3rd Annual GCCA Global Photography Competition
The overall Concrete in Life winner receives a $10,000 prize.
The remaining category winners will each receive $2,500.
The GCCA “Concrete in Life” global photography competition celebrates the essential nature and beauty of concrete in our lives.
As the most widely used human-made material on the planet, concrete is all around us: in our houses and offices; our roads and pavements; in the bridges that connect us; the wind farms that provide us with energy; and the sea barriers that protect us. It will continue to play a vital role in our world through its versatility, strength, durability, and sustainability, providing the basis for the infrastructure required for our growing population to thrive.
The 2021 competition received over 13,500 entries of incredible quality. The winners and shortlist below have been selected as the very best at capturing concrete in life across our categories.
Many thanks to everyone who entered, and look out for details of our 2022 competition later in the year.
“It was brilliant to see such high-quality photography from around the world. The built environment – homes, offices, schools, roads and other vital infrastructure – is key to the quality of human existence and I was particularly struck by those images that captured the way the built environment can bestow an element of poetry on the rituals of everyday life.”
Isabel Allen, editor of Architecture Journal, Competition Judge (see full press release announcement here)
Category Shortlist and Winners
Congratulations to our category winners, who each receive a $2,500 prize.
URBAN CONCRETE AMATEUR FINALISTS
URBAN CONCRETE AMATEUR WINNER
Mario Pereda
Oscar Niemeyer International Cultural Centre
Avilés, Spain
“I captured this image to reflect how concrete is not just an essential part of our lives (it would be very difficult to build most of the necessary infrastructure in contemporary societies without it), but also, thanks to its versatility, it allows us to develop functional and aesthetically attractive environments in which to enrich our lives.”
URBAN CONCRETE PROFESSIONAL FINALISTS
URBAN CONCRETE PROFESSIONAL WINNER
Michael Sidharta
@mikesidharta
The Interlace, Singapore
“The Interlace is an apartment building complex located at the boundary between ‘Bukit Merah’ and ‘Queenstown’ in Singapore. I like this building because it’s very unique and also surrounded by urban forest. It captures the balance of nature, while showing extraordinary strength and resilience in life.”
CONCRETE INFRASTRUCTURE AMATEUR FINALISTS
CONCRETE INFRASTRUCTURE AMATEUR WINNER
Agung Lawerissa
@lawerisaid
Merah Putih Bridge in Indonesia
“I took my photo in the city of Ambon, Indonesia. I was interested in capturing this moment because there was a group of children playing soccer in the sand at low tide with Merah Putih bride in the background. The bridge was built to speed up the travel time between Patimura Airport on the Lei Hitu Peninsula, Central Maluku in the north and Ambon City Center on the East Lei Peninsula in the south. It is a great honour to win the Concrete in Life 2021 competition and tell the story of how concrete is bringing communities together in my country.”
CONCRETE INFRASTRUCTURE PROFESSIONAL FINALISTS
CONCRETE INFRASTRUCTURE PROFESSIONAL WINNER
Sara Goli
@Sara63001802
Chitgar Complex, Iran
“I took photo because of the striking lines and the foundations. The concrete structure can be used comfortably, and helps city looks more beautiful and feel safe.”
CONCRETE IN DAILY LIFE AMATEUR FINALISTS
CONCRETE IN DAILY LIFE AMATEUR WINNER
Amri Arfianto
@Amri_Arfianto
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, UAE
“The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is a modern model of Islamic architecture, which is unique in its creative and architectural design. This is evident in its corridors and halls, which has made it a leading global cultural destination on the world tourism map. The SZGM attracts worshipers and tourists every year and is one of the most visited buildings in the world. My picture tells the story of how people can build a masterpiece in concrete and benefit people’s daily lives.”
CONCRETE IN DAILY LIFE PROFESSIONAL FINALISTS
CONCRETE IN DAILY LIFE PROFESSIONAL WINNER
Niyazi Gürgen
@niyazi_gurgen
Turkey
“I took this photo in one of the old villages of Anatolia, Turkey. I wanted to document the difficult conditions women in this geography live under and how strong they are. It is difficult to fit daily life skills and abilities into a single frame, but I managed to capture it in an aesthetic way. Just as the woman balances the bread she carries on her back, she resists all the difficulties of life and struggles to keep her family in balance. These concrete stairs, which she climbs up and down many times, make it easier for her to do the hard work she has to do every day.”
SUSTAINABLE CONCRETE AMATEUR FINALISTS
SUSTAINABLE CONCRETE AMATEUR WINNER
Hakan Çöplü
@hakan_coplu
Sea defences, Turkey
“I took this photo while visiting the fishing port in Istanbul. I saw the concrete cubes made to protect the port from sea waves which helps the worker to work safely. It shows how concrete provides a sustainable environment.”
SUSTAINABLE CONCRETE PROFESSIONAL FINALISTS
SUSTAINABLE CONCRETE PROFESSIONAL WINNER
Rahmad Himawan
Indonesia
“Concrete is important in supporting human life. My photo shows a concrete road section in the middle of a rice field located in a small village in Kemumu village in Indonesia. The road makes it easy for farmers to get to work and carry out their crucial daily activities – enabling our sustainable communities to thrive. It is also used as a road for recreation, travel, and for appreciating the natural scenery around here.”
OVERALL WINNER
Congratulations to Agung Lawerissa, the overall winner of Concrete in Life 2021, who wins the $10,000 grand prize.
Agung Lawerissa
@lawerisaid
Merah Putih Bridge in Indonesia
“I took my photo in the city of Ambon, Indonesia. I was interested in capturing this moment because there was a group of children playing soccer in the sand at low tide with Merah Putih bride in the background. The bridge was built to speed up the travel time between Patimura Airport on the Lei Hitu Penisula, Central Maluku in the north and Ambon City Center on the East Lei Peninsula in the south. It is a great honour to win the Concrete in Life 2021 competition and tell the story of how concrete is bringing communities together in my country.”
2021 Categories
#UrbanConcrete
Urban design and use – images of the city landscapes and buildings around us, both well-known and hidden away
Amateur and Professional categories
#ConcreteInfrastructure
Infrastructure – photographs of our infrastructure, in our cities and rural, above and below ground
Amateur and Professional categories
#ConcreteInDailyLife
Concrete in daily life – the human side of concrete and how it’s used and interacted with daily
Amateur and Professional categories
#SustainableConcrete
Sustainable Concrete – how concrete is used in sustainable construction and infrastructure, for example wind farms, dams, green overpasses, wildlife crossings, green buildings
Amateur and Professional categories
Prizes
The overall Best “Concrete in Life” Photo of the Year winner will win a $10,000 prize.
Each of the remaining amateur and professional winners will each win a $2,500 prize.