The Instagram account Cats of Brutalism creatively merges two seemingly unrelated worlds—cats and Brutalist architecture—into a humorous and visually striking series of photomontages. The project, launched by three architecture students from the University at Buffalo (UB), Emily Battaglia, Madelaine Ong, and Michaela Senay, began as a lighthearted way to pass time during the COVID-19 lockdown. Over time, the account gained traction, now boasting over 45,000 followers. Even The New York Times featured it as one of “5 Art Accounts to Follow on Instagram Now.”
Villa-Lobos State Park Decio Tozzi 1989 São Paulo Brazil British Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismCentral Post Office Janko Konstantinov 1982 Skopje Macedonia British Longhair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismTextile Centre Chee Soon Wah 1974 Kallang Singapore Bengal. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismRivergate Tower Harry Wolf 1988 Tampa Florida Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismMilwaukee Police Administration Building 1971 Milwaukee Wisconsin Tabby. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismU-House Toyo Ito 1977–1988 Tokyo Japan Domestic Short Hair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismPalácio da Justiça Oscar Niemeyer 1962 Brasilia Brazil Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismMondadori Group Headquarters Oscar Niemeyer 1975 Milan Italy European Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismTate & Lyle Sugar Silo Stuart Stephenson 1957 Liverpool England Tabby. Courtesy of Cats of Brutalism
The photomontages depict oversized cats interacting with iconic Brutalist structures designed by architects like Le Corbusier, Lina Bo Bardi, and Oscar Niemeyer. The juxtaposition of imposing concrete forms with playful, soft felines adds a quirky twist to Brutalism, a style often perceived as cold and uninviting. In these images, cats are shown stretching, lounging, and perching on these raw geometric forms, transforming them into unexpectedly cozy scenes that evoke a surreal retro-futuristic aesthetic.
Dr Seo’s Women’s Clinic Building Chung-Up Kim 1967 Seoul Korea Maine Coon. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismMontreal Olympic Stadium Roger Taillibert 1976 Montreal Canada. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismSesc Pompéia Lina Bo Bardi 1982 São Paulo Brazil Tabby Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismBublik Apartment Complex Eugene Stamo 1972 Moscow Russia Abyssinian & Maine Coon. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismCirque Apartments Bkk Architects 2017 Melbourne, Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismRozenburg Wind Wall Maarten Struijs 1985 Rozenburg Netherlands Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of Brutalism
The creators state that the combination of Brutalist architecture and cats was not only for fun but also for education and preservation. The intention was to promote Brutalism—a mid-20th-century architectural style that often goes underappreciated—while also helping rescue animals.
Shri Ram Center for Art and Culture Shiv Nath Prasad & Mahendra Raj 1969 New Delhi India Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismMarina City Bertrand Goldberg 1964–68 Chicago Illinois American Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismMilwaukee County War Memorial Center Eero Saarinen 1957 Milwaukee Wisconsin Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismKojomkul Sports Palace v. Kostin and V. Marukov 1974 Bishkek Kyrgyzstan Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismSalute Hotel Avraam Miletsky N. Slogotskaya Vladimir Shevchenko 1984 Kyiv Ukraine British Shorthair Mix With Norwegian Forest. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismTorre Dorrego Luis T. Caffarini Alfredo Joselevich & Alberto Ricur 1968 – 1970 Buenos Aires Argentina Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of Brutalism
Many of the cats featured in the images are up for adoption through organizations like the Erie County SPCA and the ASPCA, and each post includes details on where the cats can be adopted. By pairing the educational aspect with a widely relatable theme, the creators managed to bridge two communities: cat lovers and architecture enthusiasts.
Bruder-Klaus Field Chapel Peter Zumthor 2007 Mechernich Germany Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismHotel Panorama Resort Zdeněk Řihák 1969 Štrbské Pleso Slovakia Tabby. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismEndo Pharmaceuticals Building Paul Rudolph 1962–1964 Garden City Long Island, United States Short-Haired Domestic. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismDeaton Sculptured House Charles Deaton 1963 Genesee, Colorado Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of Brutalism
The project’s origins lie in a UB urban design studio that focused on Paul Rudolph’s Earl W. Brydges Public Library in Niagara Falls, New York—a significant example of Brutalist architecture. The students involved initially explored the style through this case study, which inspired them to combine architecture with humor and create Cats of Brutalism.
