New York's innovative concrete buildings celebrated in a new map

“New York is built with concrete”—so begins the introduction for a new map devoted to the many structures in NYC that are made from the versatile material. And it’s not just about the foundations of city buildings; the map covers the many innovative—and, frankly, beautiful—ways that concrete has shaped the physical landscape of New York City.

It’s the latest in a series of architecture maps produced by Blue Crow Media, covering a wide swath of cities and building styles. They’re like catnip for architecture lovers, particularly those who have an affinity for Brutalist buildings; the company has produced maps that cover the hotly debated style for London, Boston, Sydney, Paris, and Washington, D.C. (so far).

While Concrete New York isn’t strictly Brutalist, it does include some of the more iconic structures in that style (so named because of the French term béton brut, meaning “raw concrete”), such as Marcel Breuer’s Begrisch Hall at Bronx Community College, and John Carl Warnecke’s stark Long Lines Building in lower Manhattan.

Jacob Woods for Blue Crow Media

Other structures that are featured include Eero Saarinen’s majestic TWA Terminal at JFK Airport, a marvel of concrete shaped into swooping, elegant forms; Albert C. Ledner’s playful O’Toole Building, formerly part of St. Vincent’s Hospital; and I.M. Pei’s Silver Towers in Greenwich Village, which were named NYC landmarks in 2008.

So if you’re a fan of Brutalism—or want to learn more about the possibilities of concrete in architecture—pick up one of these maps; they’re $10 from Blue Crow Media.

• Concrete New York [Official]