THE ART OF BUILDING T HE A RT O F B U I LD I N G
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THE ART OF BUILDING FOREWORD
They say if you know someone who has a story to tell, lend them a camera. Which is why the Chartered Institute of Building runs the Art of Building competition. Through it, a host of photographers from around the world have revealed what buildings means to them, and us. This selection of photographs explores the remarkable creativity and variation of the built world, its power to affect our lives and its importance in our cultures. The range is spectacular, from cloud-touching technological edifices, to humble homes that have sheltered generations, to religious structures that offer a connection to the divine. Buildings help us heal, help us learn, inspire us and give us a sense of place and security. The Art of Building has also witnessed the pain and disparity in our societies. Within the entries we have seen the plight of entire families forced to live amongst their dead due to overcrowding, and the forced labour of children in the manufacture of bricks. So, while we celebrate the many wonders of the built environment, we must also invite difficult discussions to challenge us, the industry and society. Photography doesn’t just capture a moment, it stops time. The ability to do that has never been more accessible, thanks to the smartphone camera. What makes a great photograph isn’t the tech, however, but the eye behind the lens and the vision to see a different perspective. The talent of the thousands of photographers over the years has made this competition possible. We celebrate their artistry, and also the skill and expertise of the builders and designers whose efforts shape and give meaning to our lives. Thank you. Saul Townsend The Chartered Institute of Building
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This book would not have been possible without the dedicated contributions of the many people who share our vision to celebrate the wondrous built world around us through photography. We are most grateful to the judges who have established the standard for the competition. All are very busy people and yet have volunteered their time and expertise. Our thanks go to Matt Wain from MPMJ photography, himself an award-winning photographer. To Sue Steward who sadly passed away in 2017 a celebrated art critic, writer, broadcaster and friend. We also thank Maxwell Hutchinson, Peter Murray, Prof Charles Egbu FCIOB, Rebecca Thompson FCIOB and Michael Brown FCIOB. There is an awful lot that goes on behind the scenes to make the competition come alive. Thanks go to Wax Media who make the website ‘happen’ and all the various changes it goes through during the competition. Thanks also go to Atom Publishing, our publishing partners who along with our design agency Demographik have made this beautiful book possible.
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21 inches Jamshid Farajvand A different and strange construction Bijar, Iran 2018 Finalist fardapixel.ir
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The Lost Series Alnis Stakle This is from my Lost Series which is a documentary based investigation into the complicated ties between human beings and their physical environment. Paris, France 2011 Finalist www.alnisstakle.com T HE A RT O F B U I LD I N G
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100 Floors Tim Martin This image shows the entire scene around it, from the reflections of hundreds of smaller high-rise structures in the city to the boats in the water in the distance and the people inside watching the world below. Hong Kong 2012 Finalist 6
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A Moment of Intensity Adam Goldsmith The Wailing Wall in the old city is a building that is interacted with more than any other. I was able to capture this shot of raw emotion between a man and the wall. Jerusalem, Israel 2011 Finalist
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Endless Stair Hendrik Fuchs It is extraordinary architecture. Munich, Germany 2018 Entrant www.hendrik-fuchs-photographie.de
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Monarchy of Surrealism Rebeka Legovic This art combines present and past, modern and classical architecture. Beautiful straight lines and pastel combinations of colours. The only dark spot is the dog that randomly walked here. Opatija, Croatia 2018 Highly Commended instagram.com/rebeka_legovic_architectureph
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Sofia 25 Antoni Georgiev This tower block is one of many. It is not particularly different from any other. It has 24 floors, 2 entrances and 5 apartments on each floor, with an average of 3 people in an apartment. Sofia, Bulgaria 2011 Finalist
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A star over the old coal mine Andrey Shapran This old red star is the brightest spot in the whole coal mining town of Komsomolskaya, in the Kuzbass region, and a symbol of the past industrial rush of the Soviet time. Russia 2013 Finalist
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