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The Test of Time Awards 07.26
Architecture Today’s Test of Time Awards are an intriguing and praiseworthy concept. I have often thought that returning to photograph a project after a number of years would be a fairer and actually more informative way of representing a building or project in the media. The quest for perfection is something that we photographers (and commissioners) are guilty of embarking on, all the while showing people ‘inhabiting’ or ‘using’ the space in a photogenic fashion. Architecture is for people and just because they sometimes end up using places in unforeseen ways should not devalue the original concept of the building, or for that matter the photographs of it. Aesthetic beauty is sought through photographs in order to help convey a message, to attract attention, and it is still possible to find this in a building that has lived for a while – arguably more so – signs of life do not need to be considered as blemishes or imperfections that take away from the architecture, rather they should be seen as the result of day to day life and may in fact point to the success of a building or place. So I applaud the awards that takes all of this into account and take it as a reminder to myself for future project photography. In the age of AI, imperfections will potentially become signifiers of ‘reality’, a return to the idea of photographs as evidence and a step away from the homogenised average condition towards which AI aims.
As the magazine says, they “represent a cultural shift away from celebrating newness and towards a focus on longevity. In contrast to most awards programmes, they assess buildings that have been in use for several years and can demonstrate a strong track record in delivering on their environmental, functional, community and cultural ambitions.
Supported by The Concrete Centre, Society Building and VMZINC, the awards encourage a greater focus on building performance evaluation and shared learning, helping the industry understand how buildings adapt, endure and continue to serve their users over time.”
Some (not revisited) photographs of buildings included:
Accordia – FCBStudios with Grant Associates, Maccreanor Lavington and Alison Brooks Architects (2008)
The Holburne Museum – Eric Parry Architects (2011)
Turnmill – Piercy&Company (2015)