The Hidden Brutalist Architecture around Paris
Exploring some lesser-known sites in the Paris region
Last year, I worked on an ad campaign that introduced me to the world of Brutalist architecture.
Back in March 2022, I was helping to concept an online film for Salomon's new running shoe, the Glide Max. At the time, our planner on the project suggested playing with Brutalism in our campaign, as it wasn't a style that had been used before in running shoe commercials.
In case you were wondering, as I sure was, Brutalism is a style of architecture characterised by minimalist constructions that showcase the raw materials used to make them. (The term 'Brutalism' comes from the French word 'brut', which means 'raw'.)
When we got in touch with a filmmaker, he had a few shooting locations in mind. So the day before the shoot, we went to scout out Les Olympiades in Paris' 13th arrondissement and Montigny-le-Bretonneux to the south of Versailles.