The Death of Battersea Power Station in London seen by Bradley Garrett

I stopped by Battersea Power Station this afternoon after the developers had finally begun to chip at the chimneys. On the side of the building, there was some new signage promising, as property owners are prone to do, that the future architectural simulation and simulacra envisioned on this choice riverfront real estate will retain an essence of place. Architectural homicide under the scalpel of cosmetic improvement almost always follows these sorts of proclamations.

They must have just left the Iraqi Embassy to East Germany (German Democratic Republic or GDR) with no notice at all. “We’re leaving. Pack your bags and get out!” They didn’t even bother to clear their desks. Almost 20 years later the telephones, rusty typewriters and telex machines still sit on desks, along with manuals and lists of phone numbers. There was even toilet paper still on a roll beside the smashed up cistern!

Discover the Hidden Cities explored by Moses Gates. Urban explorer Moses Gates recounts 10 years of urban adventuring in Hidden Cities: Travels to the Secret Corners of the World’s Great Metropolises. The memoir follows Gates’ journey into urban exploration, from his start in the subways of New York City to his expeditions in the catacombs of Paris and beyond. The book is available on Amazon.

Gates is a new breed of adventurer for the 21st century. He thrives on the thrill of seeing what others do not see, let alone even know exists. It all began quite innocuously. After moving to New York City and pursuing graduate studies in Urban Planning, he began unearthing hidden facets of the city—abandoned structures, disused subway stops, incredible rooftop views that belonged to cordoned-off buildings. At first it was about satiating a nagging curiosity; yet the more he experienced and saw, the more his thirst for adventure grew, eventually leading him abroad. In this memoir of his experiences, Gates details his travels through underground canals, sewers, subways, and crypts, in metropolises spanning four continents.

Moses Gates

Berlin Street Art: Snow bunnies are smart – They climb up trees at night, while ordinary rabbits seek their snowy home.

Der Tagesspiegel Berlin

Urban Explorers: Quests for Myth, Mystery and Meaning

This video is a 30-minute introduction to the practice of urban exploration. Constructed as a video article for the journal Geography Compass, the article uses footage from the author’s own explorations in California, Las Vegas and London to visually depict a theoretical unpacking of the practice by 5 academic geographers.

From Place Hacking

Get details about Place Hacking in the UK from Bradley L Garrett

The Abode of Chaos (French: Demeure du Chaos) is a Museum of Contemporary Art located in Saint-Romain-au-Mont-d’Or, a small town in the vicinity of Lyon, France. It is a living sum of more than 2,500 artworks, performed by many different artists and Thierry Ehrmann, CEO of Groupe Serveur.

The artwork is based around the transformation of Ehrmann’s 17th century home into a replica war zone, at contrast with the peaceful village in which it is located. The Abode of Chaos has been the subject of an on-going law suit from the local mayor’s office. Ehrmann has been ordered to pay a fine for unauthorised construction under town planning laws but has not been ordered to restore his home to its original condition. Today he is condemned by the Court of Cassation, France’s highest court : he has to recondition his outer walls or pay a compensation.