21,000 applications submitted by professionals and amateurs from all continents. “Concrete in Life Photo of Year” from Mexico wins the first prize of $10,000. More than 100 outstanding images from the last five years of the competition organized by the GCCA are exhibited for the first time at the Brunswick Art Gallery in London.
LONDON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–A striking image of a boy flying a kite playing on the stairs of the Teopanzolco Cultural Center in Mexico has been named “Concrete in Life Photo of the Year.” It was selected from 21,000 photographs entered in the annual global contest, organized by the GCCA, which highlights the beauty and essential role that concrete plays around the world.
The image, which won a prize of $10,000 (ten thousand US dollars), was taken by Saeed Rezvanian in the triangular concrete building in Cuernavaca, whose architecture pays homage to the ruined pyramid-shaped Aztec temples.
Saeed’s photo was announced as this year’s winner at the opening of a new free exhibition commemorating five years of the contest. More than 100 exceptional images are now on public display at London’s Brunswick Art Gallery, a famous concrete building.
Thomas Guillot, Director General of the GCCA, who participated as a judge in this year’s competition, said: “Many congratulations to Saeed Rezvanian and all of this year’s winners. The extraordinary images of it show that concrete is many things: strong and durable, but also moving and beautiful, and that it contributes to our many lives around the planet. And now, with the public exhibition commemorating five years of the competition, we hope that as many people as possible will have the opportunity to see for themselves how stunning the images are.”
Saeed Rezvanian, whose winning photo was of the Teopanzolco Cultural Center in Mexico stated the following: “My photo shows how concrete develops artistic and functional environments in our lives. I was captivated by the children playing among the beautiful structures. “It is a great honor to win the Concrete in Life 2023 competition.”
The photographs came from all continents and included stunning images of skyscrapers and the modern urban world, as well as key infrastructure such as sea defences, dams and wharves, irrigation canals, bridges, roads and walkways. The photos also show more intimate human interaction in rice paddies, sports centers, places of worship, playgrounds and skate parks, communities and homes, as well as striking architecturally designed spaces, and much more.
Chris George, content director at Digital Camera World, which also judged this year’s contest, said Saeed Rezvanian’s winning photo was “a beautifully framed image, with a subtle use of black and white that delights the viewer.”
Fellow juror Paul Makovsky, editor-in-chief of Architect Magazine, said it showed “a truly dramatic effect and energy set against the solidity and safety of concrete.”
This year, to mark five years of the competition, a special prize chosen by the public was introduced for the first time. The prize, worth $5,000, was won by Muhammad Nurudin, for his image of the Mandara Toll Highway in Bali.
Four other category winners were also announced, each receiving a $2,500 prize. Owen Davies was named the winner of the urban concrete category for his photo of the Armstrong Rubber Building in New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Andre Hidayat Arrasuli won in the Concrete Infrastructure category for an image of the New Priok Container Terminal in Indonesia. Alexander Arregui Leszczynska won the Concrete Beauty and Design section for her image of the Maurerhalle, a conference hall and multifunctional space in Basel, Switzerland. And AP Hari Wibowo was named winner of the Concrete in Everyday Life category, for his photo of the Gelora Bung Karno Aquatic Stadium, also in Jakarta.
All winning and finalist photos, as well as an online version of the gallery, can be viewed at https://gccassociation.org/concreteinlife2023/
Notes to editors:
To access video clips from the gallery, click here: https://we.tl/t-glwcay8Zmx
To view the winning images, click here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1IvY3fW9s36jeGr-kCtQq08hf-2ag6-CN
To see a video of the winning images, click here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KI8Sad-sim_DG_8kX8jNLs7TPtswdgVj/view
To see all the images shortlisted this year, click here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/16sudzu3aDa4_MP5tL0SiU6iYY1v359DW?usp=sharing
The Concrete in Life exhibition is open from 9am to 9pm until March 28 at the Brunswick Art Gallery in London. The visit is free.
