By Nick Mafi for Architectural Digest.
Photographers who capture images of abandoned sites are often referred to as urban explorers, and through their lenses, we are able to witness how at one time, certain communities and industries thrived before falling into collapse. Although the U.S. is a relatively young country, it possesses a storied history of decaying structures. For Chicago-based photographer Eric Holubow, documenting these derelict buildings was a way to immortalize bygone eras. "There was also something of a rush going into the unknown," says Holubow. "It made me feel privileged to see these places that, by definition, so few people did anymore." From the beautiful Uptown Theater in Chicago to Packard Auto Plant in Detroit, Holubow's haunting images are a testament to Leonardo da Vinci's centuries-old proclamation that "art is never finished, only abandoned." Pictured here is The Uptown Theater, Chicago.
Packard Auto Plant, Detroit.
J. N. Adam Tuberculosis Sanatorium, Buffalo.
Schlitz Industrial Park Brewery House, Milwaukee.
Michigan Central Station, in Detroit.
Eastown Theater, Detroit.
St. Bethlehem's Church, St. Louis.
Hyde Park Hospital, Chicago.
Lawndale Theater, Lawndale, Illinois.
St. Laurence Church and School, Chicago.
Click here for even more beautiful abandoned buildings on ArchDigest.com.
More from Architectural Digest:
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.