A photograph depicting the use of child labour in India’s construction industry has taken top spot in this year’s Art of Building competition, run by the CIOB. The announcement came the same week the winners of the CIOB’s International Innovation and Research Awards were announced, acknowledging innovative academic and industry research into BIM, retrofit and other subjects.
The black and white photo Desperate Measures shows a young child in dirty clothes shovelling earth on a construction site in India and it scooped amateur photographer Kirsten Quist the 2013 Art of Building Photographer of the Year award. The image was described by judges as a “demonstration of how the art of building can be distorted and used to exploit others”.
Quist, a 20-year-old student from Canada, received hundreds of public votes for Desperate Measures, which was selected by a panel of judges from 15 finalists from countries including Indonesia, the Ukraine, Portugal, Canada, the UK and Hong Kong. As well as the Art of Building Photographer of the Year title Quist won a cash prize of £3,000.
Upon receiving the award, she said: “I am honoured to be the winner of the competition. I never imagined that I would win a photographic competition of this magnitude at such an early stage in my photography career. Although I am only 20, and I still have a lot to learn when it comes to photography, it’s wonderful to be recognised for my work.”
She added: “Last spring, after volunteering for two months with the Missionaries of Charity in Kolkata, I traveled around India for a few weeks. I was saddened to witness the poverty and hardship that many Indian people endure. In particular, I was struck by the struggles of this young boy as he toiled to complete an adult’s work.”
This year’s judging panel included the broadcaster, photography critic and editor, Sue Steward, award-winning photographer Matt Wain and CM’s editor Elaine Knutt.
Wain said: “Kirsten’s photograph makes for uncomfortable viewing and the truth it tells is inescapable. It has a real photojournalism quality to it which voters were clearly moved by.”
Innovation and research awards
The six winners of the CIOB International Innovation and Research Awards 2013 were selected from over 200 entries from 24 countries for demonstrating excellence in academic research and industry innovation.
The Undergraduate Dissertation Award went to Yu-Qian Ang from the National University of Singapore for his dissertation entitled: The Benefits and ROI of Building Information Modelling for Multi-Disciplinary Project Management: A Singapore Perspective.
The Masters Dissertation Award went to James Delvin from Queen’s University Belfast for his dissertation: An Investigation into the Barriers and Challenges of Delivering a Domestic Retrofit Programme in Northern Ireland.
The Research Paper Award was presented to Professor Craig Langston from Bond University, Australia for his paper: Validation of the Adaptive Reuse Potential (ARP) Model Using iconCUR.
The Innovation Achiever’s Award went to Finlay White from the firm ModCell, UK for the submission: ModCell Prefabricated Straw Bale Wall and Roofing System.
The Digital Innovation Award went to Julian Brooks from LightUp Analytics, UK for: LightUp Analytics Software Plugin. And the Innovation in Education & Training Award was presented to Dr Fred Sherratt from the University of Bolton, for her submission: Teaching Construction Health and Safety through Problem-Based Learning.
Commenting on the ModCell paper, the judges said: “ModCell is a highly innovative idea, comprising a system level of innovation in both prefabricated building product and process. It has also shown a strong application and a clear commercial viability. The panel was extremely impressed by the progress that has been achieved.”
Commenting on the LightUp Analytics Software plugin paper the judges said: “Julian has clearly identified a gap in current software provision for the computer simulation of daylight and sunlight effects in urban design. LightUp is an innovative application that can be used at very early stages of master planning in an efficient and user-friendly way. It is an affordable product with great commercial potential.”
