Art Intervention in Common Space
Between Concrete and Touch: A Dialogue with Brutalism
Brutalism was one of the most courageous architectural languages of the 20th century. Its strength lay in honesty – in revealing structure, in exposing mass, in accepting the imperfections of material. It was never a style, but an attitude towards the truth of form.
Present in most cities around the world, brutalist buildings were designed with the idea of creating inclusive and egalitarian spaces, often incorporating communal areas to foster social interaction. However, the execution of these designs sometimes led to environments perceived as unwelcoming.
moveart in Adliswil, Switzerland
At moveart, this brutalist logic finds its contemporary continuation.
moveart’s interactive sculptures do not conceal how they are built. They expose the rhythm, the joinery, and the grain of durable accoya wood.
Like brutalist structures, moveart objects are honest towards their environment. They do not compete with the cityscape – they converse with it through scale, weight, and presence. Rawness here is not aggression, but consequence. It is an aesthetic that does not seek approval, but coherence with its surroundings.
moveart playsculpture in Zurich, Switzerland
Between the raw and the refined, moveart restores the human dimension that early brutalism aspired to – translating its monumental honesty into a language of touch, empathy, and connection with place. Rooted in material integrity and crafted with biomorphic precision, its design aesthetic transcends stylistic boundaries, integrating effortlessly into architectural contexts ranging from historical landmarks to contemporary sustainable environments.
Brutalism – from the French béton brut, meaning ‘raw concrete’ – has always carried a sense of strength, but also a certain emotional distance. moveart offers a gentle counterpoint to that weight: organic forms that don’t fight architecture but harmonize with it, softening its edges and reintroducing a human rhythm to the city. Their presence brings balance and calm, turning rigid urban structures into spaces that invite connection and belonging,” says Norbert Roztocki, designer and founder of moveart.
#DoTouchArt no matter the style.
Designing for Play and Place – a webinar by APE studio [recording]
moveart x Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI)
