A young photographer from Lebanon has secured the top prize in the CIOB’s annual Art of Building international photography competition. Inception by Patrick Mouzawak received 44% of the overall public vote.
Mouzawak’s study shows the interior of the Santiago Calatrava-designed Quadracci Pavilion at the Milwaukee Art Museum in the US, completed in 2001, where the concrete structural supports were cast in-situ in keeping with Milwaukee’s strong craft tradition.
Speaking about his achievement Mouzawak said: “I am thrilled that ‘Inception’ has received the public support to be voted as the winner for 2014. This honour will continue to fuel my motivation to create art through my photography.
“My photographs often feature the human condition housed within an urban environment. The inter-relationships between what can feel to be a stark, geometry of concrete next to an organically, curvy human being is quite fascinating. The perspective and depth in this particular image is so unique, but it would have a totally different value if it lacked her presence.”
As well as earning the prestigious title of Art of Building Photographer of the Year, Mouzawak’s image has also earned him the £3,000 cash prize.
Now in its fifth year, the Art of Building contest aims to encourage people from around the world to capture the built environment in a way not seen before, to inspire others and to challenge people’s perceptions. This year, the judging panel included Elaine Knutt, editor of Construction Manager; writer, broadcaster, photography critic and editor, Sue Steward; and award-winning photographer, Matt Wain.
Knutt said: “The standard seemed particularly high this year – with the culture of photo sharing that has taken hold, perhaps we’re all becoming more skilled at recognising the potential for great images and then achieving them.
“So many images managed to create a sense of mood and place, it was a delight to judge the competition. The winning photo shows the beauty and harmony in great architecture and is a reminder of the impact on our emotions and well-being that well-designed buildings can achieve.”
For more details about the competition, visit www.artofbuidling.org
