Architecture surrounds us, but the right photograph can make even a familiar building feel completely new. The inaugural PERSPA Awards 2026, organized by the France-based Association PERSPA, celebrate photographers who use perspective, light, geometry, and atmosphere to reveal the built environment in striking ways. This first edition, titled “Architectural Perspective 2026,” brought together work spanning everything from historic spaces and sweeping cityscapes to abstract details and carefully composed interiors.
Taking the top honor as Photographer of the Year is Alessia Santambrogio with her seven-image series “A Historic Italian Theatre From the 1700s.” The series also won three individual categories—Cultural, Historic & Heritage, and Open Color. Architectural photography experts John Gollings, Glenn McArthur, and Paul Raftery judged the competition. Below, we’re showcasing a selection of the winning and honorable mention photographs recognized across this year’s awards.
Scroll down to explore a selection of the awarded images, and let us know in the comments which photograph made you stop and take a closer look.
More info: perspa.fr
#21 “Brilliant Star City” By Di Chang
2nd Place in the Industrial Category
3rd Place in the Night & Low Light Category
3rd Place in the Night & Low Light Category
Description: “Pipes, towers and platforms shine blue and gold against the night in DI CHANG’s industrial series Brilliant Star City. The photographer describes a childhood fascination with illuminated factories seen from the road. Here, the dense network of lights makes an industrial structure resemble an elaborate city in miniature.”
8points
#22 “La Mágia De Las Formas Y La Luz” By Jordi Egea Torrent
1st Place in the Black And White Category
Description: “A sequence of white curves rises above a dark reflection in Jordi Egea Torrent’s study of Zaha Hadid’s architecture. The view brings several of the building’s flowing forms together, from a tall folded edge to lower, wave-like volumes. Black and white emphasizes the transition from light to shadow.”
8points
#23 “The Golden Timber” By Wisawarut Kekina
3rd Place in the Modern & Architecture Category
Description: “A cyclist passes beneath a vast timber structure at Osaka Expo 2025. Evening light turns the columns and beams gold. The repeated frames carry the eye into the distance, while the small bicycle and rider bring this monumental piece of construction back to the scale of daily life.”
6points
#24 “Topologie_urbaine” By Misa Ato
2nd Place in the Black And White Category
Description: “Balconies project from L’Arbre Blanc in Montpellier like a stack of open drawers. Misa ATO’s low viewpoint separates the pale platforms against a dark sky, while their railings and slatted canopies create a second layer of fine lines. The photograph is part of the series Topologie_urbaine.”
5points
