À PROPOS
HEARTBRUT explores the sweet spot between brutalism, art and experience, offering new visual formats, publications, special editions, expert insight and curated walks & rides. We believe in together is better. Our fresh take and explorative formats reach a broad international community. We are regularly featured in the media. HEARTBRUT was founded in 2019 by writer and photographer Karin Bürki.
Let's make brutalism unhateable
We want to make it easy to love and explore our brutalist heritage. One post, one edition and one guided tour at a time. Our first product was a postcard set featuring brutalist beauties from London and Zurich. As HEARTBRUT continues to grow and evolve, we remain committed to reinterpreting brutalism’s raw and real vibes for the here and now.
It was love at first sight. My heart just melted away in the summer sun. It was the way La Tulipe proudly and unapologetically embraced both its hard and its soft sides, playfully defying the macho vibes often associated with brutalism. For me, the core message of La Tulipe is that you have more fun when you dance away from the norm.
Karin Bürki, Head of HEARTBRUT, in The Guardian
Karin Bürki is a writer, photographer and entrepreneur. Born and bred in Zurich, she spent her formative years in London, where she studied fine art at Saint Martins College of Art & Design. She focuses on long-term investments in cultural and business projects that bring people together and effect change.
Karin’s refusal to choose between art, photography, writing, media and business has forged a unique career path for her. She made her mark with the internationally acclaimed photo blog Playlust. Milestones include the book Now & Wow – A Style Hunter’s Book of Photographs, a visiting lectureship at Zurich University of the Arts, as well as various columns in national and international media outlets and business partnerships. In 2019, she took on a fresh entrepreneurial challenge and launched HEARTBRUT. Karin loves tough workouts, relaxing swims in Lake Zurich and fanclubs women’s football (@scoreshesaid).
HEARTBRUT KEY DATA
Publications
Carte Brute Alpin, 2023
Carte Brute Basel, 2022
Carte Brute Zürich, 2021
Carte Brute Schweiz, 2020
Brutalist Beauties Postcards, 2018 –
Acquisitions, Art Grants, Awards
Carte Brute edition included in the City of Geneva’s Department of Architectural and Historical Heritage, 2025
Carte Brute edition included in Swiss National Library, 2024
Art Grant, Canton of Graubünden, 2023
Carte Brute Alpine included in the Cantonal Library of Graubünden, 2023
Carte Brute Zurich included in the Architectural History Archive of the City of Zurich, 2022
Research Grant, Canton of Thurgau, 2021
Carte Brute Alpine included in the Cantonal Library of Thurgau, 2023
Art Grant, City of St. Gallen, 2020
Shows & Presentations
Creative Marketplace, Fair, Architecture Festival Zürich, 2025
Carte Brute Alpin Launch Presentation, OKRO Gallery, Chur, 2023
“Gem or Eyesore?”, part of exhibition, Swiss Heritage Centre, Zurich, 2022-24
Beton Blutt (Naked Concrete), Print Presentation, Print Matters, Zurich, 2019-20
Heartbrut, Launching Exhibition, Kosmos, Zurich, 2019
Talks & TV
RSI, TV feature, 2026
SRF, Expert opinion, TV Feature, Schweiz Aktuell, 2024
ART TV, Interview & feature, 2024
ARCHITEKTUR FILM TAGE ZÜRICH, Intro to Swiss Brutalism, 2023
SRF KULTUR, Radio feature & Interview, 2022
Walks & Rides
Public and private guided tours in Zurich and Basel since 2022
Bike rides added in 2024
Partnerships
Rebecca De Bautista is responsible for the visual concept and production of our Carte Brute maps. You can find her work here
For our public walks and rides, we are currently teaming up with the following partners: VN Residency, Open House Zürich, Open House Basel