2025 Competition Results

Winners chosen by our judges

• "Spaceship on the Earth" by Yiheng Siow

Judges'comments:

"Engineering meets Imagination in this abstract image. The angle of the photograph emphasises the intricate technology of art installations and the excitement of childhood adventure. An engineered artwork seen from an inspirational photographic angle."

"The children dressed in vibrant and colourful clothes as the topic of the piece contrasts sharply against the cold steel structure supporting them. This photo illustrates how these rigid structures of engineering looming in the background magnifies the vibrancy and warmth of human life. It outstandingly showcases the beauty of engineering through its enriching impact on our everyday lives despite how engineering structures may tend to appear as colourless, lifeless and monotonous."

"A distinct structure and the artistic posture of the central color-highlighted figure create a sense of levitation, while the beauty of mechanical structure and installation art. The unique photographic composition enhances the sense of technology and conveys a narrative of being drawn into a spaceship."

• Winner: "Long day at work" by Kiyan Eddaoudi

Judges' comments:

"The angled perspective adds a dynamic character to the photo, working fantastically in unison with the construction worker suspended on a hanging rope to evoke a strong sense of vertigo. The bold yellow of the worker’s helmet, centred in the photo, highlights the viewer’s eye to the subject of the piece."

• Winner: "Intersection of Mechanical and Civil Enginering" by Li Ren Thow

Judges' comments:

"The piece is excellently proportioned and angled to showcase the beauty created through the intersection of Mechanical and Civil Engineering. The progression from the centre to the top of the piece creates a deep meaning to the piece. Where an older mechanical system – a bicycle crossing an old rusty arc bridge, transitions to a more advanced mechanical system - a train moving across a more modern and rigid truss bridge. This contrasts magnificently highlights the evolution of engineering through time. The divide between mechanical and civil engineering is also excellently produced by the bright yellow and light blue of the train and cyclist grabs attention onto the mechanical systems, while the darker grey and brown rust of the bridges attracts focus onto the civil systems. "

• Runner-up (tied): "Superposition" by Eito Ogawa

Judges' comments:

"The composition focuses on the quantum computer's structure, enhancing the tech feel. The photographer's reflection adds storytelling, while the overlap of the phone and quantum computer perfectly aligns with "Superposition." Well-executed colors and tones further amplify the futuristic vibe."

• Runner-up (tied): "The lives of the many" by Sanan Shankar

Judges' comments:

"The bridge's arc is beautiful, and the hand sculpture embodies the strength of structural support. The vivid colors and interplay of light and shadow highlight the idea of engineering sustaining human life. The composition is clear, with strong visual tension and structure. Adjusting the light and shadow contrast could further enhance the theme."

People's Choice Prize

We received 334 valid votes for the People's Choice Prize. 

The winner of the People's Choice Prize is "Aero is everything" by Peter Zhu, with 103 votes. 

How the winners were chosen

Our judges were:

• Bryan Luo- student representative
• Yijia Guo- prize winner in the 2023 Mechanical Engineering photo competition
• Honey Salvadori- Professional photographer; evening photography class tutor at Imperial 

The judges viewed all the entries and assigned a mark from 1 to 10 to each entry. The top scores overall in each category are the judges' prize winners.

The People's Choice prize winner was chosen out of the top 20 entries as marked by judges. Members of the department voted for their favourite photo in an open survey.