To honour the distinctive vernacular architecture that defines the region, Macao’s Centre for Architecture and Urbanism (CURB) recently hosted a photography competition titled Treasures of the Greater Bay. CURB called on professional photographers and enthusiasts to capture urban sites across the nine cities of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) – Dongguan, Foshan, Guangzhou, Huizhou, Jiangmen, Shenzhen, Zhaoqing, Zhongshan and Zhuhai – as well as the two Special Administrative Regions, Macao and Hong Kong.

Vernacular architecture refers to structures built to meet local needs, using regional resources and traditions, rather than adhering to a specific genre. While these buildings often reflect influences from well-known styles, like Modernism, they remain rooted in the communities they serve – both shaping and being shaped the everyday lives of those around them.

The competition attracted 157 participants, who submitted nearly 400 photographs between them. A panel of expert judges led by renowned architectural photographer Ines Leong then evaluated the entries based on artistic merit, technical skill and originality. At Treasures of the Greater Bay’s awards ceremony, held in late September at CURB’s Inner Harbour headquarters, Eduardo Leal and Jingyi Xu were recognised as the top photographers in the Macau Open and Macau Student categories, respectively, while Ji Xiang claimed the top prize in the GBA Open category.