Walter C. Koerner Library
This striking Brutalist building on the UBC campus offers strong geometric lines, raw concrete textures, and a bold stacked facade that rewards architectural photographers. The exterior is best shot from across the plaza to the north, where you can use a wide angle lens to capture the full mass of the building against the sky; tighter focal lengths work well for isolating the repeating horizontal bands and window patterns in the facade. Overcast days are ideal here, as flat diffused light brings out the texture of the concrete without harsh shadows cutting across the geometry. Early morning gives you clean shots with minimal foot traffic, which matters since the plaza sees heavy student activity during the day. Look for reflections in the glass entrance on sunny days, and don't overlook interior shots of the reading rooms, where warm light filters through large windows onto the shelves. (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
