Universiteit Luik

18 Sept 2010


Universiteit Luik

Enkele maanden geleden hebben we deze locatie al eens kort bezocht. Dit om te bekijken of er makkelijk binnen te komen is. We moesten toen over een muurtje klauteren. Door een openstaande deur konden we toen naar binnen. We hebben er toen ongeveer een 1 ½ uurtje doorheen gelopen met de bedoeling om er nog een keertje terug te komen voor een uitgebreide shoot.
Diverse fora maakten melding van het feit dat deze locatie inmiddels nauwkeurig afgesloten zou zijn. Wat schetste onze verbazing: het was nóg makkelijker om er binnen te komen. Delen van de afrastering kun je nl. gewoon wegduwen. Deuren en ramen staan open! Alleen één gebouw is wat beter beveiligd. Alhoewel ook dáár wegen te ontdekken zijn om binnen te komen. Dat hebben we echter achterwege gelaten na zo’n 7 uur gefotografeerd te hebben in de overige gebouwen.
Het nadeel van het makkelijker binnen kunnen komen was wél duidelijk zichtbaar: een sterke toename van vandalisme, grafity en sporen van junks en zwervers. Dat was ten tijde van ons eerdere bezoek een stuk minder. Erg jammer dat er inmiddels zoveel vernield is!
Het gebouw wordt nog wel bewaakt. Toen we op de 1e etage met fotograferen bezig waren zagen we dat er een bewaker voor de poort stond. Hij controleerde de poort en liep een stukje langs de afrastering. Enkele minuten later stapte hij in zijn witte caddy en reed weg. Ook wordt er gewaarschuwd voor de aanwezigheid van waakhonden. Die hebben we niet gezien. Zelfs geen uitwerpselen!





These picture's are made by: Jos Geomini

Agnes Dei

18 Sept 2010




Agnes Dei

Nadat we voldoende tijd hadden gefotografeerd vertrokken we naar de volgende locatie: een klein verzorgingstehuis met kerkje. Van het verzorgingstehuis was weinig over. Erg vervallen en behoorlijk gevaarlijk (slechte vloeren). Het kerkje daarentegen was wel aardig. Zeker als er mooi licht door de glas in loodramen valt.
Al met al een geslaagde dag!





These picture's are made by: Jos Geomini

the revenge

14 aug 2010

Today it was time to take revenge for the last month.

One week in advance I had finished the program with some wonderful locations. The same time I was eagerly trying to find the location of HH3 hospital for future visits. And when I finally found it I also found stories about a planned demolition. During coffee break at work I took the decision to change our plans for the upcoming weekend. I constructed within 15 minutes a new plan consisting of screenshots from several locations in the HH3 area. So on Saturday we left early and arrived before eight. With a clue from Frits V. (many thanks again) we found a entrance very quickly. We spend little over 4 hours there. But with the demolition ahead several other people came in. I even exchanged addresses with a group of Germans. The next location was "Atelier Decor" (a gypsum atelier for garden decorations) Not big but rich in wonderful details. When we left one other guy came in and I shouted "Have you finally arrived. What took you so long?". He clearly misunderstood my humor and ran away. Not so funny! I called him and the I discovered it was one of the Germans from this morning. Finally we visited Hogemeyer Castle. It was sad to see it slowly falling apart. A renovation started some years ago but the ran out of money soon. The left everything on the spot. A pot of jam said best before 2006 so that gave us a clue what year it might have been. The most impressive part was the chapel. We ended this fantastic urbexpedition in a cafeteria e few blocks from my home.

