Brutalism is a design movement that exists in the macro scale of cities, not the micro scale of desktops. But maybe it should be the other way around, considering how button cute this little Brutalist lamp by Kikkerland is.
The Tetromino-shaped concrete lamp plugs into a USB port, sipping power from your computer or laptop to bathe a small square of desk real estate with LED light. What's really cute about it, though, is that it's not just a lamp: The design also allows it to serve as a bed for a succulent or other house plant.
Brutalism came into fashion after World War II largely because it was functional and—thanks to its focus on using raw materials like concrete—pragmatic. But over time, the stylization of this focus on materials developed its own instantly recognizable language. This lamp might be tiny compared to the massive geometric forms we usually associate with the design movement, true, but it definitely reflects the functional side of Brutalism. It's also just as pragmatically priced: when Kikkerland's lamp ships in March, it'll cost just $30.
[via CityLab]
All Photos: Kikkerland