669]

This video made me realize something I've been trying to put my finger on so much. I love a very wide variety of music, but there's one variety of music, more a mood than a genre, that I find tickles my itch just right. And I found it. I've been trying to describe it for so long; it's dystopian. Brutalist music.

[@TheSandurz20]

Definitely agree with your takeaway at the end. I like eco brutalism not because I want it to happen, but because it's comforting to think that even if everything completely goes to shit SOMETHING will still be around. Plants reclaiming space over concrete says that while we can't realistically change our past circumstance we can move forwards no matter what happens. It's an acknowledgement that even in the event that we move past our doomsday event, we will have reminders of what once was everywhere, mingling with a more hopeful what is. We need those reminders, and I think part of why we are where we are politically and ecologically is because we didn't have them in our faces constantly. I'm a younger American millennial, and I wasn't given much more than "nazis bad" in school, but looking at history it's absolutely crystal clear that our own politics inspired a lot of their racial politics. I think physical and ubiquitous reminders of what was narrowly avoided and what wasn't avoided at all are very important. We don't have the attention span to remember them like we need.

[@DanikaShoru]

You are an excellent video maker and meme curator. I appreciate Your quips and dedication to bring this video to completion. Thank You and I Hope more of Your is made without major issues.

[@crystalraine]

starting to watch what I consume online more as I start summer, I typed “video essay” and your vid’s topic is what caught my eye. really interesting and especially enjoyed this an an architecture student :))

[@Tipsy_Turby]

I think that Eco-brutalism, for me personally is visually appealing due to how despite the seemingly dystopian vibe of brutalism itself, it seems that eco-brutalism symbolizes something more after apocalypse, and how even after mass destruction and the stripping away of comfort and design, nature always seems to take those things back, and eventually those dystopian and unfriendly spaces somehow become meaningful, and welcoming again, simply by the juxtaposition between man and nature.

[@damprat141]

Finally, another internet poisioned architecture nerd , ive been looking for more lmao. I love the aesthetic of echo brutalism, but anyone with a brain knows its bad lol

[@joshuabushman7]

Yessir. Gotta let you know though although I’m a big arcitecture nerd, I usually just talk about art/media in general

[@wippok42]

Can u recommend any other Internet posioneed architecture nerds? As a zoomer idk how else to learn stuff on youtube

[@damprat141]

@@wippok42 sadly I don't know of many others , I've had to resort to 3am hyper Fixation being stronger than the urge for something speedy and braindead. All I know of is regular architecture stuff lol

[@damprat141]

@@joshuabushman7 right after this I watched the rest of your videos lol, can't wait to see how this channel goes, keep up the amazing work lol

[@amirfld6375]

This was such an insightful and thought provoking video essay delivered in such a fun and hilarious way. keep up the good work and keep making videos like this bro.

[@citrusinky6154]

this is my new favorite video essay are you kidding this is so good

[@dallineggperson]

Overgrown architecture was huge in the aesthetic and vaporwave corners of Tumblr 10 years ago. Those niches were all about irony and sadness. It felt like there was an understanding all the imagery we were sharing was haunted. And yeah its fucking cool.

[@iLOLZU42]

Dude, this a great vid. The music and footage mesh so well together. I also think that a premise of eco-brutalism is partially meant to take over or modify the old pre-existing structures, rather than make something new. If you wanted to do a sort of part 2 with the solarpunk movement, that would be amazing.

[@clutterbot7279]

exactly this! as cool as some new funky shaped buildings might look, i always thought "stick some plants on the pre-existing brutalist buildings and maybe things will be ever so slightly better, or at least *feel* that way"

[@ghazal1084]

so glad I found your channel!!!! I've been feigning for content like urs for a while AND HERE NOW I HAVE IT! awesome work!!!

