Posted by Porcelain Doll architecture.

this, more specifically historic buildings with unique or interesting architecture in an urban setting. modern buildings are kind of bland and uninteresting to me. i get excited for old theaters, train stations, industrial buildings, hotels... I like people places in dense urban environments.

Post by unlighted-zero this, more specifically historic buildings with unique or interesting architecture in an urban setting. modern buildings are kind of bland and uninteresting to me. i get excited for old theaters, train stations, industrial buildings, hotels... I like people places in dense urban environments.

My personal favorite is late 30's to mid 40's art deco, which influenced the 50's as well. Those are some of the best.

Well, in my opinion anyways. Gothic architecture is a next favorite, or anything really intricate.

Posted by Collaro My personal favorite is late 30's to mid 40's art deco, which influenced the 50's as well. Those are some of the best.

Yes, yes and yes, another Art Deco fan! My absolute favourite era of building design. I was lucky enough to explore a huge abandoned university campus in Belgium which was the biggest and most stunning collection of Art Deco buildings I have ever seen.

Posted by enirus I also simply like the aesthetics of anything decaying or being overcome by nature.

This is what I look for - I love the look of nature coming back to overtake buildings.

I try to find locations that have something interesting to take photos of and are low traffic enough (or are secluded once you're inside) that I can take pictures without being disturbed.

Graffiti and vandalism I think can make for interesting photos in the sense of documenting the modern history of a site after it's been abandoned, but I find that the places that get really trashed don't always make for the best pictures.

It's kind of a fine line between shit everywhere that makes for an interesting photo and literal shit everywhere... like, poop on the floor. Yeah, not so much.

Posted by mookster Yes, yes and yes, another Art Deco fan! My absolute favourite era of building design. I was lucky enough to explore a huge abandoned university campus in Belgium which was the biggest and most stunning collection of Art Deco buildings I have ever seen.

Art Deco is the shit. Hate seeing these treasures lost.

I love old industrial places and places that have great architecture. Natural decay is also a huge selling point. A location that has been trashed by scrappers, vandals, etc. has nothing on dust, rust and natural decay. Rural explorations are some of my favorites as well, especially large complex where you feel like the outside world is so very far away.

Give me a large, fairly untouched, rural location during the summer months with plants and trees growing all in and around the buildings. That's my perfect explore!

Not so much abandonment but I enjoy an inactive building that is in great condition with little security for a challenge.

Architecture and oddities. And really anything showing a glimpse of yesteryear.

Ghosts. For sure.

On a more serious note, I prefer color, texture, and little overlooked details. Big open areas/rooms are nice, but I am far happier with places where there's stuff left behind.

Natural decay (OR really interesting graffiti), interesting architecture/history. Any features I think would look good through my camera's lens, really.

Someone earlier said that they like when it's difficult to find a POE. I'd agree, I like it to be a little more difficult than just scaling a fence...

Spookiness.

Far enough away from anything that no one will care i'm there, doors off the hinges, windows broken.

If possible, plants growing inside.

I like houses that to most don't look like they are even abandoned...I like the artifacts left behind. The more retro the better. Old packaging and products that may not be around anymore. Craftsmenship and woodworked details are another aspect I enjoy. I miss pocket doors ! lol

I generally look for places that are decayed enough to be interesting but aren't so decayed that i'm likely to have the roof fall on me

Posted by 13thmurder If possible, plants growing inside.

The more industrial with plants growing through the concrete and the like, the better.

The first thing I think of at every potential location I see is: "This spot would be great to light paint (or not)..." I don't know what you would classify that as, something probably related to architecture.

I love lots of texture too. The more peeling paint, the happier I become.

I was actually thinking about this the other day - how everyone here seems to have a different kind of abandonment they're attracted to. For me, I like old farm houses. They're usually untouched because they're hidden in the middle of nowhere, in forests and fields. They have such interesting architecture. I really like when they're still stable, but the non-structural parts are decaying. Also a plus for nature to have started to reclaim it. I'm also very into personal belongings being left behind. I can spend hours looking at old photos, documents, clothing, etc. Something like this:

Posted by ahhidkk Also a plus for nature to have started to reclaim it. I'm also very into personal belongings being left behind. I can spend hours looking at old photos, documents, clothing, etc. Something like this:

Im like this too. I love a place that tells me a story ^_^

I have a particular appreciation for locations that at first glance do not appear to be particularly interesting or unique, but which in the course of exploration steadily reveal more and more of themselves.

For example, at an under-development fiber factory I recently visited, I initially skipped one of the three accessible buildings, a long, boxy and very plain looking structure, apparently without the architecture and level of decay that attracted me to the other two buildings on the property. When I later returned to it, I found that, unlike the other buildings, it still contained a great deal of machinery and personal artifacts, beautiful natural decay, and very little vandalism. The highlight was a very atmospheric flooded basement full of artifacts and machinery, which we originally though would be inaccessible, but with a little effort proved to be the highlight of the location. If I had obeyed my initial instincts about this particular building based on its outward appearance and not bothered to make a return trip, I would have missed a very beautiful and satisfying explore.

My two biggest requirements (aside from obviously being abandoned) are architecture and if it tells a story.

I love old architecture, always have since I was a kid. I especially love victorian/gothic and art deco style architecture. I also really love it when the place can tell me a story. Maybe it's an old house that looks like the family just left yesterday and has been trapped in time ever since. Maybe it's a factory with giant machinery that can give me glimpses back into history and what it was used for.