1st Place; Cement Factory by Fan Li.
Professional competition, Architecture & Design, 2023 Sony World Photography Awards
Professional competition, Architecture & Design, 2023 Sony World Photography Awards
Tieshan Cement Factory is located in Guilin City in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in south China. The factory was built in 1996 and played an important role in Guilin’s economic development and urban construction. However, because it was originally located in the Li River Scenic Area of Guilin, the cement factory has now been relocated, leaving behind the old buildings, water towers, pools and railway tracks.
2nd Place; Stal - Vernacular Animal Sheds by Servaas Van Belle.
Professional competition, Architecture & Design, 2023 Sony World Photography Awards
Livestock shelters in fields are so common in the Belgian landscape that nobody pays them much attention, but the countryside offers a range of architectural gems in many shapes, materials and colours.
For five years I crisscrossed Belgium to find just the right kind of shed, carefully listing them so I was prepared to photograph them in ‘perfect’ lighting conditions, by which I mean dense fog. The fog was necessary to isolate and valorise the construction – without it, the shed is just an extra in the landscape. As fog is unpredictable, I never knew how long it would last, and the project took several years to complete.
In a way, a photograph of a weather-beaten shed is an allegory for our lives: we all muddle on, we try our best, we carry the scars and we all die horizontally in the end. Humans harbour a deep longing for shelter, warmth and security and that is perhaps what makes these wondrous little structures so human.
For five years I crisscrossed Belgium to find just the right kind of shed, carefully listing them so I was prepared to photograph them in ‘perfect’ lighting conditions, by which I mean dense fog. The fog was necessary to isolate and valorise the construction – without it, the shed is just an extra in the landscape. As fog is unpredictable, I never knew how long it would last, and the project took several years to complete.
In a way, a photograph of a weather-beaten shed is an allegory for our lives: we all muddle on, we try our best, we carry the scars and we all die horizontally in the end. Humans harbour a deep longing for shelter, warmth and security and that is perhaps what makes these wondrous little structures so human.
3rd Place; In Memoriam: Muralla Roja by Ricardo Bofill by Andres Gallardo Albajar.
Professional competition, Architecture & Design, 2023 Sony World Photography Awards
Designed by Ricardo Bofill, the Muralla Roja apartment complex is one of the most iconic pieces of Spanish architecture. Over the years I have revisited this place to photograph it again and again. On my last visit, in December 2021, my goal was to create a totally different series by capturing the Muralla Roja during the day, at sunset, at night and at sunrise. I started shooting very early in the morning and continued well into the night. I then woke early to experience an unforgettable sunrise. Sadly, Bofill passed away just a few weeks after my visit, so I consider this series to be a personal tribute to him and his legacy.
3rd Place; Inside the Hamar Weyne Fish Market - Mogadishu, Somalia by Tariq Zaidi.
Professional competition, Documentary Projects, 2023 Sony World Photography Awards.
The Hamar Weyne fish market, in the heart of Mogadishu, is a vital hub for the fish trade. Located just a few metres from the old port, it is the busiest and most important fish market in the city, with hundreds of fishermen relying on it to sell their catch. Despite the challenges posed by the ongoing civil war and a lack of investment in the sector, the market remains a key source of employment and economic activity.
You can compare this year’s honours and view all of 2023's category winners here.
