Doomed

[karenoliver]

Hightown flats in Wrexham faced a £40,000,000 repair bill. They were neglected, dilapidated and sub-standard accomodation. The decision was made to demolish them and rehouse people elsewhere. I have been documenting them for the last couple of years and this week I have been on site to document their final few days. On Monday huge machinary will start bringing them down. I gained permission to enter the site and here a few shots from this week.


Here are the flats amidst all the floorboards, window frames and stairs that have been stripped from them.



Here a bath lays rusting in an empty shell that was once someone's home. Once someone took a bath in this, now its destined to be crushed



Rusty bath sits in an old garage covered in graffiti at Hightown flats in Wrexham



A doomed flat awaiting demolition minus its windows, window frames, and sitting empty. Decor visible which is a reminder of families that once lived here and called it home.



Karen

[amk1977]

Very cool Karen!

I like these a lot. Its not often that an opportunity to document something like this raises its head as a lot of places would bar you for health and safety reasons. All say "urban decay" to me. The location would make for some excellent portrait photography.

You'll have to get your hubby to pose in the latest street fashion before they demolish the lot lol.

[OldBoy]

Cracking shots Karen and you had more light than I did.

[karenoliver]

Originally Posted by amk1977

Very cool Karen!

I like these a lot. Its not often that an opportunity to document something like this raises its head as a lot of places would bar you for health and safety reasons. All say "urban decay" to me. The location would make for some excellent portrait photography.

You'll have to get your hubby to pose in the latest street fashion before they demolish the lot lol.

Thanks, Aaron :-) I had to go in wearing a hi-vis vest, helmet and boots and had to do a safety induction. Problem was when I used flash it kept hitting the peak of my helmet so I had to take it off! It would be good for portrait photography except everyone has to wear safety gear at all times. I suppose the cliche builder pics would be good, you know hunky builder, no tshirt, just pecs showing through a vest , big belt, hands in pockets , helmet on head lol

Karen

[karenoliver]

Originally Posted by OldBoy

Cracking shots Karen and you had more light than I did.

Thanks, Oldboy. You have been photographing there too?


Karen

[Stormsong]

Originally Posted by karenoliver

I suppose the cliche builder pics would be good, you know hunky builder, no tshirt, just pecs showing through a vest , big belt, hands in pockets , helmet on head lol

Karen

Hunky builder? Where??? I'll give you a nifty fifty (quid) if you can point me in the right direction!!

Love the series, by the way, and #4 is stunning. Keep up your good work.

Regards,
Denise

[pburness]

Originally Posted by amk1977

The location would make for some excellent portrait photography.

.

I was thinking that - or music band photography!

Phil

[karenoliver]

Originally Posted by Stormsong

Hunky builder? Where??? I'll give you a nifty fifty (quid) if you can point me in the right direction!!

Love the series, by the way, and #4 is stunning. Keep up your good work.

Regards,
Denise

lol I will keep an eye out for you , Denise :-) Thanks for the feedback.

Karen

[karenoliver]

Originally Posted by pburness

I was thinking that - or music band photography!

Phil

Yeah it would except I can't see them allowing it. I am lucky that I got inside and that was after much pestering! :-) I nearly gave up but Oldboy and Amy convinced me to give it another go. The thing is , its a working demolition site. We were in blocks 1 and 2 and in other blocks asbestos is being stripped and things are flying out of windows.

I am going back tommorow to do some other blocks and photograph the massive machinary that is arriving. Apparantly its huge and looks like a dinosaur! It has huge jaws that chips away at the blocks. Monday I am photographing the first stages and will probably be there all week on and off, alternating between there and college.

Karen

[amk1977]

Originally Posted by karenoliver

Thanks, Aaron :-) I had to go in wearing a hi-vis vest, helmet and boots and had to do a safety induction. Problem was when I used flash it kept hitting the peak of my helmet so I had to take it off! It would be good for portrait photography except everyone has to wear safety gear at all times. I suppose the cliche builder pics would be good, you know hunky builder, no tshirt, just pecs showing through a vest , big belt, hands in pockets , helmet on head lol

Karen

Pecs? I remember those. I would volunteer as a model but, unfortunately any pecs I had, have long since transformed into "moobs". I also upgraded my 6-pack for a keg many moons ago.

I might be able to pose in a sports bra though and we potentially could usher in a new period of unisex spandex clothing for well endowed men and women. I'm sure it'd be a hit on Dragon's Den