Welcome to the 19th edition of our weekly link round-up, showcasing a selection of awesome articles from our friends, partners and sites we like around the web.  This week’s edition looks at a range of interesting finds from urban and recycled art to naturally occurring fractal patterns, creepy abandoned leper colonies and forgotten theatres.

The Abandoned Hulme Hippodrome Theatre, Manchester (Skyliner)

New York City’s Eerie Abandoned Leper Colony (Mail Online)

The Fractal Patterns of Landscapes Devastated by Drought (Environmental Graffiti)

Abandoned Boats, Ships and Docks (WebUrbanist)

Crashed B-17 Bomber, Papua New Guinea (Flickr)

Monkdogz Urban Art Gallery, New York City (Monkdogz)

NYC Subway: Redbirds Underwater (Urbanartcore.eu)

Barry Train Scrapyard, Wales (The Great Western Archive)

7 Abandoned Castles, Chateaux and Mansions (AOL Travel)

Architectural Salvage (Recycling the Past)

Known as prison ships or “prison hulks”, these decomissioned vessels were used by Britain during the 18th and 19th centuries to house prisoners of war and those awaiting transportation to penal colonies. Rife with death, disease and despair, prison ships reflect a less-than-proud corner of Britain’s impressive maritime history. Moreover, some converted hulks were among the Royal Navy’s most celebrated vessels, from veterans of Trafalgar to the ship that took George Vancouver to the west coast of North America (HMS Discovery, above; below: HMS York).

(Image: Edward William Cooke, public domain)

History and use during the American War of Independence

Wikipedia maintains a full list of Britain’s prison hulks, many of which were moored in colonies from Gibraltar and Antigua to Bermuda and the United States. Due to their atrocious conditions, more Americans died aboard British prison ships through deliberate neglect than in every battle of the American War of Independence combined.

One decomissioned hulk, present at the Battle of Lagos in 1759, was HMS Jersey. Inmate Christopher Vail, of Southold, NY, later wrote: “When a man died he was carried up on the forecastle and laid there until the next morning at 8 o’clock when they were all lowered down the ship sides by a rope… in the same manner as tho’ they were beasts. They were carried on shore in heaps… then… carried to the edge of the bank, where a hole was dug one or two feet deep and all hove in together.”

(Images: David Wyatt, cc-sa-3.0; John D. Hume, cc-sa-3.0)

So infamous were the prison ships that monuments to those who suffered and died in horrific circumstances below their decks have been erected on both sides of the Atlantic.  The above image shows the Prison Ship Martyrs’ Monument at Fort Greene Park in Brooklyn, and the Covenanters’ Memorial at Deerness, Orkney.

Napoleonic Wars

(Images: Sir Charles Locke Eastlake, public domain; John James Chalon, public domain)

Prison ships were moored at various British ports, including Woolwich, Deptford, Portsmouth and Chatham. Many were former warships, such as the man-of-war HMS Bellerophon, on whose deck Napoleon Bonaparte surrendered to Captain Frederick Maitland in 1815.  A veteran of the Battle of Trafalgar, Bellerophon was renamed HMS Captivity in 1824. Maritime historians estimate that some 12,845 French prisoners died on British hulks between 1803 and 1814 due to a combination of neglect, starvation and disease.  (Below: HMS Warrior.)

(Image: author unknown, public domain)

The Fighting Temeraire

Arguably one of Britain’s most famous vessels to end up a prison hulk was HMS Temeraire, a 98-gun second-rate ship of the line and subject of J.M.W. Turner’s famous painting The Fighting Temeraire. The work symbolises the end of an era as the distinguished warship and veteran of Trafalgar is towed to the breakers yard by a steam-powered tug.

(Image: J.M.W. Turner via The National Gallery, public domain)

The ghostly appearance of Temeraire contrasts with the industrial bleakness of the tugboat. But in reality the masts and rigging that rise in stately splendour had been removed when the ship became a prison hulk at Chatham Dockyard. Employing artistic license, Turner created a painting beloved by the British people that symbolised the passing of an epoch in maritime history, while steering us away from the less glorious aspects of HMS Temeraire’s past.