Australian High Commission Leong Thian and Rakan Rakan 1978 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Russian Blue. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismHabitat 67 Moshe Safdie 1967 Montreal, Quebec Domestic Medium Hair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismHôtel du Lac Raffaele Contigiani 1973 Tunis, Tunisia Tortoiseshell. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismMonument Ilinden Jordan and Iskra Grabuloski 1974 Krushevo, Macedonia Tabby Mix. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismTemplo de la Dolorosa Milton Barragán Dumet 1978 Quito, Ecuador Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismFormer Sears Office Building Maxwell Miller 1971 Toronto, Canada Persian. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismMuBE Paulo Mendes da Rocha 1995 São Paulo, Brazil Tabby. Courtesy of Cats of Brutalism
According to Battaglia, the absurd yet fitting pairing of super-scaled cats with concrete blocks was intentional. Brutalism, with its rough textures and massive forms, becomes almost tactile and inviting when combined with these exaggerated feline figures. The decision to use black-and-white imagery was also a key choice; it lends a realistic edge to the surreal scenes, making viewers do a double-take when scrolling.
The Alley Theatre Ulrich Franzen 1968 Houston, Texas Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismPreston Bus Station Keith Ingham, Charles Wilson & E.H. Stazicker 1969 Lancashire, England Foldex. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismRainier Tower Minoru Yamasaki 1977 Seattle, Washington Foldex. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismTower of Shadows Le Corbusier 1952 Chandigarh, India Russian Blue. Courtesy of Cats of Brutalism
As the account grew in popularity, it led to unexpected opportunities, including commissioned projects. In one instance, a follower from Brazil requested a custom image featuring their cats superimposed onto a basilica as a birthday gift. In such cases, instead of charging fees, the creators ask clients to donate to an animal welfare organization or architectural preservation cause. The team is also planning to expand the project further by launching merchandise and a dedicated website.
Philips Pavilion Iannis Xenakis/ Le Corbusier Firm b.1958 d.1959 Brussels, Belgium Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismQuadrilatero (Ater) Rozzol Melara Complex Carlo Celli & Luciano Celli 1969 – 1983 Trieste, Italy Tabby & Domestic Shorthairs. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismRomanita Collective Housing Tower O. Vronsky 1986 Chișinău, Moldova Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismNational Congress of Brasilia Oscar Niemeyer 1960 Brasilia, Brazil Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismSão Paulo Museum of Art Lina Bo Bardi 1968 São Paulo America Longhair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismMorisset Library, University of Ottawa Cliff Chin 1972 Ottawa, Canada Highland Lynx Mix. Courtesy of Cats of Brutalism
Cats of Brutalism is more than just a quirky social media trend. It has become a lighthearted commentary on an architectural style that often faces criticism while fostering a sense of community among people who share an interest in both architecture and cats. According to Senay, the universal appeal of cats plays a major role in the project’s success. The combination works, inviting smiles and a new appreciation for an often misunderstood architectural movement.
Kagawa Prefectural Gymnasium Kenzo Tange 1962 – 1964 Takamatsu, Japan Short-Haired Domestic. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismMacy’s Queens Plaza Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill 1965 Queens, New York Domestic Shorthairs. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismDunelm House Architects’ Co-Partnership 1965 Durham, United Kingdom Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismBiblioteca Nacional Mariano Moreno Clorindo Testa, Francisco Bullrich, & Alicia Cazzaniga 1972 – 1992 Buenos Aires, Argentina Tabby. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismDallas City Hall I.M Pei & Theodore Musho 1978 Dallas, Texas Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismRoyal National Theatre Denys Lasdun 1976 London, England Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismEmbarcadero Center John C Portman Jr 1971–1989 San Francisco, California Grey Tabby. Courtesy of Cats of Brutalism
Full Gallery
Villa-Lobos State Park Decio Tozzi 1989 São Paulo Brazil British Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismCentral Post Office Janko Konstantinov 1982 Skopje Macedonia British Longhair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismTextile Centre Chee Soon Wah 1974 Kallang Singapore Bengal. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismRivergate Tower Harry Wolf 1988 Tampa Florida Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismMilwaukee Police Administration Building 1971 Milwaukee Wisconsin Tabby. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismU-House Toyo Ito 1977–1988 Tokyo Japan Domestic Short Hair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismPalácio da Justiça Oscar Niemeyer 1962 Brasilia Brazil Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismMondadori Group Headquarters Oscar Niemeyer 1975 Milan Italy European Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismTate & Lyle Sugar Silo Stuart Stephenson 1957 Liverpool England Tabby. