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A total of 10,367 photos have been submitted to free-to-use photography app Agora, but only one photo has been voted ‘World’s Best Photo of #Architecture2020’ by the global community: congratulations to @trantuanviet who has won the competition with an aerial shot of Vietnam’s most famous footbridge, combining unique design and poetic scenery.

Agora’s latest photo competition invited its userbase to participate with their best shots of unique and outstanding architecture for a chance to win $1,000: an occasion to discover some of the most impressive buildings the world has to offer.

The #Architecture2020 contest was launched on March 10th on Agora, the mobile app where photographers, whether amateur or professional, can participate in international photo contests and promote their work for a chance to win cash prizes (from $1,000 to $25,000) and international recognition.

Agora's global audience plays an important part in the selection of the Contest’s winner: all users have the power to vote for the photo that struck them the most, making the process democratic where everyone can participate, vote, and win.

"#Architecture2020 is a spectacle about the beauty that results from the interaction between light and volumes. The contrast between chaos and order, nature and the artificial, matter, and emptiness. Particles of photons bouncing off constructed volumes portrayed by the world's great photographers" commented Octavi Royo, Agora's CEO & Co-Founder.

@trantuanviet’s photo ‘Golden Bridge’, an aerial shot of Vietnam’s most famous footbridge combining unique design and poetic scenery gathered the most votes on the Agora app, crowning him with the #Architecture2020 Hero title and the $1,000 top prize.

Which of these following buildings caught your eye? Don't forget to upvote your favorite photos!

More info: Instagram | Facebook | Agora.com

#1

Winner: Golden Bridge

Winner: Golden Bridge

Location: Danang, Vietnam
"The Golden Bridge has been built at around 1,400 meters above sea level. It is divided into eight spans (the longest one is equal to 20m), with a total length of 148,6 meters. This impressive architecture work has the peculiarity of being held by two giant concrete hands, representing the Mountain God’s hands."
@trantuanviet (Vietnam), #Architecture2020 Hero

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#2

Clifton Suspension Bridge

Clifton Suspension Bridge

Location: Bristol, UK
"Once or twice a year the weather conditions produce this amazing scene of the fog passing under the suspension bridge. I've lived next to this bridge for 2 years but I never managed to capture the image. Within a month from moving house, and living over an hour away the conditions looked to align. So I traveled down 3 days in a row and on the final day managed to get it!"
@tom.bridges (UK)

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Tiny Dynamine
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Great photo. I live in Bristol and as an artist, I am generally so utterly bored of seeing photos, etc. of this bridge but in this photo it is merely a small part of the overall composition.

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#3

Petare

Petare

Location: Petare, Caracas, Venezuela
@donaldobarros (Venezuela)

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#4

Castlemania!

Castlemania!

Location: Eltz Castle, Mayen-Koblenz, Germany
@moodfella (Germany)

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#5

The Vessel

The Vessel

Location: New York City, USA
@imkaphotos (Germany)

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#6

Low Fog In Moscow

Low Fog In Moscow

Location: Ostankino district, Moscow, Russia
"Low fog sunrises are not so commonly seen in Moscow. I woke up around 3 a.m. and saw the fog outside my window, so I decided it was a good moment to fly my drone. The fog was very dense, so I didn’t even see the tower itself from my vantage point. But when I took off my drone, I saw this striking picture: a thin sky needle above the sea of fog, with a shadow that makes it endless. It was the best sunrise of that summer."
@poletaev.photo (Russia)

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#7

Matsumoto Castle In The Land Of The Rising Sun

Matsumoto Castle In The Land Of The Rising Sun

Location: Matsumoto, Japan
@janreyem (Germany)

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Just another bot
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Serene and so beautiful, the birds flying over the sunset are a nice touch

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#8

Water

Water

Location: Malaysia
@siang425 (Malaysia)

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ChrisL
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This isn't Malaysia, this is Singapore changi airport - jewel shopping mall

