Detroit Urbex project shows how much a great city has fallen

The Detroit Urbex photography project has been launched to show how much the city has fallen in just a few years and ultimately filing for bankruptcy.

Cities filing for bankruptcy do no represent a common view, especially if they were big or at least very important at some point for a country. Unfortunately for the United States, Detroit has fallen victim to its financial woes and has filed for bankruptcy because there is nothing else it can do.

The US and other entities which are owed money will have to decide what to do with the biggest American city ever to go bankrupt. However, it is worth reminding that the most unfortunate are the people who live there with nowhere to go and that something must be done to help them.

Detroit Urbex: exploring the abandoned places of a bankrupt city

Showing the world how much Detroit has fallen is not easy, as not too many people understand what really happened. In simple terms, the city has experienced a rapid popular growth. With it, the industry has expanded as well. When people began fleeing the location never to return again, the industry was shut down and now a lot of buildings sit in ruins.

The “Detroit Urbex” project shows the fast deterioration of the city. It is based on composite photography, comparing the town’s old looks with its newer ones. Although some might make a confusion between the two poses, it is worth noting that the parts depicting disarray are the more recent views.

What is “urbex” and why Detroit?

Urbex refers to exploring abandoned locations. Since detailing these buildings is easier through photography, a lot of people choose to document such places through the lens of a camera.

As Detroit is the largest city in the US to file for bankruptcy, most of it lies in ruins. This project is aimed at raising the awareness of what is happening to this mighty city and it is best done with the help of photography.

Several formerly-important locations are now in ruins

The author of the website is unknown. The old photographs come from older books or from other photographers. On the other hands, the new shots have been captured in the past couple of years and they might leave you speechless.

The photos have been taken at various important locations, such as the Cass Tech and East Catholic high schools and St. Luke’s hospital. Scrappers and looters have damaged the buildings, but it would not matter anyway since they are abandoned and they might not come to life ever again.

Other places include the Brodhead Armory, Calvary Presbyterian, Eastown Theater, Kronk Recreation Center, Mark Twain Library, St. Agnes Church, and the University Club. More details and photos can be found at the project’s official website.