PHOTOS FROM AROUND THE WORLD SHOWCASE CONCRETE'S BEAUTY AND IMPORTANCE

Over 10,000 worldwide entries to the GCCA's Concrete in Life photography competition capture concrete's role in our daily lives.

Concrete plays a fundamental role in the world around us and in our daily lives. It supports our communities, keeps us connected, and provides our homes, key infrastructure and the cities around us. The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) is celebrating concrete, the most used human-made material on our planet, with the release of the winning pictures from its 'Concrete in Life 2020' global photography competition.

These stunning photos from both professional and amateur photographers capture what concrete means to people around the world – from urban scenes to playparks, from beautiful architecture to essential transport networks, and from the modern wonders we can see to the hidden infrastructure often out of sight. More than 10,000 pictures were submitted to the competition by people across the world, covering three categories (Concrete Infrastructure, Urban Concrete, and Concrete in Daily Life) with the entries demonstrating the widespread, diverse and sustainable use of concrete across the globe.

The competition ran from October to December 2020. The overall winner scoops the top prize of $10,000, with each of the category winners receiving $2,500. In addition to the six winners, the competition judges selected a shortlist which is viewable on the GCCA website. A film about the competition is available here.

Judging the competition were: Gabriele Galimberti, National Geographic photographer; John Fairley, Photographer and Creative Director of Curious Productions; Gian Luca Barone, Senior Associate at Zaha Hadid Architects; Dinah McLeod, Chief Executive of the GCCA.

Dinah McLeod said: "The pictures truly capture the wide range of ways in which concrete plays a fundamental role in life. We were delighted and overwhelmed by the stunning quality and number of photos that we received from just about every corner of the world – a huge thank you to all entrants. We were hugely impressed with their ability to depict how concrete has been continuing to support our lives even in these difficult times."

Quotes from the judges:

Gabriele Galimberti, National Geographic photographer: "I am deeply impressed with how the entrants were able to capture the beauty and magnificence of concrete, and tell the story of how it is supporting us in our daily lives."

John Fairley, Photographer and Creative Director of Curious Productions said: "Despite the pandemic, which has restricted nearly every part of our lives, concrete still plays a huge role in society. I am amazed at the quality of entries this year in capturing the beauty of this everyday material that often goes unnoticed."

Gian Luca Barone, Senior Associate at Zaha Hadid Architects said: "Concrete plays a fundamental role in our built environment, enabling us to design with near unlimited versatility. It's fantastic to see how people have captured how concrete can be both beautiful and essential at the same time."

Last year, 40 of the world's leading cement and concrete manufacturers announced a climate ambition, committing to produce carbon neutral concrete by 2050 in line with global climate targets.

​About the GCCA

Launched in January 2018, the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) is dedicated to developing and strengthening the sector's contribution to sustainable construction. The GCCA aims to foster innovation throughout the construction value chain in collaboration with industry associations as well as architects, engineers, and innovators. In this way, the association demonstrates how concrete solutions can meet global construction challenges and sustainable development goals while showcasing responsible industrial leadership in the manufacture and use of cement and concrete. The GCCA is headquartered in London, England. It complements and supports the work done by associations at the national and regional levels.