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismOmsk Musical Theatre Lurie, Strigun and Belousova 1981 Omsk Oblast Russia Scottish Fold. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismThe Rock, Brown University Library Warner Burns Toan & Lunde 1964 Providence Rhode Island Calico. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismDr Seo’s Women’s Clinic Building Chung-Up Kim 1967 Seoul Korea Maine Coon. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismOhio History Center Ireland & Associates 1970 Columbus Ohio Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismMontreal Olympic Stadium Roger Taillibert 1976 Montreal Canada. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismSesc Pompéia Lina Bo Bardi 1982 São Paulo Brazil Tabby Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismBublik Apartment Complex Eugene Stamo 1972 Moscow Russia Abyssinian & Maine Coon. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismCirqua Apartments Bkk Architects 2017 Melbourne, Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismRozenburg Wind Wall Maarten Struijs 1985 Rozenburg Netherlands Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismShri Ram Center for Art and Culture Shiv Nath Prasad & Mahendra Raj 1969 New Delhi India Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismOrange County Government Center Paul Rudolph 1963 Goshen New York Domestic Long Hair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismMarina City Bertrand Goldberg 1964–68 Chicago Illinois American Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismMilwaukee County War Memorial Center Eero Saarinen 1957 Milwaukee Wisconsin Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismKojomkul Sports Palace v. Kostin and V. Marukov 1974 Bishkek Kyrgyzstan Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismSalute Hotel Avraam Miletsky N. Slogotskaya Vladimir Shevchenko 1984 Kyiv Ukraine British Shorthair Mix With Norwegian Forest. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismTorre Dorrego Luis T. Caffarini Alfredo Joselevich & Alberto Ricur 1968 – 1970 Buenos Aires Argentina Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismBruder-Klaus Field Chapel Peter Zumthor 2007 Mechernich Germany Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismPonte City Apartments Manfred Hermer 1975 Johannesburg South Africa Flame Point Siamese Tabby. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismHotel Panorama Resort Zdeněk Řihák 1969 Štrbské Pleso Slovakia Tabby. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismEndo Pharmaceuticals Building Paul Rudolph 1962–1964 Garden City Long Island, United States Short-Haired Domestic. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismDeaton Sculptured House Charles Deaton 1963 Genesee, Colorado Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismAustralian High Commission Leong Thian and Rakan Rakan 1978 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Russian Blue. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismHabitat 67 Moshe Safdie 1967 Montreal, Quebec Domestic Medium Hair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismHôtel du Lac Raffaele Contigiani 1973 Tunis, Tunisia Tortoiseshell. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismMonument Ilinden Jordan and Iskra Grabuloski 1974 Krushevo, Macedonia Tabby Mix. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismTemplo de la Dolorosa Milton Barragán Dumet 1978 Quito, Ecuador Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismFormer Sears Office Building Maxwell Miller 1971 Toronto, Canada Persian. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismMuBE Paulo Mendes da Rocha 1995 São Paulo, Brazil Tabby. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismThe Alley Theatre Ulrich Franzen 1968 Houston, Texas Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismCathedral of Brasilia Oscar Niemeyer 1970 Brasilia, Brazil Tabby. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismRiver City Bertrand Goldberg 1986 Chicago Illinois Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismPreston Bus Station Keith Ingham, Charles Wilson & E.H. Stazicker 1969 Lancashire, England Foldex. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismTower of Shadows Le Corbusier 1952 Chandigarh, India Russian Blue. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismRainier Tower Minoru Yamasaki 1977 Seattle, Washington Foldex. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismCathédrale Saint-Paul d’Abidjan Aldo Spirito 1985 Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismTorres Blancas Francisco Javier Saenz De Oiza 1969 Madrid, Spain European Common Cat Siamese. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismPhilips Pavilion Iannis Xenakis/ Le Corbusier Firm b.1958 d.1959 Brussels, Belgium Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismQuadrilatero (Ater) Rozzol Melara Complex Carlo Celli & Luciano Celli 1969 – 1983 Trieste, Italy Tabby & Domestic Shorthairs. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismJohannes XXIII Church Heinz Buchmann 1968 Cologne, Germany Munchkin Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismRomanita Collective Housing Tower O. Vronsky 1986 Chișinău, Moldova Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismMill Owners’ Association Building Le Corbusier 1954 Ahmedabad, India Domestic Shorthairs. