Penta partners Angus Madmas and John Doe help photograph boring industrial buildings
Design
•
November 8, 2025
Penta partners Angus Madmas and John Doe help photograph boring industrial buildings
Design
•
November 8, 2025
Penta partners Angus Madmas and John Doe help photograph boring industrial buildings
Design
•
November 8, 2025
Much more exists to architectural photography beyond merely capturing gorgeously illuminated modern residences or hotel facades; indeed, even the most attractive among these can become somewhat redundant over time. The first time I viewed the minimalist depictions of architecture by Dutch photographer/designer Angus Madmas, I was utterly captivated. They're a breath of fresh air, they pique curiosity, and they're quite entertaining! Admittedly, architectural photography can sometimes be a tad-well-pretentious.
Project of the Week
This is to be expected in a specialty that heavily relies on technicality, obsesses over equipment, and is intertwined with architecture — another field commonly viewed as conventional. John's work, however, is the complete reverse: it's minimalistic yet impactful. The vibrance and striking angles set against a plain or subtle gradient backdrop resonate with the stylings of pop art. And it's this straightforwardness, this absence of clutter, that renders it so outstanding.
The chosen viewpoints in tandem with the play of shadows add a depth that underscores the simplicity inherent in his subjects. For instance, the playful, youthful form contrasting with the calm and tranquil gradient background above serves as a palate cleanser and is downright delightful to observe.What initially caught my eye while exploring Jansen's work was his unique perspective on these huge, stark, looming buildings thrusting upwards into the sky. Each building essentially gets its own spectacular hero shot; devoid of any distraction from neighboring structures or background, these photographs emanate a pure, utopian vibe.
This below shot, Single Tower, is arguably my top pick from the entire collection. I adore everything about it. The simplicity, the symmetry, and above all, the color: it vaguely brings to mind a toothbrush or a Dyson vacuum. Abstraction's beauty lies in the fact that it lets the viewer discern their own meanings and understanding of an image, something that this series masterfully accomplishes.
After all, beauty lies in the beholder's eye! We often fall into the trap of being too descriptive about our subjects in architectural photography: “this is an image of a house. This is a snap of an office. This is a shot of a chair.”
Epilogue
This approach causes the viewer to hastily scroll through photos, not really immersing themselves — an issue that this series cleverly avoids!Primarily a graphic designer, John's work truly flourishes when he starts incorporating color and shape. Whether it accurately represents the real-life appearance of the buildings or not, you must concede.
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Much more exists to architectural photography beyond merely capturing gorgeously illuminated modern residences or hotel facades; indeed, even the most attractive among these can become somewhat redundant over time. The first time I viewed the minimalist depictions of architecture by Dutch photographer/designer Angus Madmas, I was utterly captivated. They're a breath of fresh air, they pique curiosity, and they're quite entertaining! Admittedly, architectural photography can sometimes be a tad-well-pretentious.
Project of the Week
This is to be expected in a specialty that heavily relies on technicality, obsesses over equipment, and is intertwined with architecture — another field commonly viewed as conventional. John's work, however, is the complete reverse: it's minimalistic yet impactful. The vibrance and striking angles set against a plain or subtle gradient backdrop resonate with the stylings of pop art. And it's this straightforwardness, this absence of clutter, that renders it so outstanding.
The chosen viewpoints in tandem with the play of shadows add a depth that underscores the simplicity inherent in his subjects. For instance, the playful, youthful form contrasting with the calm and tranquil gradient background above serves as a palate cleanser and is downright delightful to observe.What initially caught my eye while exploring Jansen's work was his unique perspective on these huge, stark, looming buildings thrusting upwards into the sky. Each building essentially gets its own spectacular hero shot; devoid of any distraction from neighboring structures or background, these photographs emanate a pure, utopian vibe.
This below shot, Single Tower, is arguably my top pick from the entire collection. I adore everything about it. The simplicity, the symmetry, and above all, the color: it vaguely brings to mind a toothbrush or a Dyson vacuum. Abstraction's beauty lies in the fact that it lets the viewer discern their own meanings and understanding of an image, something that this series masterfully accomplishes.
After all, beauty lies in the beholder's eye! We often fall into the trap of being too descriptive about our subjects in architectural photography: “this is an image of a house. This is a snap of an office. This is a shot of a chair.”
Epilogue
This approach causes the viewer to hastily scroll through photos, not really immersing themselves — an issue that this series cleverly avoids!Primarily a graphic designer, John's work truly flourishes when he starts incorporating color and shape. Whether it accurately represents the real-life appearance of the buildings or not, you must concede.
Share
Copy link
Much more exists to architectural photography beyond merely capturing gorgeously illuminated modern residences or hotel facades; indeed, even the most attractive among these can become somewhat redundant over time. The first time I viewed the minimalist depictions of architecture by Dutch photographer/designer Angus Madmas, I was utterly captivated. They're a breath of fresh air, they pique curiosity, and they're quite entertaining! Admittedly, architectural photography can sometimes be a tad-well-pretentious.
Project of the Week
This is to be expected in a specialty that heavily relies on technicality, obsesses over equipment, and is intertwined with architecture — another field commonly viewed as conventional. John's work, however, is the complete reverse: it's minimalistic yet impactful. The vibrance and striking angles set against a plain or subtle gradient backdrop resonate with the stylings of pop art. And it's this straightforwardness, this absence of clutter, that renders it so outstanding.
The chosen viewpoints in tandem with the play of shadows add a depth that underscores the simplicity inherent in his subjects. For instance, the playful, youthful form contrasting with the calm and tranquil gradient background above serves as a palate cleanser and is downright delightful to observe.What initially caught my eye while exploring Jansen's work was his unique perspective on these huge, stark, looming buildings thrusting upwards into the sky. Each building essentially gets its own spectacular hero shot; devoid of any distraction from neighboring structures or background, these photographs emanate a pure, utopian vibe.
This below shot, Single Tower, is arguably my top pick from the entire collection. I adore everything about it. The simplicity, the symmetry, and above all, the color: it vaguely brings to mind a toothbrush or a Dyson vacuum. Abstraction's beauty lies in the fact that it lets the viewer discern their own meanings and understanding of an image, something that this series masterfully accomplishes.
After all, beauty lies in the beholder's eye! We often fall into the trap of being too descriptive about our subjects in architectural photography: “this is an image of a house. This is a snap of an office. This is a shot of a chair.”
Epilogue
This approach causes the viewer to hastily scroll through photos, not really immersing themselves — an issue that this series cleverly avoids!Primarily a graphic designer, John's work truly flourishes when he starts incorporating color and shape. Whether it accurately represents the real-life appearance of the buildings or not, you must concede.
Share
Copy link