Eighteen Images Announced as 2022 AIA|LA Architectural Photography Awards Winners
by the American Institute of Architects Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA – May 19, 2022 – The American Institute of Architects Los Angeles (AIA|LA) is delighted to announce the recipients of the 2022 AIA|LA Architectural Photography Awards. Fifteen photographers and visual artists were recognized in three different categories: thirteen Best Image recipients, three Best Rendering winners, and two Best Instagram feeds.

Winning images were photographed in built environments across the globe from Weil am Rhein, in Germany, to Dillon Beach in the United States, incorporating diversity of tone, texture, and light.

“These images transport us to a land of wonder and imagination,” the jury observed of Scott Lorenzen, Affiliate AIA’s work–three images acknowledged together–and one of the three photographers awarded at the Honor, or top level. While Ryan Gobuty’s Honor Award winner, photographed in Santa Fe, New Mexico, was noted for its “exquisite portrayal of a harmonious and vivid color palette.” The jury commended the third of the Honor Awards, shot by Marcus Peel, in London, UK, for its “interplay of the monochromatic colors and the shadows that almost sets this abstract shape in perpetual motion.”

The 2022 suite of winning photographs also demonstrate how successfully photographers can reinterpret well known work, offering new ways to see it. Darren Bradley selected William Pereira’s UCSD Geisel Library as the subject for “The Monolith,” one of two of Bradley’s winners in the Best Image category. Jonathan Ducrest’s “Wrap the Triomphe” considered artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s treatment of the Arc de Triomphe, the icon piece of architecture originally designed by Jean-François-Thérèse Chalgrin.

A jury composed of Ashok Sinha, Architecture Photographer; David Montalba, FAIA, Founding Principal, Montalba Architects; Elizabeth Parker, Chief Creative Officer, Shimahara Visual selected this year’s winners ranging in hierarchy from Honor, Merit, Citation, with Honor representing the highest level award.

The awards were announced at a cocktail party graciously hosted by MASS Beverly honoring both this year’s AIA|LA Architectural Photography Awards and the 2022 AIA|LA Residential Architecture Awards. Winning images in all categories were exhibited and will be on view through June 3, at MASS Beverly, 9000 Beverly Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90048. Printing for the AIA|LA was supplied by ARC Document Solutions.

To view the images, visit this AIALA website page.

Best Image

Honor (Series)
Title: Surface, Absence,The Return
Photographer: Scott Lorenzen, Affiliate AIALA
Location: Undisclosed Location, AZ
Instagram: @scott.lorenzen.photography
Architect: Atelier David Tellerman, Paris. 2021.
Jury Notes: These images transport us to a land of wonder and imagination–the geometric patterns and the interplay of light and shadow accentuated by the architecture are nothing short of magical, and the formality of the straight lines and hard shadows highlight the wonder of this place. | The photographer has seamlessly weaved these images into a storybook – one that fills our imagination and makes us wonder. | This collection of images was striking not only for its immediacy of intent but its poetic silence. It brings the viewer in and opens up a new window into a moment of time that was captured with clear intention, sublime composition, and the orchestration of light that ultimately is unmatched in any of the other work we reviewed. | Both architectural and aspirational, these photographs have a timeless sensibility and contrast that is profound, soft yet hard, black and white yet colorful, quiet yet loud; they echo in our memory as a reminder of how great photography can impact us all.

Honor
Title: Santa Fe
Photographer: Ryan Gobuty, Assoc. AIA
Location: Santa Fe, NM
Instagram: @ryangobuty
Architect: Legoretta
Jury Notes: An exquisite portrayal of a harmonious and vivid color palette playing with shadows and dappling light. The artistic quality and dynamic use of color and space is striking! | The dynamic quality of this image is incomparable in the way that the light and shadows, building angles, and of course the careful placement of ‘actors’ in this scene all play together. | The color palette of the buildings bathed in warm sunlight creates an oasis that provides shelter from the hot desert sun and invites the viewer to find refuge in its many spaces within the courtyard, anchored by a lone tree and another inquisitive photographer as if caught while making her own masterpiece.