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#9

A Cold Winter Day

A Cold Winter Day

Location: Neuschwanstein Castle, Schwangau, Germany
"My hands were frozen because of the freezing wind, but it was all worth seeing such an epic sunset. The architecture of this castle is stunning, it reminded me of my childhood and Walt Disney. There were a lot of kids when I visited, I still remember the expression of surprise on their faces observing this beautiful castle."
@lucacornago (Italy)

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#10

Monument Sunset

Monument Sunset

Location: Emperor William Monument, Porta Westfalica, Germany
@marfle (Germany)

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#11

Running Under The Storto

Running Under The Storto

Location: Milan, Italy
"This is the Generali building in Milan, called "lo storto" for its shape. I wanted to underline the integration between the new architecture of my city and the respect of the environment with this runner passing by. It was difficult to choose the perfect point of view and the right storytelling."
@marcotagliarino (Italy)

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Full Name
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is stunning and by FAR the best photo of the bunch, so far as the talent it took to create it goes.

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#12

Stairway To Heaven

Stairway To Heaven

Location: Hamburg, Germany
"I was in Hamburg for 2 days and spent my time photographing the beautiful stairs across the city. I like such abstract pictures where you don't immediately grasp what it is."
@wunderbilder (Germany)

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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The undersides of the stairs also look like treads. Gives it that MC Escher look.

#13

Bottle Opener And Needle

Bottle Opener And Needle

Location: Shanghai, China
@panvelvet (Russia)

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#14

Light Through The Dragon’s Gate

Light Through The Dragon’s Gate

Location: Hong Kong
"These quirky cut-outs have long been rumored to exist for purposes of Feng Shui, an ancient Chinese system of summoning happiness and fortune through an individual's surroundings. Such holes, it is said, act as gateways for "spirit dragons" that reside in the hills behind the towers -- blocking the dragons' path to the water could bring misfortune to local residents. At this time of day, the light was perfect as the sun sets - the key emotion I was looking to evoke is curiosity and wonder at the uniqueness of Hong Kong building structures."
@blairsugarman1 (UK)

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#15

Flat Iron Building

Flat Iron Building

Location: New York City, USA
"I wanted to enhance the special architecture of the Flat Iron building by using a wide-angle lens and a very low perspective, using the inbuilt distortion when tilting the camera down. Laying flat on the pavement in the busy NYC streets was very stressful, so when I started moving around, I had forgotten to close my camera bag and my 70-200 mm fell on the ground. This picture cost me about 1,200$ for the repair on a lens I didn’t even use!"
@øystein (Norway)

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Full Name
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sucks so bad about the lens. Been there (same lens too). Great shot though. I think the bus makes it and gives a new twist on an otherwise overshot, cliche building.

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#16

Fort Alexander I

Fort Alexander I

Location: Kronstadt, Saint Petersburg, Russia
"Fort Alexander 1 is a naval fortress on an artificial island located in the Gulf of Finland, near St. Petersburg and Kronstadt. From 1899 to 1917, the fort housed a research laboratory on plague and other bacterial diseases. By 1983, the fort was stripped of its fixtures and abandoned. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Fort Alexander was a popular location for rave parties."
@nikybwd (Russia)

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#17

Lonely House

Lonely House

Location: Crimea, Russia
"I wanted to convey the peace of being in such a secluded place in solitude. In the current bustling rhythm of life, it is sometimes important to spend time in silence, disconnecting from gadgets and social networks. On the day I took this photo, I found out that I would finally become a dad!"
@artempikalov (Russia)

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#18

Windows

Windows

Location: Singapore
@jaywu10 (Singapore)

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#19

Colorful Architecture In Tokyo

Colorful Architecture In Tokyo

Location: Tokyo, Japan
"This building looks like another building from the outside, but if you head inside it's an explosion of colors! It was such a great discovery. I want to transmit the same feeling, an explosion of joy and color in the eye, and the harmony between that chaotic color range and the straight leading lines of the building."
@alvarovaliente_ (Spain)

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#20

Arundel Folly

Arundel Folly

Location: Hiorne Tower Arundel West Sussex, UK
"I have been experimenting with light painting, and I thought this folly built in 1787 would make a great subject to be painted. This photo was taken at 8 pm on a very dark but clear winter night. The mini castle is lite using a drone with two Lume cubes circling the structure which was then removed in post-processing."
@bear.martin (New Zealand)

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Tiny Dynamine
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's nice but I wish these competitions only allowed the photos without any post-processing. That's the art of photography.

