Architecture & Design Shortlist

In Architecture of Consumption, Maciej Leszczynski photographs container depots. These places, scattered around the world, are an important link in the chain of global trade. Containers have revolutionised trade and are one of the symbols of the global world. As goods flow, the landscape of the depot is constantly rebuilt; it is a place of temporary and unstable architecture. During digital post-processing, the photographer removes all the logos and markings that identify the container and assign it to a specific transaction. The abstract spaces, limited to colourful cubes, appear artificially generated and constitute a universal code. In these spaces there are no known reference points, making it difficult to determine their scale and size at first glance; they seem repetitive and endless. This project seeks a universal, pictorial approach to the phenomena of globalisation and consumption, the dynamics of which are reflected in these temporary spatial arrangements.

Maciej Leszczynski, born 1986 in Elbląg, Poland. Currently lives and works in Gdansk. Autodidact architectural, landscape and fine art photographer. His work primarily focuses on anthropogenic spaces and architectural forms. Leszczynski is particularly interested in the ways in which space and architecture reflect the needs, identity, and history of society. Through his lens, he constructs lucid and detailed portraits of man-made topographies, both in his home country and worldwide.