/ 2026 / Architecture / Industrial

• Prize
  Honorable Mention
• Photographer
  Marcel van Beek, Germany
• Date of Photograph
  2024
• Website
  https://www.marcelvanbeek.de
• Instagram
  @_marcel_van_beek_

This series interrogates Berlin’s paradigmatic monument of Brutalism navigating a profound identity crisis. Once a high-security laboratory, now a modern ruin, the building develops a striking presence through its very decay. These images utilise deliberate tonal shifts to reflect the structure's fractured history and evolving symbolic meaning. From the anthropomorphic gaze of its industrial vents to the melancholy of the rear view, where accumulated waste sacks mark its state of neglect, the work captures the tension between architectural iconicity and the somber reality of abandonment.

Marcel van Beek (b. 1990) is a contemporary fine art photographer whose work explores the intersection of functional landscapes and ecological transformation. His practice constitutes a meticulous study of space, navigating the boundaries between expansive landscapes and densifying cityscapes. In collaboration with scientific institutions like the UFZ Leipzig, he translates complex environmental systems into a reduced, painterly visual language. Van Beek’s work transcends traditional photography, offering a tactile, cinematic meditation on a world in flux.

Awards Curators' Pick, Artsy (2025)
Featured in "In Focus" programme, Singulart (2025)
2nd, 3rd Place Subcategories, Phi Photo Awards 2026
Multiple Platinum & Gold Winnings, MUSE Photography Awards 2026
2 Nominations, Fine Art Photography Awards 2026
Editors' Picks, LensCulture: Critics' Award (2026) & Minimalist Photography Awards (2026)