Art of Building winners announced

The winners of the Chartered Institute of Building’s (CIOB) annual Art of Building competition have been revealed.

The competition, the world’s largest photography competition positioning buildings and construction s works of art, received more than 1,500 entries from across the Globe, which 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 has also been chosen.

Public Choice winner
The photo which received the most votes from the public is called ‘White Constellation’ and was taken by professional photographer, Francesca Pompei, from Italy. It depicts the UAE Pavilion at last year’s Dubai Expo which was designed by Swiss-Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. In her entry Francesca 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 winner
The judges’ favourite photo is called ‘My own little cosmos within reach’ and was taken by Pati John from the Netherlands. It shows the night sky above her home country as viewed from a shopping mall. Pati describes her shot as “the most beautiful milky way I have seen - surrounded by amazing architectural symmetry.” She said: “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 winning photographers will receive a £1,500 prize.

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.”

All 12 competition finalists can be seen online here