These picture's are made by:Roel Boom

flounder caught

17 July 2010


It is about 3 weeks ago that we were going out for some urban photography.We planed for this day 6 locations and nice locations.The only problem was that we hat information but we did dent know exact if all the location still in a condition to photograph and whether they were easy to reach, or enter the buildings will be a big problem.Almost the hole group did a lot off research,And could found the real information what we needed.The first location we arrived,It was a massive building and in my eyes mega big,But than the first problem starts there was standing a 2.5 meters high wall around this building,so that was the first problem second problem it was in the middle of a residential on Saturday morning and a lot off people on the street,So we decided to visit the backside of the building.Than we hat the third problem a railway track.Two man off our group take the risk to walk over the railway an looked for a hole in the wall.It was possible from the railway out to get inside,but get out again over a 2.5 meters high wall was to risky,We decided than for not enter the building.Than up to the next locations we had a few,so the first disappointment was fast away till we get to the next location only problems again that was almost with the rest of all locations that day.Only one location we thought we where lucky butt by that place there where still people working because they where demolish the building.That was going on till 2 a clock in the afternoon and then we decide to go in,but here was not much left off that building.We were very disappointed.Picture off the last location is coming soon as possible.
ps the title is a typical Dutch proverb

This summer

This summer we spend our holidays is the south of Belgium, close to Virton. On our way south we stopped at Martelange, not only for the cheap petrol but for the "Ardosiere de Martelange" a slate mine. There is still some equipment left from long forgotten times. A few days later me and my wife headed for Terre rouge and the powerplant next to it in Luxemburg. That was the moment I tried to infect her with the Urbex-virus. I don't know anything about incubation periods but I guess I didn't succeed.
The best photo location was very close so I went there 4 times. It was the famous car cemetery in Chatillon. There are hundreds of old cars rusting away in a small forest. The youngest cars are from the beginning of the seventies. But most of them are much older. A true heaven fot Uxbex photographers.




These picture's are made by:Roel Boom

Charleroi (Belgium)

12 june 2010


Today we are heading for Charleroi. It is raining cats and dogs on our way to the first location; the Crypt in Namur. Perfect weather for a cemetery but the crypt was closed and no one to ask if it could be opened. The next location we were lucky. It was still raining but we could park the car next to the hall in Roux. Here they left many locomotives untouched for years. One kilometer to the south we found a mine were we spend half an hour or so. Then we drove to the highlight of the day. Old mine buildings with lots of old cars. But as we arrived it was a airsoft heaven so no use to climb the gate. Close by is a factory to be checked out. We parked in the forest nearby and headed for it. We stumbled on a old water tower. But no factory insight. I started to worry if we could find our way back to the car when we suddenly saw something red in the shrubbery. It was our car! It almost seems like we ran out of luck today. So we decided to go home with a small detour of course. First we went to the church in Ombret, or what's left of it. Impressive to see a church without a roof. A local told us it was damaged during the war. Our last stop for the day was the university in Liege. We examine the location for future needs as it is way too big to seen in one hour. I was glad to have many extra locations on my program. You never
know when you need them!


This picture is made by:Roel Boom

Nedinsco Venlo (netherlands)

This is an old building in Venlo it was an old frabric and now thei gonna chance it for houses .


This picture is made by:Toos Vullings

Venlo (netherlands)

This is a picture from a old tennis building in Venlo.


This picture is made by:Toos Vullings

Chateau de Noisy and Cristallerie in Seraing

May 15th 2010


Chateau de Noisy and Cristallerie in Seraing, May 15th 2010

Our journey started on time, we left about the midnight hour, so that we should arrive by time in Belgium.
During last week the weather was not fantastic, but this day it was great! A sunny day and a good temperature for a day making photographs. The first location we visited was Chateau de Noisy. We drove immediately to this location. We had to find a safe parking place and a spot to get to the area.
We easily got onto it and then we had to take a walk of almost 15 minutes to reach the castle without getting snatched by the propietor.
Nevertheless we succeeded, the photcameras were unpacked nearly until we saw somebody. For a moment we were hiding in the shrubs, someone of us went out for investigation and noticed these people were other people, also coming for taking a look. We returned to the castle and we were ready to start.
The first thing that got our attention was the large number of damages, we saw immediately that there should have been a lot of beauty to some time before.
At first we took some photographs at the groundfloor and afterwards we went to the upper floor. Several floors were nevertheless very bad, some of them were complete gone! The little tower looked very enchanting for climbing up, but we didn't do that.
After lunch we took photos outside, after that it was time to start our return trip.
We got into the car and continued our travel to the next location. We were ready to go to the Cristallerie in Seraing. When we arrived we could get in without any problem. There was not much time left for us. Also this was a beautiful location! The lighting was great at that moment. There were a number of buildings we could get in, unfortunately we could not visit all of them, we got too less time left for doing this. Sometimes we will come back here, who knows?
Tired but contented we started the last part of our return trip to Venlo....

