When engineers talk about concrete, it’s usually about the technical specifications: compressive strength, curing time, carbon intensity. But as the literal foundation of the modern world and the most consumed substance on earth after water, concrete can be beautiful, striking and take on a life of its own.
The Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) recently announced the winners of its Concrete in Life 2025/26 competition, proving that concrete is capable of more than just structural integrity.
From the salt-sprayed pillars of the Philippines to the subterranean geometry of Jakarta, create takes a look at concrete through a different lens.
Concrete infrastructure
Dedicated to the massive engineering feats that keep the world moving, such as bridges, tunnels, dams and transport networks.
The winner
Location: Jakarta, Indonesia | Photographer: Rafly Rinaldy
There is a specific, rhythmic beauty in the MRT Rail Tunnel. This image strips infrastructure down to its skeletal grace, highlighting the repetitive geometry and precision alignment that tunnel boring machines and precast segments provide for a city’s subterranean pulse.
Urban concrete
Focusing on the sheer scale and density of our cityscapes. Think skyscrapers, plazas and the towering structures that define modern skylines.
The winner
Location: Dubai, UAE | Photographer: Ralph Emerson De Peralta
In a city defined by its vertical ambition, this shot captures the sheer scale of urban density. For the engineer, it’s a reminder of the logistical symphony required to lift thousands of tonnes of concrete into the desert sky, creating a literal forest of engineered stone. Created using a 10-stop ND filter, it gives the illusion of an empty city.
Concrete in daily life
A human-centric category looking at how people interact with the material in their everyday routines, from parks and housing to street scenes.
The winner
Location: Harbin, China | Photographer: Naitao Li (李迺涛)
Captured in the icy landscape of Harbin, this image shows how concrete provides a surreal, almost futuristic backdrop for human movement. It transforms a simple thoroughfare into a cinematic journey, proving that even the most functional spaces can evoke a sense of wonder.
Beauty and design
Emphasising concrete’s aesthetic and artistic side, focusing on geometric patterns, architectural details and innovative structural forms.
The winner
Location: Antwerp, Belgium | Photographer: Marcel Van Balken
Concrete at its most abstract. This shot of the provincial government building in Antwerp celebrates concrete’s ability to hold sharp, uncompromising lines. It’s a celebration of symmetry and the play of light and shadow on a smooth, finished surface.
Grand prize: Pillars Across the Sea
Location: Cebu City, Philippines | Photographer: Celbert Palaganas
The overall winner was this image of the Cebu–Cordova Link Expressway – the longest bridge in the Philippines – as it slices through the horizon. By using an extended depth of field, the photographer captures the quiet strength of coastal mangroves in the foreground against the permanent strength of the concrete pylons. It’s a showcase in how engineering and ecology can occupy the same frame.
Learn more: The Concrete in Life competition has been run by the Global Cement and Concrete Association since 2019. View past winners and shortlists here.
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