New South Wales and later uses

(Images: via Longhair, public domain; UK Government, public domain)

In addition to prison hulks (like HMS Success, above), decommissioned vessels were also used as juvenile detention facilities in New South Wales, Australia. Meanwhile, more modern prison ships survived into the 20th century, including cruise liners in Portsmouth Harbour during World War One. Suspected Northern Irish paramilitaries were held on former depot ship HMS Maidstone (above right) during the 1970s, and the UK established a new prison ship – HMS Weare – in 1997 to temporarily ease overcrowding in conventional prisons.

Suisun Bay’s Awesome Ghost Fleet Photographed from Above

Abandoned Midget Submarines, Aberlady Bay, Scotland

Ship Graveyards: Abandoned Ships, Boats and Shipyards

Forgotten Soviet Submarine Graveyard on the Kola Peninsula

This retired train from 1960s London may not be travelling anymore, but it’s still serving London commuters every day! Inside the disused carriage is one of London’s most unique eateries, The Deptford Project cafe. Currently sitting in the old railway yard of Deptford Station, The Depford Project aims to bring some life and activity back into the formerly abandoned space.

(Image: Ewan Munro (website: Pubology), cc-nc-nd-3.0)

Fully decked out in bespoke decorations and brightly-painted furniture, The Deptford Project cafe has served many visitors who have flocked to the area for music and film events throughout the past year. The interior artwork features images inspired by local history, including pictures reflecting Deptford’s ship building industry and livestock transportation. Food is locally sourced, and the cafe has been a big hit among locals and visitors.

(Image: Mike Quinn, cc-sa-3.0)

The use of space in the old carriage has maximized customer seating and offers plenty of natural light. A garden shed outside the carriage houses modern toilet facilities (as well as a lot of Elvis memorabilia!).

(Images: Ewan Munro (Pubology), cc-nc-nd-3.0; kenjonbro, cc-nc-3.0)

While creative uses of abandoned space are popping up the world over, it’s nice to see an abandoned train brought back to life for the modern age.

Visit www.thedeptfordproject.com for more info.

5 Creatively Recycled and DIY 747s

Bars, Restaurants and Avante Garde: 5 Fashionable Former Public Toilets

Creative Conversions: Shed of the Year 2011 Awards

6 Creatively Converted Chapels and Churches

When the small Norfolk parishes of Fulmodeston and Croxton were merged during the 1880s, a new church was built to serve the wider congregation. St Mary’s church in Fulmodeston and Croxton’s St John the Baptist chapel were thus abandoned, but their haunting ruins can still be seen, hiding beneath a wall of ivy and providing a refuge for owls and foxes.

These images by photographer Jon Ellis show a sturdy 14th century structure devoid of its roof but otherwise intact. Derelict for over a century, St Mary’s tower stands wrapped in ivy which has overcome much of the nave. Some headstones remain upright while others have fallen within a graveyard so overgrown that passers-by might easily miss it.

Now a haven for foxes and tawny owls, the abandoned church‘s concealed location and ornate stone work make for a haunting presence in parish of Fulmodeston-cum-Croxton. (Images courtesy of Jon Ellis.  Be sure to check out Jon’s website and blog.

6 Creatively Converted Chapels and Churches

The Semi Submerged Church at Curon Venosta

Crumbling History: 8 Abandoned Churches

Flower Power: Abandoned Buildings (& Objects) Transformed by Foliage

The latest installment of our weekly link round-up featuring great content from our friends, partners and sites we admire takes a look at painted elephants in Jaipur, reclaimed coffee tables and graffiti’s vandalism vs. art divide, to name but a few.

Extraordinary Inventions: Victorian-Era Prank Machines (Dark Roasted Blend)

Abandoned Hollywood Theater Hidden Above NY Shop (WebUrbanist)

Awesome LEGO Sculptures by Mike Doyle (Snap)

John Ellis Photography – Fragments of the World (JonEllis.portfoliobox.net)

Jaipur’s Elephant Festival: One Jumbo Sized Beauty Pageant! (Environmental Graffiti)

Incredible Abandoned Theatre Photography (After the Final Curtain)

Coffee Tables from Reclaimed Wood Come with Built-In Gardens (Treehugger)

When Agricultural Landscapes Become Patchwork Quilts (Environmental Graffiti)

Alternative Artists Take Over Toronto Hotel (Treehugger)

Exploring Graffiti’s Art vs. Vandalism Divide (Atlanta Journal Constitution)

To date Urban Ghosts has featured all manner of forgotten spaces, from abandoned mansions and cottages to crumbling hospitals and insane asylums, but abandoned frat houses are a first for us!  Located in Bethany, West Virginia, this former fraternity house  belongs to Bethany College, which was founded in 1840 and is the oldest higher education institution in the state.

