This year, one of Melbourne’s architectural icons – the Southern Cross Station – is celebrating its tenth birthday. In honour of the occasion, a new architectural photography exhibition has sprung up with the intention of showing it from all angles.

The images that feature within the exhibition were selected from an Instagram competition, held by Grimshaw Architects in collaboration with Open House Melbourne. Entitled Southern Cross Station Snap 2017, the social media initiative invited people to share photos of Southern Cross Station that highlighted the importance of its role in the city, and its meaning to the people of Melbourne.  

Prizes were awarded to photographic entries based on artistic merit, originality, and how successfully they highlighted Southern Cross Station as a key part of Melbourne’s built environment and identity. The judging panel consisted of Melbourne’s lord mayor, Robert Doyle; architectural photographer, John Gollings; Open House Melbourne executive director, Emma Telfer; and Grimshaw managing partner, Neil Stonell.  

“The photographs in the #SCSSNAP exhibition form a unique collection of images which celebrate the distinct architectural form of Southern Cross Station as well as its civic and city-shaping aspirations,” says Stonell.

“It’s inspiring to see how people relate to and celebrate these aspects of the station ten years after its completion.”

The winning photograph was submitted by Steve Young. Melbourne’s lord mayor commended the image for its “outstanding [placement of] Southern Cross Station [within] the city’s built environment and identity”. 

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First prize: Steve Young

Second prize was awarded to Kar Gee Tan for his image of Platforms 9 and 10. Gollings says, “[The] image is the most evocative and surreal expression of the light and roof forms but is a well-expressed description of the busy-ness of the station”.

170815_Grimshaw_-SCSSNAP2017_Second-prize_Kar-Gee-Tan.jpgSecond prize: Kar Gee Tan 

Third prize was awarded to two individuals – Damon Carr and David Mason – who captured “an artistic expression of the beauty of the station’s architecture”.  

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Third prize: Damon Carr and David Mason 

All shortlisted entries will be on display at Grimshaw’s Melbourne studio until this Wednesday, 23 August. The public have been invited to vote for their favourite image, with the winner of the public vote to receive a Person’s Choice Award.