WINNERS

Matrix City

  • Photographer
    Kafong Chan, Macau
  • Prize
    Honorable Mention

Matrix City, photographed in Macau, highlights the stark contrast between the city’s opulent casinos and the dense, suffocating living conditions many residents endure. Narrow alleys slice through low-rise, overcrowded buildings, where laundry hangs from packed balconies, blocking the sky. This labyrinth, resembling a circuit board, exposes the extreme pressure on living spaces—a hidden consequence of the booming gambling industry. The series captures the tension between the city’s glittering facade and the anxieties of daily life in one of the world’s most densely populated regions.