[@djdancer4513]

I think I have found why I so obsessed with the story idea of the apocalypse now…

[@elmdoder9948]

Nice, Keep up the good work you're doing great and this video was really intreasting and funny :)

[@AuntieHauntieGames]

I've been in a number of large brutalist constructions when I was living in Tokyo and I can say this about them: no matter how blocky and cold they might appear to people, once you are inside a brutalist space that is being used well and loved? It feels warm, inviting, PUBLIC, and organic. Something about the concrete and large open spaces makes you feel like you are outdoors even when you are indoors and that lends a feeling of communitas to the experience of the building. The aesthetics we ascribe to the imagined experience of Brutalist architecture is often much different than the actual lived experience of that architecture, assuming (again) that the building is being cared for and loved and appropriately used. It's nice.

[@joshuabushman7]

i Absolutely agree. Maybe it has to do with the honesty, but I really do enjoy looking up and seeing a concrete ceiling. It just sucks cause in the context of an entire city it can look a little to meant for what it's used for-- just a building. It's strange how polarizing the discussion on brutalism really is because when I uploaded a clip to tiktok, so many people who said they lived in a city with brutalist buildings came to my comments. And I heard both love and hate for it. It really is an intresting discussion however it's hard to deny the enviromental implications that brutalism has already kind of done

[@jerobanda1259]

u GOTTA make more video essays- this is crazy good

[@valq10]

Dude, peng presentation style. Those low angles are everything. Definitely subscribing

[@ebanydwayne1357]

Oh this video is gonna be so famous! I actually love Eco Brutalism. But turns out we are slowly having a Traditional Architecture Come back, which is fucking good!

[@NotLudwig]

Ngl, I thought the video was rough for the first half but then *spoiler alert* you refuted some of the assumtionn you were making about eco-brutalism as an architecture style (which, as u said, is almost never intentional and is a product of the modern lense) and the way you wrapped this up was really thoughtful and well done, or at least as well done as you could go given the editing mishaps etc. Looking forward to more stuff from you!

[@joshuabushman7]

Lol thanks mate. Good job sticking till the switch up

[@clutterbot7279]

i'm glad i'm not the only one who had trouble with the beginning, i'm also glad i was able to stick around lol.

[@flaphat598]

Great video bro - it's so well-made and thought out, really!

[@PH4NT0MK]

Loved the video, loved Prokofiev's Dance of the Knights at 11:20, great work and keep it up!

[@ThePortalDevice]

I love brutalism precisely because it makes me so nostalgic for public buildings that were a big part of my everyday life like schools, libraries and universities. Nice and cool in the summer and there's always big atriums or hallways with benches or wide stairs to sit down at and chill. They don't really strike me as dystopian at all and while I don't necessarily need more brut buildings, I'm glad for the ones that are around. Makes me wonder what sustainable urban architecture actually looks like. Because most image results are just concrete highrises with lots of plants slapped on top.

[@yes3801]

I always thought eco-brutalism was about nature reclaiming all the brutalist buildings

[@BecauseYouCant]

Wow the writing is so good. Keep up the amazing work!

[@piercesarkela2779]

bro fr one of my fav videos I've seen on KZbin

[@Derpyinch]

This video was also recommended to me, and I think it's great! Has a nice balance between being serious about the topic and including some humor as well. The style slightly reminds me of Alphaoxtrot's content. One quick question: Could you give the playlist of the music you used in this video? Some of the songs you used really vibe with me. Thanks in advance!

[@whallord3585]

Holy shit this video is well done! I remember personally doing a presentation on brutalism for art class in high school and even with a week to complete it I felt as if I only scratched the surface!

[@joshuabushman7]

Yeah brutalism is just crazy in how people will either love it or despise it. Art is subjective and all but man, brutalism is just something else

[@whallord3585]

@@joshuabushman7 I suppose it tickles that fear and fascination we have for something colossal and unreachable, a corrupt government dictating our fates behind miles of faceless concrete

[@joshuabushman7]

@@whallord3585 a video essay you should absouletly watch is one by solar sands. I think it’s monumentality or something like that

[@bartolomeocontarini3987]

BRO I felt your frustration with re-shooting this video but thoroughly enjoyed this, big ups to u!