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismRobert C. Weaver Federal Building Marcel Breuer 1965 Washington, D.C. Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismJuilliard School, Alice Tully Hall Pietro Belluschi and Associates 1969 New York, New York Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismBarbican Centre Peter Chamberlin, Geoffry Powell, and Christoph Bon 1976 London, United Kingdom Tabby. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismNational Congress of Brasilia Oscar Niemeyer 1960 Brasilia, Brazil Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismMuseum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro Affonso Eduardo Reidy 1948 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismSamuel L. Paley Library, Temple University Nolen & Swinburne 1965 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismSão Paulo Museum of Art Lina Bo Bardi 1968 São Paulo America Longhair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismUnikato Kwk Promes 2018 Katowice, Poland Scottish Fold. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismMorisset Library, University of Ottawa Cliff Chin 1972 Ottawa, Canada Highland Lynx Mix. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismKagawa Prefectural Gymnasium Kenzo Tange 1962 – 1964 Takamatsu, Japan Short-Haired Domestic. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismBNP Paribas Fortis Marcel Lambrich, C. Grochowski & D. De Laveleye 1969–73 Brussels, Belgium British Blue Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismMacy’s Queens Plaza Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill 1965 Queens, New York Domestic Shorthairs. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismJerome L. Greene Hall, Columbia University Harrison & Abramovitz 1961 New York, New York Tabby & Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismDunelm House Architects’ Co-Partnership 1965 Durham, United Kingdom Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismBiblioteca Nacional Mariano Moreno Clorindo Testa, Francisco Bullrich, & Alicia Cazzaniga 1972 – 1992 Buenos Aires, Argentina Tabby. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismUnite D’Habitation Le Corbusier 1952 Marseille, France Norwegian Forest. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismLecture Centre Brunel University John Heywood 1965 – 1966 Uxbridge, London American Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismToronto City Hall Viljo Revell, Bruce Kuwabara 1965 Toronto, Canada Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismDallas City Hall I.M Pei & Theodore Musho 1978 Dallas, Texas Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismBuffalo City Court Pfohl, Roberts and Biggie 1974 Buffalo, New York Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismEdificio Jk Oscar Niemeyer 1952 Belo Horizante, Brazil Short-Haired Domestic. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismEmbarcadero Center John C Portman Jr 1971–1989 San Francisco, California Grey Tabby. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismHubert H. Humphrey Building Marcel Breuer 1977 Washington, D.C Tabby. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismJames v. Forrestal Building 1965 – 1969 Washington, D.C Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismBurnaby Mountain Arthur Erickson 1965 Simon Fraser University, British Columbia Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismFaculty of Fine Arts, University of La, Laguna Gpy Arquitectos 2016 Campus De Guajara, San Cristóbal de la Laguna, Santa Cruz De Tenerife, Spain Tabby. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismGelman Library Cox Graae + Spack Architects 1971 – 1973 (Renovated 2013) George Washington University, Washington D.C. Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismE.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall Caudill, Rowlett and Scott of Houston, and Dalton, Van Dijk, Johnson and Partners of Cleveland 1973 Akron, Ohio Siamese. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismRoyal National Theatre Denys Lasdun 1976 London, England Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismMetropolitan Cathedral Frederick Gibberd 1967 Liverpool, England Domestic Shorthair. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismPark Hill Jack Lynn & Ivor Smith 1961 Sheffield, England Short-Haired Domestic. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismNetsch University Hall, Uic Walter Netsch 1964 Chicago, Illinois Dilute Calico. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismStudent Dormitory Goce Delčev Georgi Konstantinovski 1969 Skopje, Macedonia Russian Blue Mix. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismHelen C. White Hall, University of Wisconsin—Madison Gordon Pierce 1969 Madison, Wisconsin Tortoiseshell. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismFaculty of Architecture & Urbanism – University of Sao Paulo Joao Batista Vilanova Artigas 1961 Sao Paulo, Brazil Ragdoll. Courtesy of Cats of BrutalismSirius Building Tao Gofers 1980 Sydney, Australia Ragdoll. Courtesy of Cats of Brutalism
Architect
Anton Giuroiu
Anton is a RIBA accredited architect, when he's offline, he spends his time with the sculpta.ba architecture practice or in the MKR.S crafting studio, laser engraving and laser cutting architecture models. In his free time he geeks over taking care of his pencil and mechanical pencil collection.
Expertises: Architecture, Interior design, Home improvement, Drawing, Laser machining