(Image: Ryan Stanton, cc-nd-3.0)

The private liberal arts college’s 1,300 acre campus lies 50 minutes drive from Pittsburgh and was the birthplace of the Delta Tau Delta fraternity in 1858.  In total, five social fraternities and three sororities account for around 40 per cent of the student body.  This grand mansion appears to be in good condition amid well-maintained grounds, meaning it will hopefully one day be occupied again.

The Three Beautiful Abandoned Mansions of County Galway

Abandoned Mansions, Farms and Ghost Towns

Exploring Mysterious Abandoned Mansions

Mike Doyle’s Abandoned Victorian Houses – Built Entirely from Lego

(Image by Scott Carey, all rights reservedcc-nc-nd-3.0)

If one city could hold the title of Urban Decay Capital of the Western World, it would arguably be Detroit. Despite a revitalized downtown, various urban renewal efforts have failed to save many of the Motor City’s troubled neighbourhoods. Surveys have revealed a staggering percentage of residential lots either vacant or unsuitable for occupancy, and a 2010 plan escalated the clearing of entire neighbourhoods to effectively “downsize” the city.

(Images by Scott Carey, cc-nc-nd-3.0)

Scott Carey has documented a selection of Detroit’s abandoned houses on largely depopulated streets. In some cases, the dilapidated structures are the last ones standing in their immediate neighbourhoods, as adjoining buildings have already met the wrecking ball.

(Image by Scott Carey, cc-nc-nd-3.0; lower, all rights reserved)

Now a paradise for urban explorers, Detroit was America’s fourth largest city during the 1950s, a boom town riding the wave of automotive production. But decades later, and exaccerbated by the economic downturn of 2008, the city’s considerable modern ruins have multiplied.

(Image by Scott Carey, cc-nc-nd-3.0)

Some streets boast more abandoned residences than occupied ones. Elsewhere, isolated homes stand amid vast swaths of green that now blanket areas of suburban detroit, lonely reminders of neighbourhoods past and harbingers of demolition yet to come.

Some of them even resemble artist Mike Doyle’s acclaimed abandoned homes – built entirely from LEGO!

Michigan Theater: Detroit’s Famous Renaissance-style Parking Garage

Abandoned Vanity Ballroom: Detroit’s “Most Beautiful Dance Rendezvous”

“Ghosts of the Grande”: Detroit’s Abandoned Rock and Roll Palace

Crumbling Elegance: The Towering Ruins of Detroit, Michigan

Many cities use colour to great effect in their architecture, but not many go to such an extent as these! Using all the colours of the rainbow, these seven cities from around the world are a bright and welcoming sight for travellers and residents alike.

Marrakesh, Morocco

(Images: Martin Varsavsky, cc-3.0; Solea20, cc-nc-sa-3.0; Michal Osmenda, cc-sa-3.0)

Known as the Ochre, Red or Rose City, Marrakesh is home to many beautiful pieces of architecture, with its walls, alleys and palaces all painted in stunning rustic colours. Based at the bottom of the spectacular Atlas Mountains, Marrakesh’s exotic sights, sounds, and smells have enchanted tourists for decades, with millions flocking to visit every year.

Amer, India

(Images: Saad.Achtar, cc-nc-nd-3.0 & cc-sa-3.0)

Also known as “amber” for its bright, golden buildings, Amer was a city of its own right in ancient Rajasthan before becoming part of the Jaipur Municipal Corporation. The structure which now stands as the Amber Fort was originally a palace built by the great conqueror Raja Man Singh I. Inside, the beautifully painted buildings glow with light: a spectacular sight from every angle.

