St James

Newtown, Wellington NZ, March 2012: When it comes to abandonments, it’s hard to beat the forlorn look of a derelict church. The St James Presbyterian church in Newtown was built in the late 19th century, the foundation stone laid in 1900. It’s exterior suggests this place of worship has been left for the dogs, but […]

Burnt Place

Hawera, Taranaki, NZ, June 2012: Another fire gutted building, this time in the town I grew up in, Hawera. The town has seen many major fires over the years, in pre-colonial times and during the early days of “Pakeha” settlement in particular. This led to the building of Hawera’s iconic concrete water tower. The Maori […]

Dorset

Seatoun, Wellington, October 2011: Fort Dorset battery was a former coastal artillery station, built to defend the entrance to Wellington Harbour from a possible naval attack. Construction began prior to the First World War- it was occupied and operational through both wars and up untill the mid 1950’s.

For Sale

Greytown, Wairarapa, NZ, April 2012: The long-derelict former Greytown Hospital is up for sale. Buildings on the historic 1.5 hectare site date back to 1890 and followed the old Florence Nightingale open-ward plan. Most of the asbestos has now been removed and the main building earthquake strengthened. The hospital (which closed in 1995) had originally […]

Hotel du Commerce

Limoges, France, 2004: This hotel in Limoges had seen better days. Here’s to good times ahead for France… Nous ne manquerons pas vous Sarkozy- félicitations et bonne chance Hollande!

The Clinic Pt.1

Wellington, NZ, March 2012: A former nurses home and later a ‘clinic’, this building is just another one of many recently condemned buildings around Wellington for being earthquake prone. No surprises really after the 6.3 magnitude earthquake that devastated our South island Capital of Christchurch on February 22nd last year- claiming 185 lives… Canon EOS […]

Skate Park

Newtown, Wellington NZ, March 2012: Found this abandoned skate park behind the Wellington hospital recently. Easily the most forlorn looking playground of sorts I’ve come across- I think…A week or so later I went back for another look- the sound of a skakeboard meant it wasn’t so abandoned after all…

Tip Top

Newtown, Wellington, NZ, March 2012: This is the abandoned Tip Top bread factory in Newtown. I’m unable to confirm the date of its closure- but it must be a few years at the very least, going by it’s current state… The interior is fairly well locked up- the exterior and grounds a popular canvas with local […]

Holiday In Beirut

Beirut, Lebanon, November 2005: While holidaying in Beirut in 2005- my first venture downtown inevitably ended under the towering, war ravaged hulk of the Holiday Inn… The Holiday Inn was just one of the many hotels that became infamous during the conflict known as the Battle of the Hotels or (Front des Hotels)– a brutal […]