The destruction of Pruitt-Igoe. © St. Louis Post-Dispatch
OPEN CALL — Submit a Photo of your Unloved Building for 3XN GXN’s upcoming book
You could get published in our book and win a prize!
Every city has buildings that are difficult to defend, such as the large, solid, and often plain office building that nobody misses when they are torn down. These are buildings you rarely see in architecture books. They are in a difficult position: too new for heritage protection; too out of style to be liked; too difficult or expensive to renovate. They are, in a word, unloved.
Our upcoming book, "Unloved Buildings: The Case for Transformation and Reuse as Architecture’s Next Shift," argues that buildings don't have to remain unloved, and this isn't grounds for tearing them down. As climate change and resource scarcity force us to rethink what we build, how we build, and why we keep demolishing existing structures, these neglected buildings deserve renewed attention. Rather than seeing them as obstacles, we should view them as the foundation for a new philosophy of caring for what we have already built.
For a visual essay at the heart of the book, we are collecting photographs of unloved buildings close to you. The building could be unloved by you or you can use this opportunity to challenge the classification of a building.
You can send as many photos as you want of a building that:
Built roughly between the 1960s and the early 2000s
Is still standing
Photographed from a public space (we are looking for exterior photos only)
You will need to indicate the exact address of the building—we will use this to verify it is still standing.
The photograph must be taken by you; phone cameras are perfectly fine
Minimum 2000px on the short side, at 300 dpi
Please send the file in colour, unedited, no colour corrections, filters, or tints
No AI-generated images, composites, collages, or digitally distorted photos
No recognisable people in the frame
How to submit
Send your photograph(s) before June 7th [DEADLINE EXTENDED!] to the editorial team along with the image release form [download below]
Our editorial team will make a final selection from all submissions.
Every selected photograph will appear in Unloved Buildings, with its author credited by name and gifted a copy of the book.
Prize Giveaway
All qualifying participants will automatically be included in a draw for 2000 DKK (230 GBP, 270 EUR, 320 USD), and the winner’s photo will be shared on 3XN GXN’s social media channels. The more buildings you share, the more chances you’ll get.
Submission does not guarantee publication. All selections are made at the discretion of the editorial team.
Former AMP Center, Sydney, Australia. © Multiplex
Former Hotel Coral, Agios Nikolaos, Greece. © 3XN GXN
Euston Tower, London, UK. © 3XN GXN
Unloved Buildings:
The Case for Transformation and Reuse as Architecture’s Next Shift
The book focuses on the many buildings built in the later part of the 20th century that generally fall outside traditional conservation efforts and—due to cultural, economic, and technical challenges—can no longer meet current demands.
The book has been written and edited by GXN, a strategic consultancy for the built environment that pioneers social and environmental sustainability.
