Photographers Francesca Pompei of Italy and Pati John of the Netherlands have each won £1,500 for winning the Art of Building photography competition, run by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) which says it is the world’s biggest built-environment contest.
This year’s competition received more than 1,500 entries from around the world. They were whittled down to a final 12 by judges before the world’s public were given the chance to vote online for their favourite. A judges’ favourite was also chosen.
People’s choice
“White Constellation” by professional photographer Francesca Pompei got the most public votes.
It 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.” Read more about it here.
Judges’ choice
The judges’ favourite is “My own little cosmos within reach” by Pati John, showing the night sky from inside a shopping mall.
She described her shot as “the most beautiful milky way I have seen – surrounded by amazing architectural symmetry.”
“I discovered this astonishing view looking up while I walked around the mall,” John said. “It was breathtaking so I stayed there for a long time with my tripod and ND filter to capture every detail in my long exposure shot.”
Joanna Quirk, chief operating officer at CIOB, who was on the judging panel for the competition, 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.”