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#21

Inception

Inception

Location: Petrovskiy Track Palace, Moscow, Russia
"Peter's Palace is located at the gates of Moscow and was erected in the years 1776-1780, serving as a residence for noble people after a long journey from St Petersburg to Moscow. I wanted to capture its amazing architecture using a technique called “Inception”. There are 9 photos from different angles manually merged into one photo."
@Borsch (Russia)

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#22

Urban Grid, Barcelona

Urban Grid, Barcelona

Location: Barcelona, Spain
"I wanted to get up high and show a unique pattern from a different angle. It’s beauty that can be hard to imagine from the street level. This was an early start, to capture the magical city under some nice morning light. The previous days before this shoot, it was cloudy so I waited for a clear day to capture the light kissing the buildings."
@leemumford8 (UK)

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#23

Chinese New Year In Singapore

Chinese New Year In Singapore

Location: Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, Chinatown, Singapore
"This was taken from a condo building just behind the temple. I wanted to show the contrast between this place of worship and the modern district of Singapore in the background."
@ghislainfave (France)

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Kelly
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's Singapore: an old district surrounded by new skyscrapers. I hope I can see them again.

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#24

Rainy Day Long Exposure

Rainy Day Long Exposure

Location: Market st & Grant Ave, San Francisco, USA
"Rainy days are always more appealing to me comparing to those sunny ones. I remember it was a normal sunny day down here in the south bay; around 7 pm I started to hear the raindrops tapping my window. So, randomly I decided to drive up to the city to try out my luck. I knew exactly where I was going because I've been to that location during San Francisco's pride parade. That crossroad had been in my head ever since. I spent about 30mins standing in the rain next to the tripod. But it was all worth it. What I was trying to deliver is the tranquility and quietness of the city when it is covered by falling rain, which is the kinda beauty I appreciate a lot."
@zheqian (China)

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kathryn stretton
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Interesting. Another photo of this further up. Loved tgat one. Love this too, so upvoting both lol.

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#25

Sharjah

Sharjah

Location: Sharjah, UAE
"The Scroll monument, a Gerry Judah’s creation, is a contemporary interpretation of the ancient Arabic scrolls – a single, 36m high, spiraling sculpture that loops towards the sky. The Scroll monument is a true spiral with no connection between the loops as they pass each other. At points, there is no more than 150 mm (six inches) between the loops. The structure itself is extremely light and extremely stiff, so as to counterbalance the desert winds. The design and inspiration are representative of a celebration of reading and the power of books to unite people, in a year when Sharjah was designated the World Book Capital, by UNESCO."
@joao.galamba (Portugal)

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#26

Close Quarters

Close Quarters

Location: Quarry Bay, Hong Kong
"'Dense' is the word I'd use to describe Hong Kong's architecture. Its skyline, bustling streets, night-markets... all so incredibly dense. It’s a beautiful display of contemporary architecture where both modern and functionalist approaches juxtapose each other. While Hong Kong’s sci-fi-like cityscape is a spectacle to behold (especially during ‘A Symphony of Lights’), it’s the older, grittier, and seemingly never-ending look of its apartment blocks that really drew my attention. These older, functionalist style buildings can be found all around the city; however, it’s perhaps best found in the Quarry Bay area. I spent a couple of hours getting lost in this part of the city, getting carried away with the different colors and patterns of all the various buildings. For me, no other picture I took sums up Hong Kong as a city better than this one."
@_kennyc_ (UK)

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Meeow
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This building is where transformers movie Hong Kong scene

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#27

Safdarjung's Tomb

Safdarjung's Tomb

Location: Safdarjung tomb, Dehli, India
"Safdarjung's Tomb is a sandstone and marble mausoleum built in 1754 in the late Mughal Empire style for Nawab Safdarjung. Nightlife photography has always fascinated me because it is one of the less explored areas in photography. The government of India recently worked upon lightning these monuments, so the night light brings all the details of the architecture which otherwise is hidden with the daylight."
@ghumakkadpandit (India)

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Arun Sharma
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One of the most beautiful Tombs built during Mughal Era in India.

