Control by Roman Robroek
A picture of an Art Deco power station in Budapest has scooped this year’s CIOB Art of Building photography competition and the £3,500 cash prize.
The public cast thousands of votes in this year’s competition and chose a stunning shot in Budapest as the outright winner.
Urban photographer Roman Robroek from the Netherlands, who took the photograph of Kelenfold Power Station, titled “Control”, said: “When I started my urban photography journey, I mostly saw empty, abandoned and decayed buildings.
“It didn’t take long before curiosity struck me. What was the story behind those buildings? Who used to live there? What purpose did these objects serve and why were they abandoned?
“This curiosity created a close bond between me and urban photography and I have since visited many beautiful locations all over the world. It’s quite challenging to get a foot in the door in a world filled with creative photographers but winning this competition is a great honour and confirmation that I’m on the right track.”
Thousands of amateur and professional photographers entered the free competition in October 2016. Matt Wain, a judge of the competition, said: “Roman deserves our congratulations, his winning photograph shows that beauty can be found in the most unlikely of places and even in decay or abandonment the built environment still has a story worth telling.”
Overlook by Jonathan Walland
For the first time the competition also introduced a £1,000 cash prize to support a Young Photographer of the Year (those aged 18 or under) which was awarded to Jonathan Walland for his photograph “Overlook” which showcased an unusual perspective of the Hayward Gallery in London.
Speaking about his victory, Walland said: “I have always had a particular interest in photographing structures, including interiors, and I have recently developed an interest in commercial photography. To win such a prestigious award so early in my photography career is incredible.”
Each year, Art of Building attracts thousands of entries from around the world. These are whittled down to shortlist of around 15 pictures by a team of professional judges from the world of art, photography and publishing. The overall winner is decided upon by public vote.
Further information about the competition can be found at www.artofbuilding.org.