Honor
Title: Colnaghi lV
Photographer: Marcus Peel
Location: London, UK
Instagram: @marcuspeelphotography
Architect: Crawford and Gray Architects
Jury Notes: An outstanding capture highlighting tonal contrast and intersecting and curved leading lines that create a compelling and mesmerizing photo. Absolutely stunning! | The curves of this staircase lend a sensual quality to this image, while the abstract nature of the framing of this image forces us to get lost in its curves and shadows and the various geometric shapes that emerge as you wander through the photograph. What truly sets this image apart is the interplay of the monochromatic colors and the shadows that almost sets this abstract shape in perpetual motion.

Merit
Title: Wrap the Triomphe
Photographer: Jonathan Ducrest
Location: Paris, France
Instagram: @jonathanducrest
Architect: Original Arc de Triomphe designed by Jean-François-Thérèse Chalgrin | Work of Art/Wrapped by artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude
Jury Notes: What makes this image special is the overall grey tonality of the image that seamlessly ‘bleeds’ into the sky, along with a plaza almost devoid of people makes its presence otherworldly. | It is very difficult to make an image of a location that has been photographed a million times, as in the case of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. In this case however, the photographer chose to show this landmark wrapped in fabric created by artist duo Christo and Jeanne-Claude, and shows us something unfamiliar about a very familiar subject.

Merit
Title: C-Glass House
Photographer: Taiyo Watanabe
Location: Dillon Beach, CA
Instagram: @taiyo_watanabe
Architect: Deegan Day Design and Architecture, Joe Day
Jury Notes: The C-Glass House seems to float in its surrounding lush environment and the all-glass structure adds to its sense of weightlessness and transparency. | The photographer has carefully chosen the perfect time of day to execute and plan this image. | Our eyes are immediately drawn to the interiors of this magical house, and long streaks of the stars in the dusk sky adds an element of motion in quite an unexpected yet stunning manner.

Merit
Title: Monolith
Photographer: Darren Bradley
Location: La Jolla, CA
Instagram: @modarchitecture
Architect: William Pereira
Jury Notes: While this building has been a landmark for so long, its structure is very much celebrated in this image, along with these contrasting relationships noted. | A great photo of a great work of architectural history in the San Diego area. | The contrasts of this image are hard to avoid, the scale of the structure itself relative to the two people preciously placed below in conversation, or the hardness of the concrete while set in the foreground of the eucalyptus grove, with the sky seemingly mediating each.

Citation
Title: Foggy and Slow Day
Photographer: Lung Chi Chang, AIA
Location: Los Angeles, CA, USA
Instagram: @changlungchi
Architect: N/A
Jury Notes: The skillful use of perspective and vertical symmetry of buildings and street markings draws you into this cityscape, and the foggy sky adds a dreamy quality to an otherwise pedestrian scene.

Citation
Title: Mission Bay
Photographer: Tim Griffith
Location: San Francisco, CA
Instagram: @timgriffithphoto
Architect: Legorreta + Legorreta
Jury Notes: Its ephemeral skyscape gives it a calm sensibility and yet the graphic nature of the foreground and its elements seemingly tie it altogether. | A great composition, leading lines, contrast and seemingly–upon initial glance, a simple black and white–but very much more than that, with values of grey blue and moments of color that are both honest yet very much calculated.

Citation
Title: Musubi House #1
Photographer: Darren Bradley
Location: Paauilo, HI
Instagram: @modarchitecture
Architect: Craig Steely Architecture
Jury Notes: The artist does an outstanding job of capturing the ambiance and atmosphere of the environment in relation to the space. | The image invites the viewer to be part of the dreamy narrative.

Citation
Title: Woman on a Bridge
Photographer: Jonathan Ducrest
Location: Paris, France
Instagram: @jonathanducrest
Architect: N/A
Jury Notes: The pattern and repetition of the stairs immediately draw the viewer into this voyeuristic portrayal of exploration and journey. | A dramatic and well composed film noir-esque capture.

