Since 2003 Beat Hauser is taking pictures of industrial areas and abandoned places within all Europe. On his web site SPERRZONE (www.sperrzone.net) he does not only present his own photographs, but also some information about the related factories and places as well as historical post cards, old letter heads, labels and advertisings to document the history of the factories and places. Abandoned places and industrial ruins are generally seen as “spots of dirt” and people feel uncomfortable around them. Often such places have a very long and interesting history, which seems almost forgotten today. Instead of the activity of former days there is nothing but silence and emptiness. Instead of windows, black holes are staring out of the walls. But very often the architecture of elapsed eras is attractive and astonishing. In combination with the emptiness and beginning decay, such places often spread the impression of a dream world. Decay and nature give new structures to strictly geometric forms and lines. Moisture, moss and rust give new colors to gray halls. Beat Hauser tries to capture these impressions with his photographs. Beauty of decay is illustrated in its huge variety from huge industrial plants to small details.