Junkspace and Beyond

Photographs by Rudiger Wasser

Showcase: Junkspace

Junkspace explores the privatisation of public space and the erasure of identity within globalised urban environments. Inspired by architect Rem Koolhaas’ concept of “Junkspace,” the work highlights how neoliberal architecture fosters commercial, impersonal spaces. The imagery uses dense framing and reflective surfaces to expose dystopian aesthetics. Junkspace questions the illusion of public space in a world increasingly shaped by market-driven design.

View Junkspace images

Junkspace – Photographs of the Globalisation of Space

This photographic series investigates the privatisation of public space and the erosion of identity within the contemporary urban landscape. Employing a near-monochromatic palette, the work captures the dystopian aesthetic of globalisation through controlled composition and reflective surfaces. These spaces—anonymous shopping centres, sterile transit hubs, and commercial zones—resonate with anthropologist Marc Augé’s concept of “Non-Places,” locations devoid of historical, relational, or cultural meaning. Architect Rem Koolhaas expands on this notion with his term “Junkspace,” describing environments shaped by neoliberal, market-driven policies that prioritise commerce over community, creating homogenised, fragmented urban experiences.

Junkspace contributes to the discourse surrounding these “Non-Places” by visually amplifying the commercial and often deceptive character of environments perceived as public. Through dense, layered framing and the emphasis on glossy, impersonal materials, the series reveals the alienating effects of architecture designed for consumption rather than connection.

Rooted in the aesthetic traditions of the Düsseldorf School of Photography, my practice is influenced by Bernd and Hilla Becher’s objective style and the conceptual depth of their students. Andreas Gursky’s large-scale, detail-rich images have particularly shaped my engagement with themes of globalisation and urban repetition. The work also connects to historical precedents such as Eugène Atget’s methodical documentation of early 20th-century Paris and Anthony Hernandez’s poignant reflections on urban decay and architectural abandonment.

The title Junkspace draws directly from Koolhaas’ critical essay on the disjointed nature of modern architecture, while also echoing Augé’s observation of non-places. Through this lens, the project seeks to question the meaning of public space in an era where identity, memory, and interaction are increasingly compromised by design.

View Embraced by Light images

View Urban images

View Landscapes images

Portfolio

Galleries

Browse our visual archives: authentic human interactions, warm lifestyle scenes, and environmental portraits captured on location worldwide.

Nudes

Portraits

Urban and Street

This series explores the female body in dialogue with light. Projections—ranging from organic to abstract—interact with the skin, transforming it into a living canvas. Light flows across curves, merging body and environment in a sensual interplay of form and texture.

Traditional nudes in various poses that celebrate the human body form, as has been done throughout the centuries.

Portraits capturing individual character within their natural surroundings.

Landscapes in colour, black&white and infra-red, with fascinating details of sticks and woods.