Izamal, Mexico

(Image: Brian Snelson, cc-3.0)

Nicknamed “The Yellow City”, visitors won’t be able to help noticing the expanse of colour on almost every building! Izamal is located right in the middle of the Yucatan peninsula and is home to an array of beautiful buildings. Almost all of the structures were painted an egg-yolk yellow after Pope Jean Paul II visited the city in 1993, and the impact of this amazing city is undeniable as a result.

Seattle, USA

(Images: leezbtv, cc-3.0; Wonderlane, cc-3.0)

Surrounded by lush, green forests, it’s no surprise how Seattle came to be known as The Emerald City. As well as its acres of parkland and green spaces, Seattle is currently among the leading cities when it comes to action against climate change in the US. By conserving their urban forestry, providing education to schools and workplaces, and committing to sustainable redevelopment, they’ve established themselves as a truly green city in more ways than one.

Jodhpur, India

(Images: The Dilly Lama, cc-3.0; C+H, cc-sa-3.0)

The second largest city in Rajasthan, Jodhpur is known as the “Blue City” for its array of spectacular blue painted houses which sit around the Mehrangarh Fort. According to ancient regulations, blue was the colour which signified the Bhraman or Priest Class, however non-Brahmins soon followed suit with their own properties. Now, the landscape of Jodhpur is resplendent in indigo: a spectacular sight from the top of the nearby hills.

Jaipur, India

(Images: xiquinhosilva, cc-sa-3.0; Russ Bowling, cc-3.0)

Known as “The Pink City”, the beautiful ancient city of Jaipur is a very famous site for tourists with a whole host of forts and monuments to visit. Rose pink houses with lattice windows line the streets, providing an almost enchanting view, which is especially magical at sunset. Surrounded on all sides by rugged hills and ancient embattled walls, Jaipur’s stunning architecture fully reflects its glorious history.

White City, Tel Aviv, Israel

(Images: Or Hiltch, cc-3.0; Paul-Simpson.org (Flickr, cc-3.0); Avishai Teicher, cc-3.0)

Not technically a city in its own right, Tel Aviv’s White City refers to a collection of Bauhaus buildings designed by German Jewish settlers who immigrated to the city after the rise of the Nazis. The amazing art deco buildings, have now been named a World Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO. Designed in stunning white to reflect the heat, the buildings represent the largest collection of art deco architecture in the world.

Bo-Kaap: Cape Town’s Most Colourful Historic Suburb

6 Colourful Capitals of the World

Vernacular Architecture on Scotland’s Remote Isle of Tiree

Recycled Wild West Architecture: Rhyolite’s “Bottle House”

Named Pibroch after a genre of melodic Gaelic music that has enjoyed a revival in recent times, this abandoned boat left the ocean behind many years ago.  Moored alongside a jetty near the village of Letterfrack in Connemara, the rusting hulk  may not be the only forgotten fishing vessel to be found along Ireland’s west coast, but it’s certainly one of the largest.

(Images: Rob Fahey, cc-sa-3.0)

Pibroch’s bow and gears, which once aided in the deployment and retrieval of fishing nets, show the extent of corrosion that inevitably befalls unused vessels in this harsh north Atlantic environment.

Fishing continues in Connemara

While it’s tempting – and somewhat clichéd - to say that Pibroch, now a local landmark, might be seen as a monument to the decline of fishing in Ireland and Britain, the fact is that many traditional Connemara boats (or carrachs) continue to fish these waters.

(Images: Graham Horn (top, bottom), cc-sa-3.0)

Tavira’s Enigmatic Anchor Graveyard, Portugal	10 Amazing “Above-Water” Shipwrecks	Diving the Spectacular Japanese Ship Graveyard of Truk Lagoon, Micronesia	Ozlem: a Surprisingly Colourful Shipwreck
World Discoverer: The Solomon Islands Cruise Ship Wreck	Ghost Ship: SS Independence, RIP	Ship Graveyards: Abandoned Ships, Boats and Shipyards	Suisun Bay’s Awesome Ghost Fleet Photographed from Above

Readers need look no further than the homepage of this website to see the extent of urban decay and abandonment in our towns and cities.  But even thriving communities are plagued by potholes that local authorities never seem to fix.  Enter pothole gardener Steve Wheen, whose charming creations put a decidedly floral spin on the concept of urban interventionism in London.

