Pre-gentrification Leipzig preserved in miniature form

As part of his online project "Weekly Wonders" Heiko Mattausch posts two oil paintings every week, often depicting Leipzig's abandoned urban and industrial landscapes. Pictured here is a view from a supermarket parking lot on Zschochersche Street in Leipzig's western Plagwitz district. "The jump over the fence which almost injured me was worth it," he said.

The industrial architecture of Leipzig's former economic powerhouse, Plagwitz, has seen some of the most remarkable renovations since the reunification of Germany in 1990. The former buildings belonging to companies such as Tittel & Krüger, a wool yarn manufacturer, and Mey & Edlich, Germany's oldest active catalogue company, are among those to have been renovated for modern Leipzig living.

The so-called Angerbrücke - which means "Bridge on the Green" - lies on the edge of Lindenau in western Leipzig, close to Mattausch's studio. "Even 10 years ago I would never have imagined to live here," said the 39-year-old. Lindenau is the latest borough in Leipzig to have millions of euros injected into it to transform the former industrial district.

In July, Leipzig opened the connection between the Karl Heine Canal and Lindenau Harbor. In the coming years the city plans to build a new urban quarter directly on the harbor's eastern bank, providing new homes and space for hundreds of residents and businesses. Blueprints for a marina with room for up to 200 boats are also in the works.

Built in 1890, the recently renovated Felsenkeller in Plagwitz stood empty for a number of years after the fall of the Berlin Wall. The hall used to host youth initiation ceremonies and dances. At the turn of the 20th century it was an important meeting place for the strong labor movement. Karl Liebknecht, Rosa Luxemburg and Clara Zetkin are just some of the names known to have spoken there.

In 1955, the already existing Johanna Park, Scheibenholz Park, King Albert Park and Palm Garden were combined under the new title of "Clara Zetkin Central Culture Park." GDR propaganda praised the first secretary of Leipzig's administration at the time for "fulfilling the mandate of the voters" to create the park. In 2011, however, the city decided to separate the land into its original sections.

Always on the lookout for the subject of his latest painting, Mattausch often takes a photo or makes a sketch while out walking his dog, Molly. "Sometimes I come across a corner that I've walked past a thousand times before but never really interested me. Then you go one time and see it in a completely new light, whether it be down to the time of day or season."

Having lived in Leipzig three times since 1994, Mattausch has experienced firsthand the vast architectural changes in the city since Germany officially reunified in 1990. He initially found the city too "gray," but now he says these places are becoming rare. "They've acquired a certain romance and that's something I really like from an artistic point of view," said Mattausch.