I had a fascinating literature course in college which really turned me on to the notion that cities are living and breathing organisms – at least they are up until they die. The inherent challenges of urban design, architecture, and changing patterns of social migration and technology had never really occurred to me. Now, I’m intrigued.

I’m lucky enough to live in Seattle where I look around and see processes of urban renewal and vitality improving a city that’s emerging remarkably unscathed from the recent economic downturn. It’s easy to recognize that this is not the case every else.

Take a look at photos of “The ruins of Detroit,” by Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre. Beautiful photos of a decomposing city. Many of these places appear to have been abandoned with no thought left to the objects inside.