Unlike other pothole gardeners who stick to flowers in a bid to beautify the urban disrepair, this guerrilla gardener goes a step further by adding, among other things, miniature benches, road signs and tennis courts.  Speaking to Treehugger, Wheen explained how he ”fills potholes in roads and sidewalks with soil and living plants, decorating the spaces with miniature props to create tiny worlds.”

His pothole gardens have featured on various sites across the web and blogosphere, including DesignBoom and inhabitat.  Some point out that the potholes shouldn’t be there in the first place, while others focus on the overall benefit the tiny arrangements bring to the built environment.

Whatever your take, these charming little worlds are enjoyed by passers-by and help create community, while at the same time serving to ”highlight how crap our roads and footpaths are.”

Living Streets, in an article titled “Why we love the pothole gardener“, said: “To us, the pothole gardener represents the kind of thing Living Streets wants to see more of – small and beautiful things that make people take a moment out of their busy day to smile and appreciate their community.”

All images courtesy of Steve Wheen (Flickr).  Be sure to check out his video below!

Flower Power: Abandoned Buildings (& Objects) Transformed by Foliage

Wild Cars: 14 Abandoned Vehicles that have Officially Gone Green

Glass House Made from Recycled Windows in Copenhagen’s Freetown Christiania Commune

Recycled Wild West Architecture: Rhyolite’s “Bottle House”

Abandoned railways are often associated with decaying urban areas, or scenic rural routes re-purposed as public trails. So if you’re hiking across the boggy moorland of the Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park in Scotland, you may be surprised to stumble across the old Duchal Moor Railway, a seven mile-long narrow gauge route built in 1922, better known as the Grouse Moor Line.

(Images: wfmillar; Gordon Dowie; cc-sa-3.0)

As the name suggests, the line was built to transport grouse hunters to various shooting butts dotted across the moor. Spearheaded by Scottish industrialist and shipbuilder Sir James Lithgow, 1st Baronet, construction was launched to help keep men employed when ship orders declined after the First World War.

(Image: wfmillar, cc-sa-3.0)

The two-foot gauge tracks were sourced from former wartime and colliery stock, while the wooden sleepers supporting them were recycled from dismantled warships. Two petrol-driven 20 hp locomotives were purchased to operate on the Grouse Moor Line, having allegedly served at an ordnance factory at Gretna.

(Image: wfmillar, cc-sa-3.0)

The engines and passenger carriages were stored at Hardridge Farm, where the line began. Three branches extended across Duchal Moor – one northwards to the Laverock Stone, another west to the Laird’s Seat and a third south to Smeath Hill.

(Images: wfmillar (left, right), cc-sa-3.0)

The now-derelict Grouse Moor Line survived until the late 1970s. The engine shed, platform remains and rails can still be seen, though largely covered in peat or swallowed-up by heather. While the tracks north of Hardridge Hill have been removed, much of the infrastructure – including point levers and a small viaduct constructed from two iron girders and wooden sleepers, remain intact.

Railroad to Nowhere: 10 Haunting Abandoned Railway Lines

Abandoned Railway Hotel/Brady’s Bar, Brixton

Abandoned Railways, Trains, Stations, Tunnels & Bridges

Stalin’s “Railway of Bones”

Illustrating the town of Chaiten which was destroyed by a volcanic mud-flow (above), this week’s  link round-up covers a range of topics from natural disasters and forgotten monuments to urban art and urban exploration – enjoy!

City-scapes, Urban Spaces and Community Identity (Nigel Bendle Art)

Surgical Intervention Maximizes Space in Abandoned Barn (Dornob)

The Chilean Town Engulfed by a Volcanic Mudflow (Environmental Graffiti)

23 Fascinating and Forgotten Monuments from Yugoslavia (Twisted Sifter)

Tour of a Cold War Nuclear Missile Silo (Phil Dorsett)

Night Visions: The Art of Urban Exploration (Boing Boing)

16 Typographic Works of Urban Art (WebUrbanist)

Vintage Ice Cream Trucks (Dark Roasted Blend)

10 Incredible Recycled Steampunk Wasps (Environmental Graffiti)

Abandoned Places in the World (Directory Journal)

Sheffield‘s modern ruins have featured prominently in earlier articles, but one Victorian abandonment we keep returning to is the historic General Cemetery. We’re heading back there now to give you an exclusive glimpse inside the derelict Anglican Chapel, which was bricked-up after the last burial took place there in 1978.

