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When the focus of the still visual medium of photography is on individuals, it should express their unfiltered realities, optimistic aspirations, and the intricate beauties of life itself, frequently showcasing them as instances of being and memories frozen in time. However, one’s existence is undoubtedly influenced by a more often than not manufactured framework, such as our immediate and broader constructed environments, where this quotidian life unfolds in the homes, communities, and metropolises around the globe. When architecture takes precedence as the main subject of photography, in addition to chronicling its visual allure and its condition in time, it prompts contemplation about the lives experienced (or overlooked) and the boundless possibilities within.
Incorporating that philosophical reflection and exploring the collective ethos of architecture and its documentation—its near cryogenic preservation—through photography, STIR investigates the finest architectural photography projects from 2024 that encapsulate the realities of both past and present humanity and architecture, while also envisioning alternative realities and prospects for a not-so-distant future.
1. Sacred Modernity: The Holy Embrace of Modernist Architecture by Jamie McGregor Smith
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Wotrubakirche – Vienna, Austria – Fritz Wotruba / Fritz G. Mayr, 1974-1976 Image: Jamie McGregor Smith
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Christi Auferstehung Kirche – Cologne, Germany – Gottfried Böhm, 1968-1970 Image: Jamie McGregor Smith
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Tempio Mariano di Monte Grisa – Trieste, Italy – Antonio Guacci, 1963-1965 Image: Jamie McGregor Smith
Photographer Jamie McGregor Smith’s publication Sacred Modernity: The Holy Embrace of Modernist Architecture chronicled the substantial transformation in the aesthetics of sacred architecture through 139 images of over 100 churches. Beginning in the 1960s, the book explores how the religious architecture of churches transitioned from a conventional gothic style to embrace a brutalist approach, influenced by the availability of economical concrete in post-war Europe, eventually paving the path for structural expressionism in contemporary architecture. The volume includes an introductory piece by Smith and an essay by architect Ivica Brnić titled Gravity and Grace, which highlights the interplay among religion, culture, and modernity. The book concludes with an eclectic essay by writer and journalist Jonathan Meades entitled The Absentee Landlord, which characterizes the post-war modernist church architecture as a consequence of ‘god’s prolonged absence’ and describes them as a ‘choreography of voidness’.
2. Photo City: How Images Shape the Urban World by V&A Dundee
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The exhibition at V&A Dundee included images and film from their archives that underlined how photography shapes our perceptions of the built environment Image: Julie Howden
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(L) The Old Closes and Streets of Glasgow series captured by Thomas Annan; (R) Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica, California, 1966 Image: Courtesy of Victoria and Albert Museum, London; Denise Scott Brown
V&A Dundee’s exhibit Photo City: How Images Shape the Urban World displayed photographs, films, and additional items from the institution’s archives to emphasize the connection between the objective insights of photography and the truths of the cities. The showcase highlighted creations by several prominent architectural photographers, architects, and artists that conveyed the historical narratives of cities throughout the years and thus, photography itself. By measuring parameters such as scale and transformation to collecting data and surveillance for photojournalism, the photographs illustrated how cities and the lives of their occupants have evolved in contemporary times.
3. Carlo Scarpa: The Complete Buildings by Prestel
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The extensive publication presents an in-depth analysis of each of Scarpa’s projects, showcasing their distinctive features and architectural significance Image: Prestel
Published by Prestel, Carlo Scarpa: The Complete Buildings showcases photography by Turkish architectural photographer Cemal Emden and writings by art historian Jale N. Erzen, highlighting the poetic essence within the creations of the famed Italian architect and designer Carlo Scarpa. An admirer of poetic arts and a collector of numerous volumes on the subject, Scarpa crafted structures with sensitivity and precision, paying attention to every component utilized, as Erzen articulated. In addition to the photographic narrative, STIR also analyzed select excerpts from the book that assess the essence and significance of the architect’s contributions to architectural history.
4. Brutalism in Colour by Christopher Hope-Fitch
STIR reported on the photographic exhibition Brutalism in Colour by Christopher Hope-Fitch, part of the 20th edition of the London Festival of Architecture’s (LFA), presenting over 100 sites of brutalist architecture that Fitch documented over a span of seven years. Aligned with the LFA’s theme Reimagine, Fitch portrayed these grey edifices as a vivid array of colorful planes and surfaces, envisioning an alternate reality for the occupied ‘concrete jungles’, through digital pictures captured during nighttime, enhancing the visuals to achieve striking and vibrant colors during the post-processing phase. The exhibition showcased various structures in London, including multiple brutalist housing developments and the iconic Barbican Centre.
5. Brutalist Plants by Olivia Broome
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Crafted by Olivia Broome, the photo book exhibited a wide array of images documenting the organic connection between béton brut and the environment Image: © Mark Bennetts, R: © Taran Wilkhu; Courtesy of Olivia Broome and Hoxton Mini Press
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Evangelische Friedenskirche (Peace Church), Monheim-Baumberg, Germany; Les Étoiles d’Ivry, Paris, France Image: (L) © Bildarchiv Monheim GmbH/Alamy, (R) © pp1 / Shutterstock; Courtesy of Olivia Broome and Hoxton Mini Press
The Brutalist Plants photo collection, created by Olivia Broome, includes a compilation of eco-brutalist environments comprising residences, institutional structures, and hotels, alongside sculptures and urban frameworks captured by numerous photographers. The verdant landscapes intertwined with the grey tones of brutalist architecture created a compelling visual and symbolic narrative. This book showcased concrete constructions adorned with foliage—both as a natural reclamation and from an aesthetic perspective—aiming to ignite further discussion regarding humanity’s understanding and practices surrounding sustainability. Upon viewing several derelict edifices reclaimed by nature, it becomes easy to envision a future where architectural efforts would surpass the lifetimes of their creators.
6. Underground House by Alastair Phillip Wiper
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The Underground House presents a fabricated built setting with artificial grass, trees, and stone barriers in an effort to mimic the realm above ground Image: Alastair Phillip Wiper
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The residence showcases Kitsch decor; the main kitchen has been preserved in its initial condition alongside all the built-in appliances Image: Alastair Phillip Wiper
British photographer Alastair Phillip Wiper, recognized for portraying realities more peculiar than fiction with his architectural photography, chronicled the 1978-constructed Underground House as part of his continuing endeavor How We Learned to Stop Worrying, aiming to initiate a conversation regarding nuclear technology’s impact on contemporary culture and politics. As Wiper’s motivation for the project arose from the contradictory and satirical nuclear age film Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, STIR explored the layers of contradictions surrounding the concept of the Underground House and the project overall. In a discussion with STIR, Wiper revealed his insights and experiences within the 15,000 square feet Kitsch-style domicile, which is recognized as one of the world’s most fascinating luxury fallout shelters.
STIRred 2024 concludes the year with curated collections of our extensive art, architecture, and design coverage at STIR this year. Did your preferred selections make the cut? Let us know in the comments!
