Winners of Art of Building, the world’s largest built environment photography competition, have been announced.
The Chartered Institute of Building’s (CIOB) annual Art of Building competition received 1,500 entries from around the world.
These were then whittled down by 12 judges and the public was invited to vote on the chosen selection. A judges’ favourite was also selected.
Winner of the Public Choice award is professional photographer, Francesca Pompei, from Italy, for her ‘White Constellation’.
This depicts the UAE Pavilion, at last year’s Dubai Expo, designed by Swiss-Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava.
In her entry Pompei described the pavilion as “a symbol of resilience and of a boundless future embracing a dialogue among different cultures”.
Judges Choice winner
Winner of the Judges’ Choice award goes to Pati John from the Netherlands for ‘My own little cosmos within reach’.
It shows the night sky above as viewed from a shopping mall. John describes her photo as “the most beautiful milky way I have seen, surrounded by amazing architectural symmetry”.
She added: “I discovered this astonishing view looking up while I walked around the mall.
“It was breath-taking so I stayed there for a long time with my tripod and ND filter to capture every detail in my long exposure shot.”
Both winners receive a £1,500 prize.
CIOB chief operating officer Joanna Quirk who was one of the judges said: “So many finalists managed to create a sense of mood and place, it was a delight to judge the competition.
“Francesca’s image shows the beauty and harmony in great architecture and it is a reminder of the impact on our emotions and well-being that well-designed buildings can have.
“Pati John’s little cosmos shot had all the judges wowed at the tone it struck. It is a beautifully symmetrical shot and revealed a wonderful building detail that many of us might just walk by.
“We should look up more often and pay attention to what is around us. The night sky was the perfect backdrop for this enchanting image.”