When Sheffield-based photographer Nigel Bendle visited the abandoned chapel, he discovered that a hole had been smashed through the concrete masonry which normally sealed the entrance. Taking advantage of this rare opportunity, Nigel captured what must be among the only images detailing the current condition of the Angican Chapel’s interior.

The result is a neglected structure eerily frozen in time. Hidden by cinder blocks, the original Gothic-style oak door still adorns the entrance. The graffiti scrawled across the interior walls includes the U.K. Subs and Alternative TV, both early English punk bands formed in 1976 – around the same time the now gutted chapel was abandoned.

Nigel – seen above lending some scale to the building’s cavernous shell – commented: “Some buildings, even when derelict, carry a sense of their history or original majesty. Inside, this chapel failed to do that. It felt very sad and neglected, it was gloomy and smelled of damp, bird droppings and dead pigeons.”

Unlike the cemetery’s other buildings, constructed in the classical tradition, the Anglican Chapel (designed in 1848 by William Flockton) is Gothic in style and features an oversized steeple that was intended to be noticed from a distance.

The Friends of the General Cemetery does an excellent job of preserving this important slice of Sheffield’s Victorian past with limited resources. The Anglican Chapel has been arsoned over the years; its holed roof is nominally protected by a tarpaulin. Urban Ghosts firmly hopes the building can eventually be re-purposed like these six creatively converted chapels and churches.

All images courtesy of Nigel Bendle, reproduced with permission.

6 Abandoned Buildings and Places in Sheffield, UK

The Land Time Forgot: Sheffield General Cemetery

Crumbling History: 8 Abandoned Churches

Cities of the Dead: 7 Sinister Ossuaries

Tucked away on a patch of wasteland in Glebe, New South Wales, the remains of six historic Sydney trams sit side by side in the abandoned Rozelle Tram Depot.  Scrawled with graffiti and gutted from the inside, the trams date back to the 1930s when they were part of a network of streetcars operating across Sydney.

(Images: Adam.J.W.C. (top, bottom), cc-sa-3.0)

Former plans had hoped to see them restored to their original glory and used as part of a heritage tramway which would run through The Rocks.  However, the scheme was scrapped and new owners, Mirvac, plan to use the site for medium density housing.

(Images: Adam.J.W.C.; Wykymania; cc-sa-3.0; )

The depot itself dates back to 1904 and is the largest tram depot remaining in the state of New South Wales. There have been protests against the proposals to demolish the property, and a petition was set up to stop the construction.

(Image: Adam.J.W.C. (top, bottom), cc-sa-3.0)

What will happen to the trams in the future is unclear.  Despite the protests from local residents about vandalism and disrespect for history, there is no doubt about the stunning impact of the trams and the depot as they look now.  Brightly marked from every angle, they stand as individual works of modern urban art against a backdrop of Sydney’s history.

Abandoned Trolleys, Streetcars and Tramways

Abandoned Streetcars, Red Hook, Brooklyn

Surbexing DC: Abandoned Washington and Great Falls Electric Railroad

Ghost Stations: 9 Abandoned Subways and Rapid Transit Systems

Mirror art and other reflective installations and sculptures come in all manner of creative forms.  Turning our world upside down, creating strange optical phenomena and challenging our spacial awareness, such installations draw us in and encourage us to interact with the artwork and the broader environment.  Here we take a look at three examples of mirror art that bring the sky to earth, multiply surroundings and reveal hidden doorways through which to explore.

Sky Mirror by Anish Kapoor

(Images: Superhasn, public domain; Brad Patrick; Gaius Cornelius; cc-sa-3.0)

First commissioned by the Nottingham Playhouse, Sky Mirror was unveiled in 2001.  The most expensive civic art installation funded by the National Lottery at the time, the concave stainless steel sculpture, manufactured in Finland, cost £900,000.  In 2006 a larger 23 ton Sky Mirror appeared at Rockefeller Center in New York City.  Reflecting the inverted skyscrapers, the sculpture brought “the sky down to the ground”, said artist Anish Kapoor.  Versions can also be seen in St. Petersburg, Russia and Kensington Gardens, London.  The latter controversially cost UK taxpayers £120,000 to cover 24-hour security for six months.