#28

Surrounded By 72 Buddha Statues - The Great Candi Borobudur

Surrounded By 72 Buddha Statues - The Great Candi Borobudur

Location: Borobudur, Magelang, Indonesia
@chaksproject (Indonesia)

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#29

Central In Hong Kong

Central In Hong Kong

Location: Hong Kong
@jackyy_wch (Hong Kong)

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Meeow
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hong Kong is one of the beautiful city

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#30

Modern Lookups

Modern Lookups

Location: Vienna, Austria
"When taking photos I sometimes like to change my perspective. So, lookups are the perfect thing to do! I’d seen some shots from this place before, but I never knew exactly where it was so I had to ask a lot of people to find out. It’s one of Vienna’s most classic lookups in the city center."
@seplb (Austria)

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#31

Pahtotharmyar

Pahtotharmyar

Location: Pahtotharmyar Temple, Bagan, Myanmar
"Every day, novices living near the temple pay their homage to the Buddha statue. The photo required a meticulous organization because the sun shines through during a very short period of time."
@ayechantun (Myanmar)

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kathryn stretton
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You waited for the right time for this. Well done! Wish I knew the history. Similar with Stonehenge and many other ancient sites the world over. The sun and moon, stars and their movements are everything in most ancient civilisations.

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#32

Stupa Homage

Stupa Homage

Location: Mingun Pahtodawgyi, Myanmar
"Stupas are one of the most recognizable forms of Buddhist architecture. It generally takes the form of a hemisphere, although this shape may vary by country. Pilgrims worship at a stupa by walking around its base outside, usually in the clockwise direction. The massive crack you can notice in the middle of this Stupa was caused by an earthquake."
@minzaw (Myanmar)

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Full Name
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Liar. I've seen enough fantasy movies so you can't fool me with that earthquake s**t. Either a dragon or a magic wand did this.

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#33

Urban Geometry

Urban Geometry

Location: Moscow, Russia
@inchaseofbeauty (Russia)

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#34

Low-Income Housing And Old Design

Low-Income Housing And Old Design

Location: Hoang Liet Ward, Hoang Mai District, Hanoi, Vietnam
"The safety of these old apartments is very alarming due to the weak infrastructures and the dense population. I flew my drone near to the scene to take some close-ups shots, which was risky because the fire was expanding very quickly."
@nguyenhuuthanhhai (Vietnam)

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Meeow
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Look like one of the home was on fire, hope nobody got hurts.

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#35

Painted Hall

Painted Hall

Location: Old Royal Naval College, London, UK
@theliamman (UK)

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#36

Cairo

Cairo

Location: Cairo, Egypt
"There was wonderful weather and the sky was clear and blue. The rustiness of the building was the only different color in the picture, because the reflection on the windows reflected the same blue as the sky. When I realized this, I thought the contrast was beautiful and I took the photo."
@banudiker (Turkey)

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#37

Ciudad De Las Ciencias

Ciudad De Las Ciencias

Location: Valencia, Spain
"If you come to Valencia, a visit to the City of Arts and Sciences is a must. I took this photo at sunset, where I took advantage of the beautiful natural light and the artificial lights coming from the building."
@ltalon (Spain)

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Raine Soo
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The reflection in the water makes this dome look like an American football.

