From Azerbaijan to Abu Dhabi: 36 stunning photographs capture concrete creations around the world

Dubai and Abu Dhabi feature in the Global Cement and Concrete Association's annual competition

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  The overall Winner of the GCCA “Concrete in Life” global photography competition by Nurlan Tahirli. Courtesy GCCA

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  Mariëtte Ewalds “De Lentloper” bridge in Nijmegen won the Infrastructure Amateur category. All images courtesy GCAA

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  Finalist in the Infrastructure Amateur category.

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  Finalist in the Infrastructure Amateur category.

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  Finalist in the Infrastructure Amateur category.

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  Finalist in the Infrastructure Amateur category.

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  Finalist in the Infrastructure Amateur category.

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  Nishar Mohammed's shot of Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai took the top spot in the Infrastructure Professional category

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  Finalist in the Infrastructure Professional category.

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  Finalist in the Infrastructure Professional category.

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  Finalist in the Infrastructure Professional category.

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  Finalist in the Infrastructure Professional category.

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  Finalist in the Infrastructure Professional category.

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  Overall Winner and Urban Amateur category winner was this shot of the Zaha Hadid designed Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku, Azerbaijan.

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  Finalist in the Urban Amateur category.

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  Finalist in the Urban Amateur category.

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  Finalist in the Urban Amateur category.

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  Finalist in the Urban Amateur category.

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  Finalist in the Urban Amateur category.

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  Ekaterina Koryakova's image of a parking space near RAI in Amsterdam won the Urban Professional. category.

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  Finalist in the Urban Professional Category.

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  Finalist in the Urban Professional Category.

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  Finalist in the Urban Professional Category.

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  Finalist in the Urban Professional Category.

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  Finalist in the Urban Professional Category.

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  Christopher Andres's image of children playing in a cemetery in Rizal Province, Philippines won the Daily Life Amateur category.

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  Finalist in the Daily Life Amateur category.

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  Finalist in the Daily Life Amateur category.

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  Finalist in the Daily Life Amateur category.

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  Finalist in the Daily Life Amateur category.

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  Finalist in the Daily Life Amateur category.

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  Christopher “Tawpee” Comeso's shot of a concrete maze at a Dalma Park in Abu Dhabi topped the Concrete in Daily Life Professional category.

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  Finalist in the Concrete in Daily Life Professional category.

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  Finalist in the Concrete in Daily Life Professional category.

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  Finalist in the Concrete in Daily Life Professional category.

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  Finalist in the Concrete in Daily Life Professional category.

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  Finalist in the Concrete in Daily Life Professional category.

A photograph of a Zaha Hadid designed building in Azerbaijan has won first prize in a global photography contest.

More than 10,000 images were submitted to the second annual Concrete in Life global photography contest by the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA).

Aiming to showcase the role of concrete in people's daily lives around the world, the contest ran from October to December and was open to both professional and amateur photographers.

Photographer Nurlan Tahirli was crowned the overall winner after capturing a striking picture of the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku.

“I am hugely honoured to be the winner of Concrete in Life 2020. The photo I took was at the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku, Azerbaijan. I was struck by the building’s unique and unusual look – its stunning design with simplicity of lines, single colour and complexity of structure," said Tahirli.

Dubai and Abu Dhabi crowned for concrete use

Nishar Mohammed's image of Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai. Courtesy GCCA

The UAE topped two of the six award categories and featured in several finalist images.

A picture snapped in Dubai won first place in the Concrete Infrastructure category for professionals. The aerial image of Dubai's Defence Roundabout Intersection on Sheikh Zayed Road was taken by photographer Nishar Mohammed.

"450,000 vehicles enter Dubai on an average every day from other Emirates, with the city welcoming 40,000 vehicles in the morning peak hours every day. It’s concrete enabling people to conduct their daily lives," explained Mohammed.

A photograph of Delma Park in Abu Dhabi topped the Concrete in Daily Life category. It was captured by Christopher “Tawpee” Comeso and shows a child playing inside a concrete maze.

Dubai's Burj Khalifa peeks out from the shadows in this finalist image. Courtesy GCCA

Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Dubai skyline featured in finalist photographs in the Urban Professional category, and a sunset Dubai city shot was another finalist in the Daily Life Amateur category.

Other subject matters in the shortlist of finalists included an image of a parking space in Amsterdam and one of children playing in a cemetery in the Philippines.

The overall winner of the contest is awarded $10,0000, while category winners each get $2,500.

Click through the gallery above to see all the shortlisted entries.