Nail House (lonely House)

It shows a lonely figure. This Nail House is truly surrounded. (love the homage to the movie UP)

A sense of attachment can happen with just about anything, so when we see the homes labeled Nail House in China, it may start to explain the reasons why these homes find themselves in these peculiar situations. What makes it more extraordinary is the context they find themselves in. The background represents progress in time whilst the homes themselves remain staunch in defiant determination. They shout "I'm not going anywhere". Its the last stand, the defiant stance against urban development.

The owners obvious attachment to their homes edges on the side of cuckoo because of the situation they find themselves in as a result of saying no to progress. I can begin to have empathy for their plights. They must love where they live, it must have a history that is personal and it may represent many things dear to them. Perhaps it represents family, or maybe it represents an achievement in their lives. They probably worked hard to be where they are and have the home that they live in. What remains intriguing about their situation is that even though the sense of place or environment has changed they still desire to live in their house.

Most houses will have a natural lifespan of usefulness, essentially this is about 30 years. A lifecycle of effective use-after that it's initial intent may no longer be appropriate. They will often be modified, remodelled, extended or even destroyed to make way for a new one. The macro environment might have diversified and changed as a result of population growth or economic shifts.

Truly an urban island being created here.

The attachment that we all can have to a home can vary and I guess in today's throwaway society the importance of home and house can have less importance to what it may of had in years gone by. Some people like to change their homes as often as they change their cars. There will however be some who will find a home that will resonate and signify a place of importance- a significance even greater than it's external pressures!

Talk about being close to the Highway.