State of Decay

The State of Dereliction

One of the first things that struck me about Urbex was the power of nature. As you approach an abandoned building the signs are there to see; grass and saplings breaking through tarmac, cracks appearing in concrete paths. Then you approach the building to find moss growing in cracks in the walls and plants sprouting from guttering. When the guttering is blocked rainwater overflows, roots start to eat into gaps between bricks and water starts to enter the building.

Once inside the effects are often more striking; wooden flooring bows and breaks, plants grow on floors and through windows, walls now wet, sprout petals of peeling paint and once the paint has gone the bricks start to crack and break.

Now all of this is great fodder for the lens of the Urban Explorer, and something we have all experienced countless times, but next time, stop and think. Consider for a moment the time, effort and cost it took to make build and maintain the building you are in and then wonder at how quickly nature will overcome and undo mans work.

Advertisements