Detroit // Urban Exploration

When I first got to Detroit I was excited to explore all the (plentiful) abandoned buildings. After talking to some locals however, I quickly came to learn that this might not be the best idea, and I have to admit for the first time ever I was scared into not exploring like I am usually inclined to do. But Detroit still has a very cool area that satisfies all the creepy things an abandoned house has to offer, without putting myself in harms way.

It was the lovely receptionists at my hotel who told me about the Heidelberg Project, and it definitely didn’t disappoint. This project is a not-for-profit outdoor instillation made partially as a political statement, but also to bring some colour back to a city that much of America has pushed to the side. Houses are painted with bright colours and images, and reclaimed items are often attached to the outsides. The project was created in 1986, and though it has faced destruction on two occasions, it still stands today.

All that said, as uplifting as the project is meant to be, it can’t help but look unsettling on a gloomy day in Detroit.