This picture is made by:Hetty Schreurs

ECVB Belgium

Early one Sunday morning we went to this location. The reason to go on that day was that the adjacent company is not manned at Sundays. This location is still fully intact: no Grafity and no vandalism. To enter you have to overcome several obstacles like two fences. Then you can enter a building. When you are in this building you have to climb through a broken window. After that you are able to get in. Ultimately it was not difficult. Once you're inside you will be overwhelmed. Especially with beautiful light. What you should keep in mind is the large amount of asbestos. We were well prepared with safety masks. Maybe we will go again sometime!

This picture is made by:Jos Geomini

Cristalleries Val St. Lambert

16 apr 2010

As I could not resist a third urbex trip in 2 weeks we made a stop at the Cristalleries Val St. Lambert on our way to the Ardennes. I could climb the fence at the front but that was too much in the open. So I followed the high brick wall around and found an easy entry at the back side. Crossing the bush I arrived at the old cristallerie. The only entrance there was climbing down in to a cellar. Just when I entered a pump started running very loud scarring the shit out of me. With a headlight on finding the way up out of here was easy. But I was less fortunate climbing out of the cellar again because my tripod dropped. Climbing back down was to dangerous. So before I could start taking pictures I had to find way to get my tripod back. With some wire and a cable I fished up my tripod. With a half our lost walking and fishing, and my wife waiting in the car I had to hurry. After some pictures I noticed that one leg of my tripod was broken of half. The next problem was that the beautiful atelier with the colored glasses and equipment was still not found. On the other side the building was still active. I took a change and walked carefully passed it into the direction of the other old buildings. And there was the atelier I came for. With the limited time left a real challenge. It is unbelievable that the old equipment and crystal glass is still in place. On my way back to the car I discovered a hole in the fence at the front. Despite the broken tripod this was another successful Urbex mission. But the next time I take the front entrance.

At home I called Provak (Manfrotto representative in Holland) for my spare part. Marcel explained to me that it was not possible to order these old parts. But he might have one in stock. Within one minute he found the spare part I'm looking for. "It's the last one" he said. And the best is that he sends it over for free. My tripod is ready for another ten years.

Thanks again Marcel for your great service.

Roel

This picture is made by:Roel Boom

the Kent School

02 April 2010

It was the first Photo day of the season 2010 so we all were very eager to start shooting pictures. The first location for this day was the Kent School(I assumed for some time it was located in Kent but in fact it is only a 25minutes. drive from our home town). Standing in front of the gate we saw a car on the site driving towards us. We turned the car and parked on the other
site. It took some time before we found a place in the fence were we could enter. Closer to the buildings we saw a second car that seemed abandoned.We passed it and walked to the building with the church attached.Surprisingly the main door was open. But as soon as we entered we heard the sound of keys jingling and footsteps. We ran out as quick as we could but
the last person fell down and we got discovered by a young guy all dressed up like militarily. The place was a Air-soft haven and because we were friendly he did not call the police but showed us around instead. So we were lucky we got the change to take some pictures there even if it was for only one hour.
Roel.

This picture is made by:Roel Boom

02 April 2010


This picture is made in Germany,.It was a nice place to make pictures.It was our first trip this year and our second location off the day.The wetter was not that good that day but we enjoyed it.This picture is made by:Jacques Yasemin

With kind regards,

Urbek5