SLOW DECAY
Beyond these layers, however, lies a different urban reality, one that receives far less visibility. Many cities that were once economically or industrially significant have gradually lost prominence. Their current condition is often shaped by deindustrialization, political decisions, competition, and broader economic shifts. These places exist in quieter ways, marked not only by decline but also by slow transformation.
A similar situation can be observed at the edges of major cities, where social and spatial divisions become more apparent. In these peripheral areas, economic hardship, limited opportunities, and processes of segregation are part of everyday life. Migration plays an important role in shaping these environments, often accompanied by challenges of integration and unequal access to resources.
This project begins within such environments. It focuses on cities like Metz, Mulhouse, and Brescia, as well as on the peripheries of larger urban centers such as Milan and Lyon. It asks how these places present themselves beyond their central, curated images, and how their identities are expressed through architecture, public space, and everyday life.
The city of Mulhouse reflects many of these dynamics. Located near the borders of Switzerland and Germany, it was once a major center of the textile industry and a key site of early industrial development in France, at times referred to as the “French Manchester.” Its past prosperity contrasts sharply with the effects of industrial decline in the late 20th century, which brought unemployment, economic pressure, and demographic change.
The city of Mulhouse reflects many of these dynamics. Located near the borders of Switzerland and Germany, it was once a major center of the textile industry and a key site of early industrial development in France, at times referred to as the “French Manchester.” Its past prosperity contrasts sharply with the effects of industrial decline in the late 20th century, which brought unemployment, economic pressure, and demographic change.
Today, Mulhouse shows signs of both effort and imbalance. While new businesses and small-scale initiatives suggest attempts at renewal, much of the city still reveals a visible lack of growth. Prosperity appears fragmented—present in certain streets or commercial spaces, but largely absent elsewhere. This unevenness extends into the social fabric of the city, where diverse communities, including a significant population with roots in former French colonies, shape its contemporary identity.
The photographic approach is informed by traditions such as the New Topographics and its later developments, where attention shifts toward ordinary, transitional, and often overlooked landscapes. In this context, the work of Gabriele Basilico, particularly in The Unidentified Modern City: Globalized Brescia as well as Guido Guidi and Luigi Ghirri, becomes an important reference.
This photographic research moves through these urban spaces in search of visual patterns, atmospheres, and traces of change. It is an attempt to understand how cities evolve beyond dominant narratives. The following images present an exemplary selection from one such place: Mulhouse.
References
Basilico, G. and Ghirri, L. (2003) The Unidentified Modern City: Globalized Brescia. Brescia: Linea d’Ombra.
Guidi, G. (2001) Guido Guidi. Milan: Charta.
Jenkins, W. (1975) New Topographics: Photographs of a Man-Altered Landscape. Rochester: International Museum of Photography at George Eastman House.
The photographic approach is informed by traditions such as the New Topographics and its later developments, where attention shifts toward ordinary, transitional, and often overlooked landscapes. In this context, the work of Gabriele Basilico, particularly in The Unidentified Modern City: Globalized Brescia as well as Guido Guidi and Luigi Ghirri, becomes an important reference.
This photographic research moves through these urban spaces in search of visual patterns, atmospheres, and traces of change. It is an attempt to understand how cities evolve beyond dominant narratives. The following images present an exemplary selection from one such place: Mulhouse.
References
Basilico, G. and Ghirri, L. (2003) The Unidentified Modern City: Globalized Brescia. Brescia: Linea d’Ombra.
Guidi, G. (2001) Guido Guidi. Milan: Charta.
Jenkins, W. (1975) New Topographics: Photographs of a Man-Altered Landscape. Rochester: International Museum of Photography at George Eastman House.