A little over a year ago and in the middle of winter, I arrived in this wonderful city. When I was still in my country, Spain, I remember that people were surprised when I told them that I was going to study in such a stereotypical country for them. I didn't mind, I was leaving my country just to live emotions and to wise up in a foreign country where I didn't even speak the language and English is not widely used. And I have no regrets.

Spending a semester in St. Petersburg has been one of the best life experiences I’ve ever had. I could live situations that I wouldn’t have been able to live in any other country and to open my mind much more. At first I accepted the residence offered by the university thinking that I’d only spend the first few nights. I didn't like the conditions of the building and the idea of sharing a room, but as soon as I spent the first night, it was clear to me that this was my place.

I took this picture on my second night, it was in the afternoon and the heavy snowfall that began to fall gave me the excuse to propose to my roommate from Korea to go out to see the snowy center. From that moment on, we became friends and had a great time in Russia.

Winner of the fourth prize of the A-Place Mapping contest "Share your experience of places" 2021

If you might be walking down the Rue des Brigittines in Brussels and seeing wired windows with white curtains, this might be Chapelle's vacant train station. Humble by its looks, invisible to the eye of an occasional passer-by, these layers are telling a story of a Jonction's monumental infrastructure, once planned as a "public dream" and now quietly unused. Sidelined by graffiti, covered with curtains, it reflects the truth of today but nonetheless invites to imagine what might be hiding under the wrinkles of the past.

i'm interior architect student in the north of cyprus. most of the time i'm walking around historical ruins in the city. in this view we passed near the st George of the Latins (the remains of one of the earliest churches in famagusta) and in one moment i had strange feeling . it was as if all the energy was there. i though for a moment what had happened here , what people have lived here . and once i came back to the present and saw in what calm and good weather i'm passing by this historic ruins with my best friend (my dog) and i quickly felt the past and present in one moment.

Much of Ho Chi Minh City is made up of a network of Alleyways, called Hems. These city spaces act as playground, market and shared extensions to the home. This picture captures a rare moment of peace in these normally busy spaces. The red chair, waits to be occupied as the owner goes in search of coffee.

We have been in our homes for over a year.  We work online, at least we try to work.  This photo actually shows that how I have spent the last year.  While looking at the screen at the desk... The objects that I touch the most are a keyboard, mouse, pen and cup.  I don't even want to see them anymore.  This process has taught me how much we humans need each other.  I realized how positive the effect of even seeing a smile is.  Despite this, we still continue to treat each other badly, I guess, even if people live through the worst disasters, they cannot learn to value, love and respect each other.

Patrimoni Vilanova i la Geltrú

Autor: ôscar Estruga i Andreu (2007)

Material: bronze

every Friday there is a fresh produce market

This river, located at the north-eastern end of Catalonia, begins its course in the Pyrenees and, after traveling 208 km and covering a basin area of ​​3,010 km2, flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The route allows you to discover the legacy that the river has left on its banks, symbols of the dynamism of its people. And it also allows you to discover a changing landscape: high alpine mountain, medium mountain, agricultural, coastal, urban, riparian and wetlands.

Squatters are often considered the filth of our cities. These are a group of underprivileged dispossessed families who migrated to urban areas in search of livelihoods. One such Squatter housing in Mumbai where the adjoining neighbourhood depends on them for daily help like maids, clerks, watchman, tiffin services, etc. As they provide the help, their living conditions are always neglected. Living on the encroached lands along sewage lines bearing erratic climatic battles like floods, fires and serious health disorders, leaves behind the only dream of normal city life and an end to their miseries... 

This is an experience in which i would love to share with everyone, especially the ones that would love to find themselves in places where they will meditate, feel the nature, the clear and cool breeze, and still have an interesting wonderful sight. This is a place where i personally use to go and sit and meditate and charge up my mind, the place is so peaceful and exquisite, which being there gives me an experience new to the one prior to my last visit. It is the Famagusta Walled City, which is also known as the Famagusta Castle.

I wouldn’t want to say there are no negative experience in this places, because all the times i found myself there i only try to focus on the positive thoughts about the place, but that doesn’t mean everything is perfect about the place especially regarding how some of the parts of this amazing historic heritage is neglected and being deteriorated, while authorities responsible for overseeing this place do little about making sure the historic aesthetical values are preserved and maintained.

When COVID hit, I had to move from where I lived since I couldn't afford rent anymore, so after staying at this new place I needed to discover the new area, the small Mediterranean in me was always looking for a raise of sunlight in something that would remind me of home, in this ghostlike town that the area became due to the pandemic and there it was! Warm, colorful and orange!

Winner of the first prize of the A-Place Mapping contest "Share your experience of places" 2021