Follow Me by Jeppe Hein

(Image: Stephen Bear, reproduced with permission)

Located in the grounds of Royal Fort House at the University of Bristol, this mesmerising public art installation by Danish artist Jeppe Hein comprises a square labyrinth of 76 vertical polished steel plates. Hein’s inspiration for the sculpture, known as “Follow Me”, was drawn from the historic gardens designed by Sir Humphry Repton, and the university’s role as a place of self-discovery.

(Image: Stephen Bear, reproduced with permission)

Bristol University issued a press release stating: “Visitors will be encouraged to enter the labyrinth to experience the effect of the work. Once inside, the reflections of participants and surrounding plants and trees are multiplied.”

Mirror Lab 2.1 by VAV Architects

(Images: Miquel Merce, via VAV Architects, reproduced with permission)

Walking towards the passageway that connects one side of the Bridge de Sant Roc in Olot, Spain, to the other, you’ll soon discover that the world you see before you is remarkably similar to where you’ve just been! That’s thanks to a mirrored doorway by VAV Architects.

(Images: Miquel Merce, via VAV Architects, reproduced with permission)

WebUrbanist writes: “The reflective surface gives the illusion that there is nothing new beyond the passageway; there is no hidden world waiting to be discovered, only one that looks remarkably similar to where you’ve just been. The gate pivots on a central pole, allowing explorers to push past it and go on to explore what is really on the other side of the bridge.”

The Amazing Walk-in Roller Coaster: Artistic Duo Create Interactive Sculpture

Miniature Underground City Art by EVOL (Now Removed)

Evil Eyes: Recycled Glass Art

Harrier and Jaguar: Lethal Warplanes Become Fine Art

Urban Ghosts has featured examples of abandoned buildings boasting urban art and architectural installations, from the Tunnel House and Quilted Gas Station to gritty murals and even miniature abandoned cities within real deserted spaces. Mike Doyle’s striking sculptures – abandoned Victorian houses constructed entirely from Lego – are a unique addition to this increasingly popular theme.

(Image: Mike Doyle, all rights reserved, reproduced with permission)

Mike’s houses underscore the theme of man versus nature and visualise in miniature the fact that empty structures – at least without significant upkeep – are no match for the elements. But there’s a deeper meaning also – one of “broken trust and faith”, highlighting the fragility of seemingly strong foundations, physical, ideological or otherwise.

(Image: Mike Doyle, all rights reserved, reproduced with permission)

“For me, this piece speaks to the inherent unpredictability of those things which we call our foundation”, said Mike. “This charming home, lovingly embellished with ornamental fancy was no match for nature. The fancy embellishments serve as a reminder of our earlier focus on the material world, while the aftermath removes us from that focus. The piece offers no answers or necessarily any hope, but rather points to life’s fragility.”

(Image: Mike Doyle, all rights reserved, reproduced with permission)

On a physical level, these beautiful yet decrepit structures remind of Detroit’s abandoned neighbourhoods, where lone buildings awaiting demolition appear somewhat incongruous amid otherwise barren surroundings. Mike Doyle’s work has also been featured on popular websites such as Twisted Sifter, The Source, the Brick Blogger and the Huffington Post.  Visit his website and Flickr account to learn more.

A Different Dimension: The Haunting Photography of Lynne Collins

Urban Art: Unregistered Cities by Jiang Pengyi

EVOL: Street Art Featuring Miniature Abandoned Cities

Flower Power: Abandoned Buildings (& Objects) Transformed by Foliage

California’s Suisun Bay, near San Francisco, has been home to the National Defense Reserve Fleet since the 1950s. Better known as the ghost fleet, this collection of World War Two-era military and merchant vessels has included troopships, tankers and, most famously, the mighty battleship USS Iowa (BB-61) – now set to become a museum ship at the Port of Los Angeles. In this impressive series of photographs, we’ll take a look at the ghost fleet from the air.

(Images: Telstar Logistics (see website), cc-nc-3.0)

Though technically ready for reactivation, it’s unlikely these mothballed ships will ever return to service. Due to environmental concerns, a plan is in place to remove the rusting vessels from Suisun Bay, set to be completed in stages between 2012 and 2017. Meanwhile, a submarine graveyard belonging to America’s Cold War adversary the Soviet Union continues to pollute the icy waters of the Arctic Circle.

