The Best Architecture Photographs of 2017

The 14 winners of the 2017 AIA Architectural Photography Competition highlight structures in New York, California, Oregon, and Iceland, among others.

"Two of a Kind" (Fort Benton, Mont.)

Henry E. Sorenson Jr.

"Two of a Kind" (Fort Benton, Mont.)

Fourteen images were selected out of more than 1,200 submissions for the 2017 AIA Architectural Photography Competition, open to U.S. architects as well as associate AIA and AIAS members. Established in 1985, the competition is run by AIA St. Louis. This latest batch of winning photographs feature recognizable works such as The Broad in Los Angeles and the Climatron in St. Louis, as well as more abstract depictions of architecture. Submissions for the 2018 competition are open through April 1, 2018.

First Place

Second Place

"Up Ramp" (Portland, Ore.)

Michael B. Wilkes

"Up Ramp" (Portland, Ore.)

Third Place

"Prismatic" (Reykjavik, Iceland)

Danielle Willkens

"Prismatic" (Reykjavik, Iceland)

Fuller Award

"Award Hues of Chicago" (Chicago)

John K. Zacherle

"Award Hues of Chicago" (Chicago)

Judge’s Commendation Awards

"Atop the Climatron" (St. Louis)

Nathan Wambold

"Atop the Climatron" (St. Louis)

"Graffiti Wall" (New York)

Steven L. House

"Graffiti Wall" (New York)

"Morning Mist" (Assisi, Italy)

Steven L. House

"Morning Mist" (Assisi, Italy)

"Insertion" (Chatham, U.K.)

Hiromi Ogawa

"Insertion" (Chatham, U.K.)

"A Broad Architectural Statement" (Los Angeles)

Gerald W. Shonkwiler

"A Broad Architectural Statement" (Los Angeles)

"Over the Edge" (Washington, D.C.)

Terence T. Oden

"Over the Edge" (Washington, D.C.)

"Monk’s Mound" (Collinsville, Ill.)

Nathan Wambold

"Monk’s Mound" (Collinsville, Ill.)

"Annenberg Patterns" (Philadelphia)

Michael B. Wilkes

"Annenberg Patterns" (Philadelphia)

"Pillars di Pietro" (Piazza San Pietro Rome, Italy)

Charles Franck

"Pillars di Pietro" (Piazza San Pietro Rome, Italy)

"Beach Blast" (Virginia Beach, Va.)

Renee M. Russell

"Beach Blast" (Virginia Beach, Va.)

About the Author

Sara Johnson

Sara Johnson is the former associate editor, design news at ARCHITECT. Previously, she was a fellow at CityLab. Her work has also appeared in San Francisco, San Francisco Brides, California Brides, DCist, Patchwork Nation, and The Christian Science Monitor.

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