(7) Ghost Towns of the American West are what come to mind for many when they think of abandoned settlements. However, there are fascinating abandonments all over the world. Some of these have a clear historical reason for being deserted, while the abandonment of others remains a mystery. Here are six more amazing examples of urban deserts from around the globe.
Have you ever been drawn to the calm beauty of abandoned buildings, or even tempted to explore forbidden structures in the urban landscape? For some, urban exploration is a hobby or even a mission. Many urban explorers are also adept photographers who create amazing images showing the beauty of abandoned spaces.
An estimated 100 million people worldwide are "homeless" ... but what is homelessness? Is a squatter homeless? What about someone who stays in a shelter each night? A Web Urbanist article on creatively designed homeless dwellings sparked a lively debate on this subject, which ended up being far longer than the article itself. However, each commenter seemed to understand the nature and problems of homelessness in a different way. Everyone knows that there are people on the streets without a choice as well as nomadic cultures and migrant workers. Few people realize, though, how many nomadic urbanists there are - those who choose atypical ways of dwelling (within or between cities) that involve no fixed residence.
Urban centers typically discourage homeless people from sleeping public spaces - without necessarily providing alternatives. However, some activist artists, designers and architects have developed clever innovations that challenge conventional ideas of homelessness and modes of dwelling. Regardless of your view of street dwellers or opinion regarding the best solutions to these problems, suspend your judgment for a moment to take in these extremely cool designs!