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Abandoned Midget Submarines, Aberlady Bay, Scotland

Ship Graveyards: Abandoned Ships, Boats and Shipyards

10 Amazing “Above-Water” Shipwrecks

World Discoverer: The Solomon Islands Cruise Ship Wreck

It’s been an interesting few months for lost aviation artifacts turning up on eBay!  In December 2011 we reported that this still classified A-12 Avenger II canopy had mysteriously come to light.  Now the tail fin of an English Electric Lightning that once occupied pride of place as the “gate guard” at RAF Binbrook in Lincolnshire has been sold via the online auction site.

When RAF Binbrook closed as a military base in 1988, the Lightning F.3  (serial number XP748, pictured above) was sent to the Pendine bombing ranges as a target before its battered remains were finally scrapped.  This happened despite the fact that the jet – which was mounted on a plinth inside Binbrook’s gate – was in good condition at the time of its disposal, and the availability of several gutted “decoy” Lightnings parked out on the airfield.  Ironically, several of these hulks have since been restored.

Lightning enthusiasts in particular will be encouraged by the tail fin’s survival.  It may not be the entire aircraft, but it does underscore that some remains continue to escape the scrap man and that more artifacts may come back from the dead in the future.  Pendine was an undignified end for this awesome machine, but two decades after it was supposedly scrapped, the tail fin fetched £308 on eBay!

Meanwhile, another Lightning that was saved at the eleventh hour during the 1990s has now been restored at RAF Coningsby.  Others, however, have not been so lucky.

End of an Era for Derelict “A1 Lightning” Fighter Jet

Crashed P-38 Lightning: The Maid of Harlech

The Last Lightning, RAF Binbrook

Abandoned Aircraft, Airfields, Airbases and Airport Terminals

In Simon Hopkinson’s urban scenes, he not only shows a compelling vision of unnoticed or derelict areas but also the journey we make through them in our day to day lives. Stairways, roads, and views from train windows are all captured, but there’s no sense of urgency in his spacious and mostly empty scenes. A few lone figures pass through, sipping coffee on train station platforms, or walking through graffitied subways. We, like those figures, are left alone to take our time looking around the stark and beautifully lit areas, noticing things we may not otherwise have seen.

Simon’s interest in the urban landscape began when he moved to Bristol, UK, at the age of 18. You can see his reverence to the city, with all its lesser-known nooks and crannies, only occasionally recognised by its occupants. His choice of including people in his scenes reminds us that we are still looking at a city existing in realtime. The abandoned areas don’t seem forgotten or lonely in his work, they are just quietly existing alongside everything else.

The partnering of the abandoned with the transitory (as with the derelict Post Office building alongside the railway tracks of Temple Meads Station – top), is a perfect allusion to how a city has changed over time and how it will continue to change in the future. Visit www.simonhopkinsonart.co.uk for more information.

Painting Urbex: The Unique Work of Anna King

A Different Dimension: The Haunting Photography of Lynne Collins

See No Evil: The UK’s Largest Urban Street Art Project

Ghost Stations: 9 Abandoned Subways and Rapid Transit Systems

The latest installment – Part 15 – of our popular Top 10 weekly link round-up brings you an assortment of destinations and installations from the creepy to the downright bizarre (and everything in between).  Click the links below to explore abandoned love hotels, creepy urban legends, underground bases and re-purposed buildings.

Empty Buildings No Longer Abandoned (Huffington Post)

7 Creepiest Abandoned Japanese Love Hotels (Environmental Graffiti)

Offbeat Urban and Street Art Photography (Steel City Static)

History and Photography of Abandoned Places in the US (Abandoned Online)

The 14 Worst Travel Destinations of the World (The Wondrous)

Assorted Urban Legends (American Folklore)

From Abandoned Nuclear Silo to Kickass Home (Gizmodo)

The Secret 10-Story Space Rocket Buried in the Swamps of Florida (Environmental Graffiti)

Assorted Urban and Street Art Installations (WebUrbanist)

Underground Bases of the US (Anomalies Unlimited)