UrbanEyes: Decay: International

I love the beauty in decay.

For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated in the decay of old buildings, particularly of old colonial era buildings. Growing up in South East Asia I was fortunate to be able to see prime examples of the slow decay of British, Dutch, and French colonial architecture along with magnificent historical ruins.

Decay adds character. History. A sense of mystery.

Cambodia

These pictures I took of Angkor Wat in Cambodia illustrate the decay of one of the oldest ruins in the world. It is hard to describe in words the feeling buildings such as this invoke in me, but it is a sense of raw history, mystery, and the beauty of the natural elements wearing away the stone that I find alluring.

China

Old brass pegs on a newly painted door

Fresh coat of bright paint

I came across this alley way and was instantly attracted to the decay I saw.

My experience in Beijing, China in comparison left a little more to be desired. While the Great Wall, Forbidden City, and the Temple of Heaven were undoubtedly old, they failed to evoke the sense of mystery and history that I had so desperately hoped. The clean smooth stone, wiped clean of any green moss and stripped of the natural climbing vines displayed very little in terms of age and character. There was very little stimulus around to make remember how old and how ancient this wonder of the world was. The Temple of Heaven, like the red doors of the Forbidden City, erased any form or decay and age with its bright repainted façade. Inside the Forbidden City, everything had been sanitized and renovated, removing so much of the character I had anticipated. It was difficult to close my eyes and picture what these places were like back in the day.

Indonesia