The urbex movement – “urbex” being a portmanteau of urban and exploration, took off exponentially during the Covid-19 pandemic as adventurers made vlogs out of exploring the diminishing cities from every possible angle. The activity presents various risks, including both physical danger and, if done illegally and/or without permission, the possibility of arrest and punishment but it is a small price to pay to to document modern wrack and ruin. Why these engineering and cultural triumphs were built and left to crumble is explored. Decaying cities, shuttered businesses and empty residences that once were on the cutting edge of design and construction left discarded, hazardous, and even deadly is memorialized. Why these engineering triumphs were built and how they were left to crumble is examined and explained. Below are some urban explorations that best represent the effects of the pandemic upon the everyday constructs and institutions that make up our world.

The eerie look inside of an abandoned UK cinema ‘frozen in time’ with ‘concessions stands’ and old movie posters has been revealed. 
 
The haunting photographs of a beloved local cinema that was closed after the pandemic gave a snapshot of an eerie time. Urbandoned, a group of three friends, Alistair, Alex, and Theo who for the past four years to capture and explore abandoned structures, visited Showcase Cinema, Belle Vue in Manchester, which first opened its doors in October 1989. 
 
The images taken are a bone-chilling reminder of how Covid-19 impacted businesses, with many closings overnight, and the images have left social media users in awe. Walking around the cinema, Urbandoned found old movie posters and rows upon rows of dusty green seating which once played host to viewers after a Hollywood experience. 

This Abandoned Chinese Water Park Resort in China was a fusion of European elegance and modern luxury. In 2015, it was first brought to life by a group of visionary investors, who poured a staggering $200,000,000 Chinese dollars into its creation. Nestled between majestic mountains and the sparkling sea, this hidden gem was a mere hours drive away from bustling cities like Shanghai, Suzhou, and Hangzhou making it the perfect getaway. It was a dream come true for travelers seeking a unique escape. The resort’s network of winding waterways and colorful houses created a captivating scene, earning it the nickname “Little Venice.”

In 2020, the world was struck by the COVID pandemic, and the construction plans for the resort came to a halt. Only the hotel remains active, which currently offers local guests a chance to experience a 5-star stay while the waterpark has remained in an abandoned unfinished state. There are plans moving forward to finish the project that had been stalled. The dream of turning this magnificent landscape into a full-fledged paradise will be restarted, promising unforgettable experiences for those who seek the surrounding beautiful mountains, lakes, and the appeal of “Little Venice” by the sea. But for now it remains an urban explorers paradise.

With the modern retail landscape rapidly changing, the malls of the past have been closing down at a shocking rate. Take a look inside a mall at a local scale, something that was integral to the community and is now a forgotten and an increasingly distant memory. Bright Sun Films takes a look inside the history and present day of a recently closed JCPenney, the small stores that populated the concourse and a truly horrific Sears store.

The Pines Mall was an iconic and valuable complex within Pine Bluff. This closure gives Pines Mall the opportunity to reimagine the type of multi-use development this space could become according to city officials. Almost 3 years after closing permanently, Bright Sun Films ventured into this notorious and dangerous abandoned mall. Over the short time it has been closed, scrappers have begun to pillage, vandals have set fire and nature is quickly taking over. This is truly one of the most eerie and unsettling places the channel has ever been, complete with an abandoned Walmart, Sears and JCPenney. This vlog documents the rare state of an abandoned, American shopping mall. Below Dan Bell features a dead mall series on his youtube channel.