Hot Landromat

Road Tripping USA - Episode 7
7,000 kilometers, two months, and six U.S. states. In early 2016, I traveled along the American West Coast from north to south. This post is part of a series of articles written during that journey.

Date

16.02.2016

Location

Los Angeles, California, USA

When I visit a city, I love wandering aimlessly through the streets. Without a plan, I let myself drift, drawn by whatever seems interesting. Exploring without a fixed route allows me to experience the city in a completely new way. Often, I stumble upon places and things I would never have expected to find there.

Los Angeles, February 2016. An industrial area near Downtown. Suddenly, I find myself standing in front of a burned-out laundromat. Its story? Unknown. When did the fire break out? Hard to say, but it doesn’t seem to have been too long ago. The smell of burnt wood, melted plastic, and detergent still lingers in the air. The debris forms abstract sculptures, while the skeletal remains of the building creak and groan in the wind. I stop, step inside, and let the place sink in. It’s fascinating how radical and swift the changes caused by fire can be. What was once a purely functional structure has been transformed by fire into an abstract sculpture. Shapes that were once clear and orderly are now chaotic and unpredictable. This transformation is fleeting, a temporary art born out of destruction. A week after my visit, the laundromat was already torn down.

In the distance, I hear a low rumble. A tirelessly working excavator catches my attention. I stand there for another moment, take a deep breath, and let go of the thoughts tied to this place. Then, I continue on my way. Letting go. Staying curious. Always searching for whatever comes next.

Road Tripping USA Episode Index