In pictures | CIOB reveals Art of Building finalists

The Chartered Institute of Building has published the shortlist of its annual photo competition, the Art of Building.

Judges will now decide the winner among the 12 finalists for a £1,500 cash price.

Members of the public are invited to vote for their favourite entry for the Public’s Choice award, also rewarded with £1,500.

You can vote for your favourite photo here until 10 January 2025. CIOB will announce the winners on 22 January 2025.  

Below is a selection of the shortlisted images with their authors’ descriptions.

“Beijing Daxing International Airport is a masterpiece of design, where the terminal’s flowing, vaulted roof gracefully extends to the ground, seamlessly supporting the structure while flooding the space with natural light. This thoughtful design directs passengers toward the central courtyard, creating a sense of orientation and calm.

“A network of linear skylights further enhances the experience, guiding travellers intuitively to and from their departure gates, blending functionality with architectural beauty.”

“This is Uchisar Castle, in Cappadocia, Turkey. Dwellings carved into/out-of rock are Cappadocia’s other claim to fame, in addition to hot-air balloons. Some are more impressive than others; Uchisar Castle was, for me, the most impressive by far. I love the apparent modernity of this construction – an idea I emphasised via the straight-on angle and composition, and an idea which is the basis of the image’s title.”

“This is a photograph of an abandoned school in a remote Italian village. The school was large and had multiple floors and entrances. It was built in a square with an open centre that’s now covered in grass and left-behind farmers’ equipment.”

“Between 2017 and 2022, I have been fortunate to follow the progress of the development of the derelict Battersea Power Station in London, UK, into one of the most sought-after places in the world. A huge piece of real estate with a monstrous, iconic building in the middle of London, it will become almost a small city within the city. But it also became something else for a while: Europe’s biggest building site.

“Between March 2019 and January 2020, I have visited the site many times and created a series of related pictures. I have developed a mirroring technique to completely isolate certain architectural elements from their urban surroundings and made the Power Station float in space. The impression of a spaceship is quite intentional – this huge monster of a building gives an impression of being out of this world when walking around it.”