Spain is a democratic, modern, politically reliable, western country, a strong international partner and an authentic member of the European Union. It is a country of cities with the highest quality of life, it is the home of architectural masterpieces and it is a highly sought-after place for international tourism.

 

But Spain is also the land of architectural aberrations. Years of mass tourism clearly have left their mark just as the burst of the real-estate bubble in 2008. Unused and vacant resorts, unfinished ghost towns, kilometers of beach obstructed by dreary concrete structures, golf courses somewhere in the desert stand up as witnesses of political mismanagement and economic short-sightedness.

 

Each failed development represents a loss for the banking sector, which admits to €180 billion of problematic exposure and is probably exposed to more, according to the New York Times.

 

Some of these projects already have the doubtful honor of reputation like the once ambitious development project “Residencial Francisco Hernando” near the village of Seseña or the city of Valdeluz, which was supposed to be a bustling modern metropolis meant to be a home for 30,000 people. But as these are just the tip of the iceberg, a much larger number of small ghost villages surrounding big cities can be found all over Spain.

 

The aim of this project was to document the aftermath of years of economic and political carefreeness and irresponsibility in Spain.

© Georg Zinsler
 
For more information please visit: www.georgzinsler.com