The year’s best architectural photographs have been revealed, highlighting the beauty of sleek geometry, abstracted silhouettes and industrial textures from around the world.
On Wednesday, organizers of the Architectural Photography Awards 2022 announced more than 20 finalists in categories including interiors, exteriors and buildings in use. All of the shortlisted entries will be exhibited at the forthcoming World Architecture Festival in Lisbon, Portugal.
The photographs include the atmospheric scene inside Open Architecture’s meditative Chapel of Sound, in China’s Hebei province; an artistic high-contrast image of a glass floor in Japan’s capital, Tokyo; and a foggy view of a moss-covered animal shed near Bruges, Belgium.
According to a press statement, photographers from 64 countries entered this year’s competition, up from 42 last year. Jurors included the Royal Academy of Art’s head of architecture Vicky Richardson and architect Patrik Schumacher, principal of the late Zaha Hadid’s firm.
Entries were judged on “composition, use of scale and the photographers’ sensitivity to atmosphere,” according to the press release.
Paul Finch, program director of the World Architecture Festival (WAF), said in a statement that “now that ‘everyone’s a photographer,’ the importance of good architectural photography has increased.” The award, in its 10th year, is an “annual reminder of how architectural photography can enhance our understanding of design, rather than merely recording what is there,” he added.
Last year, photographer Liu Xinghao was named overall winner for his image of people enjoying their holidays against the backdrop of Safdie Architects’ Raffles City complex in Chongqing, China. Category winners included a photograph of the gardens at the Getty Los Angeles and scenes at Jiaxing Train Station in China’s Zhejiang province.
Winners of this year’s competition will be announced in December at the World Architecture Festival.
Scroll through the gallery above to see photos from 2022’s shortlist.