Citation
Title: Roter Punkt
Photographer: Luis Ayala, AIA
Location: Weil am Rhein, Germany
Instagram: @luis_ayala_v
Architect: Herzog & DeMeuron
Jury Notes: The color palette and monochromatic tones of winter are beautifully broken up by the pop of color that is strategically captured in the midpoint of the composition. | An interesting pattern and repetition and shape of the structure lend an extra level of interest to this image.

Best Rendering

Honor
Title: Hill House
Rendering by: Robin Donaldson, AIA
Location: Montecito, CA
Instagram: @robindonaldsonaia
Jury Notes: The artist uses a creative and unique perspective for this imaginative medium. | The emphasis and balance of shape, texture, color (or lack thereof) is masterful. | Whimsical yet clearly calculated, its contrast and intentional departure from the traditional rendering styles we all see so much of really set this apart. Dreamy yet clearly expressing the intentions of the project; it’s a great reminder to run your own race. | A captivating work of art!

Merit
Title: Dolford residential master plan by Brooks Murray Architects
Rendering by: Miguel Rodrigo Gonzalez + Alvaro Monfort Pardo from Here and Now Agency
Location: United Kingdom
Instagram: @hereandnowagency
Jury Notes: The visual storytelling and painterly feel give this image a unique and whimsical approach to rendering. | The composition immediately draws you into the narrative that is beautifully enhanced by atmosphere and drama.

Citation
Title: Quantor Office Scheme by ncbham
Rendering by: Miguel Rodrigo Gonzalez + Alvaro Monfort Pardo from Here and Now Agency
Location: Brussels, Belgium
Instagram: @hereandnowagency
Jury Notes: There is a lyrical quality about this rendering, especially how the arched interior with its muted colors creates intimate spaces within the larger interiors of this storefront, while the double-height curtain walls add a classic indoor-outdoor feeling and invites passersby to look inside. | A compelling rendering that softly sets a landscape while setting a clear intention of the buildings beyond. | We loved its horizontality and the subtlety with which nature and the buildings integrate into each other. Superbly done!

Best Instagram Feed – Firm

Firm Name: Arturo+Lauren
Name: Arturo + Lauren Engel
Instagram Handle: @arturo.and.lauren
Jury Notes: Beautiful use of content and cadence to the posting strategy. | The content feels consistent with their brand. | Love how they experiment with film, behind the scenes and imagery while feeling designed and intentional. Dynamic visual balance! | Arturo and Lauren strike the right balance of showcasing their professionalism and individual personalities. The feed features an array of high quality beautiful client work, with thoughtful snippets of videos and behind the scenes footage that paints a picture of not only their brand but also the people behind it. | Beautiful work and thoughtful curation equate to an engaging Instagram experience! | A+L curates a thoughtful collection of lifestyle and architectural imagery that reflects their passion and it surely shows. | Their involvement in design is both diverse and international and reflects the larger design communities reach and aspirations in a truly creative sense. Excited to see what they develop next!

Best Instagram Feed – Individual

Name: Paul Marquez
Instagram Handle: @360photo
Jury Notes: The quality of the work is striking and the format and photography felt consistent with the brand. | There is a synergy between the posts that is felt throughout the entire grid. | Paul Marquez / 360photo has an impressive body of work beautifully displayed in a unique non-traditional grid on his Instagram feed. |The visual language underlying the posts is consistent and of high quality, including the choice of one-word captions that makes his Instagram feed a delight to scroll! | A remarkably poetic and fresh view while both consistent and disciplined in its approach. PM reflects a rigor of practice that will certainly flourish in a world of instant imagery. | The photos have a timeless sensibility that leave a view with a sense of emotion, curiosity, and understanding that transcends architectural photography into a clear body of work that has the larger potential to leave its mark for generations to come.

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