Design Trust Grant Spotlight “BRUTAL! – Unknown Brutalism Architecture in Hong Kong” received Dezeen Awards 2022 Architecture Photograph of the Year

20. 12. 2022

We are pleased to share that the documentary photo of Kwai Chung Eastern Sea Industrial Building (designed by Peter Y.S. Pun 1975) from Design Trust Seed Grant research and exhibition “BRUTAL! - Unknown Brutalism Architecture in Hong Kong” led by Bob Pang, received Dezeen Awards 2022 Winner for Architecture Photograph of the Year in both Public Vote and Jury Prize.

Award-winning photograph of Hong Kong Brutalism Research Group.

Captured by Kevin Mak, a Hong-Kong-typical light and shadow unveils the finest structural details of cast-in-place concrete, prestressed columns, prefabricated joints and wall panels of this unique Brutalist architecture, formerly unknown to the public.

As the first Hong Kong-based public vote winner, the photograph received 66% of the vote from over 55,000 votes this year, and is the most popular amongst Dezeen’s readers. The Judges comment that "Sparking conversation about the juxtaposition between nature and man, this photograph forces us to reckon with the effect that we have had on the world around us. Deemed a metaphor for the current crumblings of society, the image tells a story through contrast – light and dark, technology and nature, evolution and decline. Architecture is central to the image, but part of a much larger narrative that forces us to confront the state of the world that we inhabit."

Photos from "BRUTAL! – Unknown Brutalism Architecture in Hong Kong" exhibition, courtesy of Kevin Mak/1km Studio and Moldflip.

Led by Bob Pang, the team is currently continuing their research on Hong Kong Brutalism architecture with Design Trust Feature Grant support to extend the research into a deeper and wider context with analytical documentation for two book publications in Chinese and English while further continuing the knowledge exchange among institutions and public on the topic of brutalism architecture with a regional focus.