#38

Sathorn Bridge

Sathorn Bridge

Location: Sathorn footbridge, Bangkok, Thailand
"I really love architecture, so I wanted to photograph some of the modern buildings in Bangkok during my trip there. The Sathorn bridge caught most of my attention. I love its lines and curves, I just wanted to make the most out of it enhancing the shapes with some distortion, taking the picture from below. I spent a few hours there that day, went from daylight to evening, without even getting tired. I found that place to be very inspiring and hope I gave it good justice."
@gennys1210 (Italy)

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#39

The Reflection Of The City

The Reflection Of The City

Location: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
"I like to capture the reflection of buildings across the water. From this lake location, you have an outstanding view of HCMC's District 1. I got eaten alive by mosquitoes while taking this picture, don't forget to apply mosquito repellent if you ever go to this lake!"
@caokynhan (Vietnam)

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SoozeeQ
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh wow! This is superb! Can you imagine trying to do this as a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle? Those reflections would make it so tricky!

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#40

Tulum

Tulum

Location: Tulum, Mexico
@blakehobson (Canada)

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#41

Aerial View

Aerial View

Location: Hue, Vietnam
"This floating restaurant located on the Huong river can be better admired from above."
@phamhuytrung (Vietnam)

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SoozeeQ
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What an amazing shot! It would be awesome to go to that restaurant.

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#42

The Roofs In An Old Village

The Roofs In An Old Village

Location: Thanh Hoa, Vietnam
@thanhtoanphotographer (Vietnam)

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Tee Witt
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

At least the houses are separate and they have gardens, lovely village compared to some housing we have seen on this.

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#43

Hong Kong From Above

Hong Kong From Above

Location: Hong Kong
@michelle.wandering (Netherlands)

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3 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

It's interesting to see how little you need to qualify for a "view" to comply with building codes there.

#44

Infinity And Beyond

Infinity And Beyond

Location: Lahore, Pakistan
@i__abdullah (Pakistan)

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#45

Parking

Parking

Location: Barcelona, Spain
"I was walking around Barcelona, my home city when I came across this particular building. I decided to go inside and have a look. After reaching the top of the building, I understood its particular shape. It reminded me of how important it is to look for different points of view when photographing something: the outcome can change radically if we give it another perspective."
@maazzzius (Spain)

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#46

I Want To Believe

I Want To Believe

Location: Pakistan
@photosbyaadil (Pakistan)

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JazzyRuns12
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I feel like this would be a poster with a motivational quote plastered over it!

#47

Landmark 81

Landmark 81

Location: Landmark 81, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
"Landmark 81 is a neo-futurist skyscraper completed in 2018. It's the highest building in HCMC, with an architectural height of 461.2 meters. There's an observation deck on the 79th floor with amazing views of Vietnam's capital city."
@azimronnie (Bangladesh)

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#48

One Of The Best Moments Of My Life

One Of The Best Moments Of My Life

Location: Mecca, Saudi Arabia
"Every year millions of pilgrims head to Mecca, the holiest city for Muslims, for the Hajj pilgrimage which is one of the five pillars of Islam. When I went there, I could feel Allah at every heartbeat. It's a place of unity, equality, and peace. I consider myself so lucky that I experienced this beautiful moment."
@talhaarshad124 (Pakistan)

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Full Name
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's awesome you got to go to a place that felt special, plus you got a photo that did the same for you. That's a win-win

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#49

The First Jummah Prayers During Ramadan

The First Jummah Prayers During Ramadan

Location: Baitul Mukarram Mosque, Dhaka, Bangladesh
"Baitul Mukarram (The Holy House) is the national mosque of Bangladesh: it has a capacity of 30,000 people and is the 10th biggest mosque in the world. The mosque is constantly getting overcrowded, especially during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. The Bangladeshi government had to add extensions to the mosque, thus increasing the capacity to at least 40,000. The mosque has several modern architectural features whilst preserving the traditional principles of Mughal architecture. Baitul Mukarram’s large cube shape was modeled in honor of the Ka’abah in Mecca, making it a noticeable structure being unlike any other mosque in Bangladesh."
@kazijewel (Bangladesh)

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#50

The Chair

The Chair

Location: Museo Rufino Tamayo, Ciudad de México, Mexico
"This is a spontaneous photo: the museum's guard went to the bathroom, so I took my chance to photograph his chair."
@edgar_mtz (Mexico)

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