A lone section of roof dangles between two support columns at the top of the Packard Plant in Detroit, tread carefully and perhaps you will cross unscathed (June 2009). This was the result of the first of many cave-ins I've witnessed in the South end of the Packard (some of the roof had already fallen in prior to my first visit). In 2011, the section of roof that I was standing on while taking this photo fell to the floor below it, isolating the north east corner of the building. However, this impromptu bridge has surprisingly held its own for the last few years. Now and then I will encounter a daredevil tempting fate, which is somewhat of a nuisance considering that we are already taking un-necessary risks by entering the facility. There are no elevators, no railings on the stairs, no where for a helicopter to land. A severe injury in this location would be an extremely complicated endeavor to negotiate, and in my experience is a universal elephant in the room among graffiti writers, photographers, and general urban explorers alike. On the other hand, I find the borderline hubris that inspires such thrill-seekers comfortably symbolic of the younger creative class that is flocking to Detroit. Either way, the 'Daredevil's Bridge' provided a unique, and even hope inspiring foreground when juxtaposed with the Detroit skyline.
- Author
- Nicolas Boileau