Architecture nominee

The old Elbtunnel in Hamburg, Germany was opened in 1911 and considered a technical sensation in engineering. The 2 single lane vehicle tunnel tubes connected the main city with the port and shipping docks in Hamburg harbor - the second largest harbor in Europe. Huge lifts would lower the cars from street level and back to the surface on the other side. The tunnel sits 80ft below the surface and runs under the river Elbe - which frequently accommodates the Queen Mary.
The tunnel is still in operation today, though mainly used for nostalgic reasons.

Award winning photographer Mario Basner was born in the suburbs of Hamburg, Germany in 1968. His works focus primarily on architectural subjects and cultural identities, translating experiences through time and space while offering an unparalleled sensation of depth and realism. By opening a window to the evolution of life and time, Mario blurs the past with the present, evoking thought and stimulating the senses through an immersive and sensory viewing experience.

When he discovered an abandoned historic site in Europe in 2013, Mario inadvertently found his voice and his purpose. His highly acclaimed documentary series of the Beelitz Heilstätten Sanatorium became the first installment of Mario’s “World Heritage Collection”, earning 59 international awards of excellence. The profoundly compelling and emotionally charged photographs have been a permanent installation in Mario’s Las Vegas art gallery since 2017.

Mario’s latest projects include an ongoing series of library portraits from around the world. These captivating works emphasize the inspirational qualities of historic libraries by depicting the emotional experience within the environments.