About the GCCA: The GCCA and its members represent 80% of global cement production capacity outside of China, as well as a growing number of Chinese manufacturers. Member companies committed to reducing and ultimately eliminating CO2 emissions from concrete, which currently represent around 7% globally, by implementing the GCCA’s Concrete Future 2050 Net Zero roadmap, the first heavy industry to establish such a detailed plan. Together, the GCCA is committed to building a bright, resilient and sustainable concrete future for the industry and the world.
Full quotes from the jury:
Chris George, content director at Digital Camera World, who was also on the jury, declared that the winning photo was “a beautiful framed image, and a good use of black and white. The Concrete in Life global photography competition continues to prove that “It is possible to take stunning photos of architecture and the man-made environment that show the beauty of this universal building material.”
Paul Makovsky is editor-in-chief of Architect Magazine, the official magazine of the American Institute of Architects, and was also a judge for this year’s competition. In his opinion, the winning photo showed “Nice dramatic effect against the solidity of the concrete. “The Concrete in Life global photography competition shows us great examples of how this strong, versatile and durable material is used in architecture and infrastructure in beautiful and inspiring ways.”
Additional quotes from the winners:
Muhammad Nurudin, winner of the popular vote: «I took this photo in Bali. Something caught my attention when the plane was about to land at Ngurah Rai Airport: the Bali Mandara Toll Highway, located very close to the airport. This toll highway is built over the sea and connects the city of Denpasar, Ngurah Rai International Airport and Nusa Dua in Bali. In addition to speeding up travel time from Denpasar airport and city to Nusa Dua, the highway is a solution to overcome congestion that occurs during the holiday season. Under the toll ring road there are several plots planted with mangroves. Farmers usually take care of them. “It is a great honor to be one of the winners of the Concrete in Life 2023 photography contest and to tell how concrete is an excellent link between the people of my country.”
Andre Hidayat Arrasuli, winner of the Concrete Infrastructure category: «I took this photo on the north coast of Indonesia. New Priok Container Terminal is one of the important ports supporting economic activities. I was interested in capturing it when I saw the composition and beauty of this port at night. Once again, thank you, it is a pleasure for me to be one of the winners of this category.
AP Hari Wibowo, winner of the Concrete in Everyday Life category: “I am very proud that my photography has been announced as the winner of Concrete in Life 2023. The photo shows the scene at the Gelora Bung Karno Aquatic Stadium in Jakarta and paints a vivid picture. The combination of the athletes warming up for the diving competition, the architecture of the stadium, the vibrant colors and the play of light and shadow create a captivating and harmonious scene. “It’s fantastic to have been able to capture this beauty through the lens of my camera.”
Owen Davies, winner of the Urban Concrete category: “I am delighted to have been chosen as the winner of the 2023 Concrete in Life competition. I was inspired to make this image of the former Armstrong Rubber building in New Haven, Connecticut after walking past it several times driving on I95. The striking geometry and sheer mass of the building initially attracted me and the bright summer light accentuated the texture of the wonderful sculpted concrete façade. It is one of my favorite images and for the GCCA judges to select it as the category winner is a great honor. Thank you so much”.
Alexander Arregui Leszczynska, winner of the Concrete Beauty and Design category: «I am very excited to be one of the winners of Concrete in Life 2023 and I also congratulate the colleagues who have achieved it! This monumental origami-like concrete structure, in which the façade and roof are unified through the same sheet, brought back vivid memories of my architecture studies, when we explored the structural resistance of folded paper as a method of creation. Visited during the Open House Basel event, the Maurerhalle remains for me a highlight and a timeless architectural jewel of the city, where sculpture and structure, art and science, harmoniously merge.
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Contacts
If you would like more information or request an interview, please contact
Simon Thomson, Media Director, GCCA
[email protected] / +44 7380 972282
The entry The winners of the popular photography contest are announced at the inauguration of a new major exhibition that shows the essential role and beauty of concrete around the world was first published in EL NACIONAL.