4x5inch Benidorm
4x5inch Brasilia
5x4inch Sao Paulo
Monuments that have withstood the passage of time are scattered throughout the vast emptiness of the Spanish landscape.
Rocks and remnants that reveal mystical narratives, tales of conquest, the reclamation of territories and sights of industrial progress.
Taken over by nature, their human impact fades, blending seamlessly into the landscape or standing as out of place objects, possessing a strange beauty.
Why do we preserve them?
These buildings and stones, blending seamlessly into the landscape or standing as out of place objects.
The sites chosen for these pictures are those that are lesser-known and less ordinary, highlighting the many ruins that remain unexplored but are still preserved, despite their limited historical documentation.
And again, why weren’t they completely erased from the landscape?
What compels us to leave them standing?
Perhaps they evoke a sense of awe, fear,
or respect—testaments to the endurance of the human spirit, partially swallowed by nature but still standing. Maybe these stones speak to us of the future—of space travel, aliens, and the vastness of the skies.
Upon closer inspection, some might even remind us of a sci-fi landscape, an analog of Mars on our planet.
What do we see when we look back at the past?
How do we perceive it?
Is the weight of time upon us, or is it perhaps a tiger’s leap into the past?
Walter Benjamin suggests the possibility of viewing time as non-linear and non-sequential, allowing us to see the past as a creative force and the present as an open door to new possibilities for contemporary change.
Maybe the image of the ruin challenges us to think in terms of Benjamin’s tiger’s leap, to understand tales and stories, myths and legends, our historical past, as part of a temporal continuum—a lens through which we can interrogate our contemporary present.
Work in progress
Birdwatching diary during lockdown of Barcelona.
I share with our neighbours a communal roof top which we can excess from time to time.
The roof top had become my favourite spot during lockdown.
We are surrounded by beautiful birds, that we never noticed since the 20 years.
Normally I hear the sound of a busy city which for the time being has been replaced by twittering of birds…
The Colossus of Prora, more commonly referred to simply as “Prora,” is a massive architectural complex located in the municipality of Binz on the island of Rügen, Germany. Constructed by Nazi Germany between 1936 and 1939 as part of the Strength Through Joy (Kraft durch Freude or KdF) initiative, it comprised eight identical buildings stretching 4.5 km parallel to the beach, with surviving structures covering 3.0 km..
Although originally intended as a holiday resort, construction was left incomplete, and the complex was never utilized for its intended purpose. Instead, Prora became a significant tool for Nazi propaganda, with the regime glorifying the immense effort put into its construction as symbolic of their own strength and power.
Following World War II, the complex served various military functions, initially under the Soviet Army, then the East German Volksarmee, and later the German Bundeswehr. Today, it accommodates a sizable youth hostel, a hotel, and holiday apartments.
Designated as a significant heritage site, Prora stands as a stark reminder of Nazi architecture and ideology.
People who live in caves shaped by lava
Shanty town in Madrid
When I first met the inhabitants of the “Chabolas,” I had to contact the “chief” of the gypsy community.
He advised me to seek permission from each family specifically to take pictures.
I was deeply impressed by how the interiors of the huts were arranged.
It revealed a world of fantasy and creative improvisation to me. There are hardly any standards of the so-called modern world, which generally reflects a high degree of equality dictated by design.
In many huts, Tetra Pak material was used as wallpaper, which sealed the huts against humidity.
Additionally, one of the owners told me that he loves the colorful atmosphere created by the empty juice containers.
Each family has constructed their own hut, with the support of their neighbors.
The population of the “Chabolas” are like little islands surrounded by jammed motorways and new expensive suburban housing. Their strong sense of common life is organised by their own rules and traditions.
The ¨Chabolas¨ I photographed stood out as an anomaly in comparison to the “dire conditions” that these populations typically endure.
I photographed the documentary for Colors Magazine in 2003.
The dream to create a new capital for Brazil started in 1846, when the country gained independence from Portugal.
In the 1550s and 60s, under president Kubitchek, was built the futuristic capital city of Brasil, in the dry plains of Central Brasil, 600 kilometers away from
the nearest coast.
Brasilia’s creators, Oscar Niemeyer and urban planner Lucio Costa created a vast piece of contemporary art and a utopian model of an egalitarian modern
city. It was built in a very short time with the help of thousands of workers who built the “superquadras” which divided the city into living, working and
entertainment sectors.
Brasilien, Brasilia, Hauptstadt, Architektur, Archtiekt, Oscar Niemeyer, Distrito Federal do Brasil, Stadtplanner, Lúcio Costa, UNESCO Weltkulturerbe.Engl.:Brazil, Brasilia, capital, architecture, archtiect, Oscar Niemeyer, Distrito Federal do Brasil, ci
Brasilien, Brasilia, Hauptstadt, Architektur, Archtiekt, Oscar Niemeyer, Distrito Federal do Brasil, Stadtplanner, Lúcio Costa, UNESCO Weltkulturerbe.Engl.:Brazil, Brasilia, capital, architecture, archtiect, Oscar Niemeyer, Distrito Federal do Brasil, ci
Brasilien, Brasilia, Hauptstadt, Architektur, Archtiekt, Oscar Niemeyer, Distrito Federal do Brasil, Stadtplanner, Lúcio Costa, UNESCO Weltkulturerbe.Engl.:Brazil, Brasilia, capital, architecture, archtiect, Oscar Niemeyer, Distrito Federal do Brasil, ci
Brasilien, Brasilia, Hauptstadt, Architektur, Archtiekt, Oscar Niemeyer, Distrito Federal do Brasil, Stadtplanner, Lúcio Costa, UNESCO Weltkulturerbe.Engl.:Brazil, Brasilia, capital, architecture, archtiect, Oscar Niemeyer, Distrito Federal do Brasil, ci
The city is the capital of the Punjab region which is placed north of Delhi.
It was created in the early 50´s by a team of architects headed by Le Corbusier, Jane Drew and Maxwell Fry.
The idea was to build a new city in the foothills of the Himalayas that fused Modern Movement and Garden City ideals.
Most of the Government buildings and Monuments were designed by Le Corbusier in his unique style.
India, Chandigarh, City designed by Le Corbusier and his team in the 50s. PGI Hospital, detail.
Chandigarh open hand
Concrete Jungle Chandigarh
India, Chandigarh, City designed by Le Corbusier and his team in the 50s. Chandigarh Architecture Museum
India, Chandigarh, City designed by Le Corbusier and his team in the 50s. Atifical Sukhna Lake
Indien, Chandigarh, Stadt, entworfen von Le Corbusier und seinem Team in den 50er Jahren. Öffentlicher Park in Sektor 22D.Engl.:India, Chandigarh, City designed by Le Corbusier and his team in the 50s. Public Park in Sector 22D.
Indien, Chandigarh, Stadt, entworfen von Le Corbusier und seinem Team in den 50er Jahren. Sector 17. Bus Station. an..Engl.:India, Chandigarh, city, designed by Le Corbusier and his team in the 50s. Sector 17. Commercial Sector. Inter state Bus terminal
