Matt Emmett, Winner of Best Architecture Photograph of 2016

The best architecture photograph of 2016 Arcaid has been revealed. Matt Emmett had the highest scoring image overall with this image of the East London Water Works Company covered reservoir in Finsbury Park, London, UK.

London. Brick arches of the covered reservoir, by the East London Waterworks Company in 1868. Photograph @ Matt Emmett

A shot of a brick reservoir in London's Finsbury Park has been selected as the best architecture photograph of the year at the Arcaid Images Architectural Photography Awards 2016.

The image was taken by photographer Matt Emmett, and shows us the brick arches of the covered reservoir, which was designed by the East London Waterworks Company in 1868. One voter, Dr Eva-Maria Barkhofen, Head of the Architecture Archive at the Akademie der Künste was heard saying it reminded her of a Piranesi.

Judge Ulrich Müller, Architect and Director at Architektur Galerie Berlin commented,“The breadth of architectural photography presented to us was amazing. With their own distinctive view the photographers opened our eyes for a second time and helped us to discover things we hadn't previously appreciated. I found this extremely enriching”.

Emmett's speciality is capturing scenes of ruined or derelict architecture, and he runs the website Forgotten Heritage.

This is the the first time in the award's four-year running that a photograph of a historic location has been given the prize.

The Arcaid Images Architectural Photography Awards aims to highlight the expertise of specialist architectural photographers, and this year accepted entries under four categories: Exteriors, Interiors, Sense of Place and Buildings in Use.

Each judge has been asked to look beyond the architecture, consider the composition, use of scale and the photographers sensitivity to atmosphere and sense of place.

The 2016 judges are.-

Emily Booth, Executive Editor, The Architectural Review
Amy Croft, Artist and curator of Sto Werkstatt, London
Katy Harris, Communications Director, Foster + Partners, London
Kai-Uwe Bergmann, Partner at BIG
Fernando Guerra, Architectural Photographer, Portugal
Ulrich Müller, Photographer and founder of the Architektur Galerie, Berlin

Emmett saw off competition from a group of acclaimed architecture photographers who framed shots of buildings by architects including Peter Zumthor, Herzog & de Meuron and Linda Bo Bardi to win the award worth $3,000.

Exhibition

The shortlisted entries alongside the winning image will feature in an exhibition "Building Images" at Sto Werkstatt, London during February 2017.

The images will also feature in an exhibition at: Architektur Galerie in Berlin, during March 2017

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