Architectural Photography | As Architecture

_Sant'-Andrea,-Mantova,-Italian-Renaissance---11A.jpg

“ ...the photograph

must capture

the spirit of the building..."

By A.Sala

AS
architecture
+
photography

THE ART OF ARCHITECTURAL PHOTOGRAPHY IS MORE THAN ART...

With over 38 years of experience in the editorial photography world, at the end of 1998, when he finished photographic documentation on Le Corbusier's Work, he came back to focusing his attention with a particular affinity for architectural photography. In 2010, Alex founded AS Architecture + photography, a photo agency specializing in images of the built environment, with assignment work and a comprehensive picture library for commercial, editorial and developers company use. The firm moved in 2022 from Europe to Australia and is currently based in Adelaide, directed by its founder.

Alex has captured stunning images of urban landscapes, cities, industrial and residential areas, houses, museums, historic buildings, buildings of famous architects, as well as other types of structures; he has logged thousands of miles travelling in Europe, Australia, The United States and South America, to document the architecture and the cities.

His collection dates from 1981, whether a small residential structure or a famous building; his archive photographs include his extensive collection of urban landscape and architectural images. Also iconic building architecture and contemporary architects. Among them Le Corbusier, Otto Wagner, James Stirling, SOM, Richard Meier, Rafael Viñoly, Aldo Rossi, Renzo Piano and others. Some of the works form part of the (RIBA) Royal Institue British of Architects (UK), Architectural Photography Collection.

San Cataldo Cemetery, Modena, Emilia Romagna, Aldo Rossi Architect _ © Alejandro Sala SA _

San Cataldo Cemetery, Modena, Emilia Romagna, Aldo Rossi Architect © Alejandro Sala | AS architecture + photography

Federal Court of Australia Building, Adelaide.JPG

Federal Court of Australia Building, Adelaide, Aurecom Group Design © Alejandro Sala | AS architecture + photography

Hipolux Bank Building, Luxembourg, Richard Meir Architect.JPG

Hipolux Bank Building, Luxembourg, Richard Meir Architect © Alejandro Sala | AS architecture + photography

"Alex’s photographs works reveal his innate ability to re-appropriate and

represented the urban space and architecture,

evidencing the main qualities of the building or urban landscape,

to capture the spirit of the building"

Marina City at night, Chicago, Bertrand Goldberg Architects.JPG

Alex's architectural photographs reveal his innate ability to re-appropriate and represent the urban space and architecture, evidencing the main qualities of the building or urban landscape. An automatism is born from long years of experience as an architect and architectural illustrator, which results in the ability to value the built architecture, such as the location, urban surroundings, scale, use of perspective, proportions, composition, environment, angle of view and point of view, light, shadow, size, colour, emphasis, tone definition, structure, materials, as well as the final printing type.

His architectural research subjects' photography assignment reveals a vision and empathy to re-appropriate and represent urban space and architectural buildings". Alex combines in his work a passion for craft (Painting+ Drawing), architectural illustration, photographic - retouching and deep knowledge of expertise in darkroom and photography techniques.

This attention to "craftsmanship work" to produce final architectural images is complemented by his skill in architectural composition and his thoughtful application of the rigorous principles of design replicated in the photographs.

Marina City at night, Chicago, Bertrand Goldberg Architects.

333 Waker Drive Building, Chicago, Kohn - Pedersen - Fox architects .JPG

Marina City at night, Chicago, Bertrand Goldberg Architects.

Music School and Theatre Academy, Stuttgart, James Stirling, Michael Wilford & A.JPG

Music School and Theatre Academy, Stuttgart, James Stirling & Michael Wilford Architects

"My work focuses on understanding the design process to convey the architect’s intentions,

to interpret a tridimensional image, to translate them

and create two-dimensional representations in photography”

Aurora Plaza Building, Sydney, Renzo Piano Architects

My work stays true to the same fundamental ideas and values that guided me in my architect project designer/ architecture illustrator career in the 80s. The clarity and rigour of my formal vision, the mastery of geometry the architectural composition, and passion for craft and meticulous detailing drove me. Each project to photographs is an essay in design, a harmonious organization of elements, spaces, places combinations of solid and void, and oscillations between surface and depth, where the poetic light is present.

His "architectural photographs" speak about powerfully to their larger surroundings while remaining sensitive to every spectator or client, simultaneously embodying the spirit of building and his "Genius Loci".

A sense of humanity is always present in his work, even when the human figure is absent from the actual photographs. The precise compositions in each photo reveal the architectural ideas behind a building's surface and reflect deeply personal expression and pursuit of the transcendent.

My work stays true to the same fundamental ideas and values that guided me in my architect project designer/ architecture illustrator career in the 80s. I'm driven by the clarity and rigour of my formal vision, the mastery of geometry and architectural composition, and my passion for craft and meticulous detailing. Each project to photographs is an essay in architectural design, a harmonious organization of elements, spaces, places combinations of solid and void, and oscillations between surface and depth, where the poetic light is present.