[@Raskoll]

I've never watched any of your videos before this, but this one was deceptively good. Good references as well, Exurb1's awesome

[@FryFish]

I don't comment much, but this video was so well made I think I have to. Good job my guy, happy you pushed through all the technical issues in order to upload this banger of a video.

[@joshuabushman7]

Thanks mate, you Fr helping the algorithm lol

[@schisomors]

so i grew up in a place completely filled with brutalist architecture. i find brutalism warm and comforting, especially the fully gray buildings (somehow) and it makes me feel safe and more connected to the people around me. so its no surprise i love eco-brutalism as well, its something that soothes me (brutalism) AND it has a lot of nice plants :) yes, thats literally the reason why i love it. though i wish it was actually ECO :/

[@fluxvector]

truly have always had an interest in eco brutalism without realizing why, so it's really cool to see it all put into words and learning some new stuff (while immersed in the leaf village via the background music) fr though beautifully done video, glad you stuck out through the tech problems because the result was super enjoyable to watch!! blessed algorithm moment

[@hannahpolen7395]

I’m 22 and just graduated college. After watching your video I realized I only watch maybe one other KZbinr near my age. Great video, I look forward to more!

[@trolleymouse]

I always find it funny when Gen Z is said to be the "first generation raised on the internet" because like ... the Dot Com Bubble popped 30 years ago. The internet has been a thing for my entire life, and I'm squarely a millennial. I was playing flash games in primary school, or watching my classmates make youtube channels in high school. Gen Z isn't the first generation to be raised on the internet. They're the first to be raised on social media. Big difference.

[@tolerabletolerable]

unreal vid man ❤❤ the presentation, analysis, and memes were so unexpectedly amazing.. legit top 20 video essays i've ever seen bro you're gonna be a powerhouse in the lefty essayist community on YT and i can't wait to see it ⛷️⛷️

[@Foggeer-von-Dreitveld]

Eco brutalism: the same brutalism you hate, but now with 700% more mosquitos.

[@awhitney3063]

dude I'm giving you the like and subscribe just for the lost footage bits - been there, felt that, it's just too real man. Fuckin' props for keeping on and finishing it because I'd have thrown the whole concept in the trash by the third loss! You got chops.

[@w.1354]

The moment I realize Stickerbush Symphony was playing in the background I knew subscribing is a must

[@neom0on]

this is gonna become one of my comfort videos, i can feel it

[@Nainsook]

When I tell you I was shocked to see that this channel has only 6k subs with an incredible video made? Dude you deserve all the views! I’m also 19 and work in the architecture industry so I was listing to this at my desk in awe. PLEASE MAKE MORE VIDEOS!! Please! You have such an incredible talent and I love the way you structured it!! Subbed w the bell ofc 🥰🥰🥰

[@remi.scarlet.]

Start a petition to give this guy more views. The productionquality is out of this world for a 5k channel

[@bblwillzy6442]

I dont know what editing style these youtube channels use but I love it

[@castorheart5387]

Just found your channel and I love your dedication! Just love the way you explain things, you’re very clear and direct, all while still staying interesting!! Looking forward to seeing more from you :)

[@Kanye3D]

nice video, I like the video format and the arcitecture video it self, nice job man

[@magistrstern]

glad to find you on my recommended page, amazing video

[@nakynie463]

Damn I love this video essay so much- informative, funny and 30 mins of my time gone in the blink of an eye

[@lizholland6156]

This was a super good video, engaging, researched, sourced and funny. 10/10 my guy 🙌🏻

[@joshuabushman7]

Thanks, I appreciate it

[@MichaelUnderwood3507]

This is an amazing video! I can't wait to see more of your content.

[@aylmercanas2260]

PLEASE DO MORE CONTENT LIKE THIS!!! I loved it!!