Birmingham photographer takes Judges' Choice in CIOB Art of Building contest

Birmingham-based photographer Damien Walmsley has won the Judges' Choice award in the Chartered Institute of Building's (CIOB) 2026 Art of Building photography competition with an image of a hidden ballroom at the Library of Birmingham.

CIOB announced the winners on 3 November. The second prize, the Public Choice award, went to Bangladeshi photographer Azim Khan Ronnie for Living on the Edge, a photograph of a family home surrounded by floodwater in Kishoreganj, Bangladesh.

The two were among more than 1,500 entrants, CIOB said, and each receives a cash prize of £1,500.

Damien Walmsley, photographer, said: "Birmingham is home to many wonderful buildings, and if I am stuck for photographic ideas, then the Library of Birmingham is one of those places I go to take pictures. The building is so photogenic both within and outside."

The winning images

Walmsley's photograph, titled The Hidden Ballroom, was taken from the Secret Garden balcony, looking down between the building's outer aluminium ring and inner walls, according to the caption on the Art of Building gallery. The caption describes the Library of Birmingham as the largest public library in England.

Walmsley said winning makes the previous disappointments of entering competitions disappear, but that he will keep entering them.

Azim Khan Ronnie said the family in his image used sandbags to protect their home, livestock and belongings while continuing their daily lives as the water rose. He said he wanted to show the resilience of communities on the front lines of environmental change and the relationship between people, their homes and the natural environment.

Saul Townsend, head of communications at CIOB, said: "Azim's photograph is a powerful reminder of the challenges communities face from flooding and climate change, and the responsibility our industry has to help create a more resilient future."

A second win

CIOB said Azim Khan Ronnie's success makes him only the second photographer in the contest's history to win twice. His earlier Public Choice win, announced by CIOB in January 2024, was for an image of the National Mosque of Bangladesh, chosen by more than 2,000 public voters. The Judges' Choice winner in that edition was Belgium's Alain Schroeder, with an image titled Bricks.

How the contest works

The Art of Building is an annual international contest organised by CIOB and open to amateur and professional photographers aged 18 or over. CIOB describes it as free to enter and the world's largest photography competition dedicated to the built environment.

There are two awards. Judges select a shortlist, usually around 12 photographs, which goes to a public vote for the Public Choice award. The judges also pick the Judges' Choice winner from the same shortlist.

The 2026 edition marked the contest's return after CIOB paused it in 2025 to revamp the entry system. In July, Townsend said the institute had taken a break to improve the system and was returning with a simpler experience.

Entries opened on 30 July and closed on 7 September. CIOB named 12 finalists on 21 September, and the public vote ran from 21 September to 16 October.

CIOB describes itself as the leading international professional body for those working in and leading the construction industry, with more than 50,000 members across 100 countries. All of the 2026 finalists' images can be viewed on the Art of Building website.