14 September 2023
Photographers at the ready as “Concrete in Life” competition kicks off around the world – marking 5th Year, with $10,000 top prize
- “Concrete in Life” open to all – professionals, amateurs or anyone with a smart phone
- New people’s vote category introduced to mark competition’s 5th birthday
- Thousands expected to enter competition with $10,000 (ten thousand dollars) top prize
A popular photo competition, which attracts thousands of entries from across the globe, and highlights the sustainability, beauty and essential role of concrete in the modern world, launches today.
Concrete is the most used substance on earth after water, and the photo competition “Concrete in Life” is organised by the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA), which is leading the industry’s efforts to decarbonise.
The competition is open to all – professionals, amateurs or anyone with a smart phone, with a top prize of $10,000 (ten thousand US dollars) for the overall winning photo.
This year, to mark the competition’s fifth birthday, there will also be a people’s choice winner, which will receive $5,000 (five thousand US dollars.)
There are four categories: urban design, concrete infrastructure, concrete in daily life and beauty and design. The winners in each category will also receive $2,500 (two thousand, five hundred US dollars.)
Last year, “Concrete in Life” attracted more than 14,000 entries from every continent, with the overall winner – a stunning image of a skateboard park in the United Arab Emirates, taking the top prize of $10,000 (ten thousand US dollars.) The thousands of entries included images of dams, sea defences, bridges, roads, subway stations, public buildings, tv towers, irrigation structures, homes and offices.
Thomas Guillot, GCCA Chief Executive, who’ll be one of the judges for this year’s competition said: “Concrete is a highly versatile material, offering the potential for beautiful design, as well as durability and strength. In our busy, modern world, we don’t always appreciate it, but if we didn’t have it, we’d certainly notice. Our Concrete in Life Competition gives every community across the globe a chance to show just how essential concrete is to our lives.”
Chris George, Content Director at Digital Camera World, who’ll also be judging the competition said: “Concrete is all around us and has a beauty that might not always be obvious to some people. The Concrete in Life global photography competition continues to prove it is possible to take stunning shots of architecture and the manmade environment that show off the beauty of this universal building material.”
Paul Makovsky, who is Editor in Chief of Architect Magazine, the official journal of The American Institute of Architects, who will also be judging the competition said: “Concrete is one of the oldest construction materials, dating back thousands of year, and whose composition and applications continue to evolve and improve.
The Concrete in Life global photography competition shows us that great examples of how this strong, versatile, and durable material is used in architecture and infrastructure in beautiful and inspirational ways.”
People can enter as many photos as they wish, over X or Instagram. The deadline for entries is 15th November 2023. The winners will be announced in early 2024.
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Notes to editors:
More information about last year’s entries can be found here:
Images available for media to use here:
The categories for this year’s Concrete in Life competition are:
#UrbanConcrete – images of the city landscapes and buildings around us, both well-known and hidden away.
#ConcreteInfrastructure – photographs of our infrastructure, in our cities and rural, above and below ground.
#ConcreteInDailyLife – the human side of concrete and how it’s used and interacted with daily.
#ConcreteBeautyAndDesign – showcasing beautiful uses concrete in the world around us – such as stunningly designed buildings, sculptures or landmarks.
To enter submit your photo on Instagram or X with the hashtag #ConcreteInLife2023 and your category hashtag.
Follow the GCCA on Instagram @concreteinlife or on X @theGCCA
About the GCCA: The GCCA and its member companies, which account for 80% of global cement production capacity outside of China, as well as key Chinese manufacturers, are committed to reducing and eliminating CO2 emissions through implementation of the Concrete Future – 2050 Net Zero Roadmap – the first heavy industry to set out such a detailed plan.
For further details, or interview requests, please contact:
Simon Thomson, Head of Media, GCCA
simon.thomson@gccassociation.org / +44 7380 972282