Latest news with #abandonedbuildings
Malay Mail
6 days ago
- Malay Mail
Urban explorers find beauty in China's abandoned buildings amid property crisis
SHANGHAI, July 6 — Xu Pengcheng looks over his shoulder and, after confirming the coast is clear, helps his crew of urban adventurers climb through the broken window of an abandoned building. Long popular in the West, urban exploration, or 'urbex' for short, sees city-dwelling thrill-seekers explore dilapidated, closed-off buildings and areas—often skirting the law in the process. And it is growing in popularity in China, where a years-long property sector crisis has left many cities dotted with empty buildings. Xu, a 29-year-old tech worker from the eastern city of Qingdao, has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers for his photos of rundown schools and vacant cinemas. 'When people see these images, they find them incredibly fresh and fascinating,' he told AFP. 'The realisation that so many abandoned buildings exist—and that they can photograph so beautifully—naturally captures attention.' AFP joined Xu and his comrades at a deserted hotel in the outskirts of Shanghai for a unique photoshoot. From the outside, the hotel looked like a prefabricated medieval castle. Once inside, it was clear the property had been abandoned for years. Searching through the rooms for good spots for striking photos, Xu and his friends came across remnants of the hotel's past—a mahjong table, laundry sheets and piles of dinner plates. Props from past photoshoots were scattered on the floor and on one ballroom wall, 'Long Live Chairman Mao' was written in spray paint. China's recent property market downturn has left many abandoned large-scale projects ready ground for urban explorers. 'I don't think you would find sites like this in Europe,' long-time explorer Brin Connal told AFP as he walked around an empty, abandoned building. 'In China, there's a lot of these places which are unfinished.' Really special One such unfinished megaproject in Shanghai, the Pentagon Mall, has become such a hotspot that explorers leave messages for each other on the walls of its top floor. 'I think this is something really special about Chinese urban exploration,' said Sean, a Shanghai resident who did not want to give his real name. 'There's a very strong sense of community and it's very, very welcoming.' Situated in Shanghai's Pudong district, the project came close to completion in 2009 but investment fell through. The giant concrete building now sits mostly in disrepair—broken tiles litter the ground and a large faded map of the uncompleted mall is barely visible under a thick layer of dust. Some rooms still have signs of life, with mattresses from squatters, discarded takeout and cigarette boxes and even laundry hanging outside. 'In places like Shanghai, people always find a way to make use of these buildings, even if they're not completely built and completely usable,' said Sean's exploration partner Nov, who also asked to go by a pseudonym. Model Mao Yi poses on the ground for Xu Pengcheng (not pictured) as he takes pictures of her in a room inside an abandoned hotel in Shanghai. — AFP pic Way too dangerous Chinese social media companies are less enthusiastic. Looking up abandoned buildings on Instagram-like Xiaohongshu, users are met with a message warning 'there are risks in this area, please pay attention to safety and comply with local policies and regulations'. Connal, originally from Britain, told AFP he understood the restrictions. 'Some of them are way too dangerous, and some of these abandoned locations were getting overwhelmed with people,' he said. The hobby also takes place in a legal grey area. Many urban explorers go by a simple mantra—taking nothing from the places they visit and leaving nothing behind. But the act of trespassing can come with fines in China, just as it does in the West. Xu also acknowledged the risks that come with urban exploration—from angry security guards to errant circuitry. 'Firstly, you might face the risk of trespassing illegally. Secondly, private properties may have security guards or be completely sealed off,' he told AFP. 'These locations often involve hazards like no electricity or lighting, structural damage, and injuries from construction materials like exposed nails.' But model Mao Yi said the hobby offered a respite from the drudgery of big city living. 'Living in these sprawling metropolises of steel and concrete, we've grown familiar with the routines of daily life,' she told AFP. — AFP
France 24
7 days ago
- France 24
China's abandoned buildings draw urban explorers despite risks
Long popular in the West, urban exploration, or "urbex" for short, sees city-dwelling thrill-seekers explore dilapidated, closed-off buildings and areas -- often skirting the law in the process. And it is growing in popularity in China, where a years-long property sector crisis has left many cities dotted with empty buildings. Xu, a 29-year-old tech worker from the eastern city of Qingdao, has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers for his photos of rundown schools and vacant cinemas. "When people see these images, they find them incredibly fresh and fascinating," he told AFP. "The realisation that so many abandoned buildings exist -- and that they can photograph so beautifully -- naturally captures attention." AFP joined Xu and his comrades at a deserted hotel in the outskirts of Shanghai for a unique photoshoot. From the outside, the hotel looked like a prefabricated medieval castle. Once inside, it was clear the property had been abandoned for years. Searching through the rooms for good spots for striking photos, Xu and his friends came across remnants of the hotel's past -- a mahjong table, laundry sheets and piles of dinner plates. Props from past photoshoots were scattered on the floor and on one ballroom wall, "Long Live Chairman Mao" was written in spray paint. China's recent property market downturn has left many abandoned large-scale projects ready ground for urban explorers. "I don't think you would find sites like this in Europe," long-time explorer Brin Connal told AFP as he walked around an empty, abandoned building. "In China, there's a lot of these places which are unfinished." 'Really special' One such unfinished megaproject in Shanghai, the Pentagon Mall, has become such a hotspot that explorers leave messages for each other on the walls of its top floor. "I think this is something really special about Chinese urban exploration," said Sean, a Shanghai resident who did not want to give his real name. "There's a very strong sense of community and it's very, very welcoming." Situated in Shanghai's Pudong district, the project came close to completion in 2009 but investment fell through. The giant concrete building now sits mostly in disrepair -- broken tiles litter the ground and a large faded map of the uncompleted mall is barely visible under a thick layer of dust. Some rooms still have signs of life, with mattresses from squatters, discarded takeout and cigarette boxes and even laundry hanging outside. "In places like Shanghai, people always find a way to make use of these buildings, even if they're not completely built and completely usable," said Sean's exploration partner Nov, who also asked to go by a pseudonym. 'Way too dangerous' Chinese social media companies are less enthusiastic. Looking up abandoned buildings on Instagram-like Xiaohongshu, users are met with a message warning "there are risks in this area, please pay attention to safety and comply with local policies and regulations". Connal, originally from Britain, told AFP he understood the restrictions. "Some of them are way too dangerous, and some of these abandoned locations were getting overwhelmed with people," he said. The hobby also takes place in a legal grey area. Many urban explorers go by a simple mantra -- taking nothing from the places they visit and leaving nothing behind. But the act of trespassing can come with fines in China, just as it does in the West. Xu also acknowledged the risks that come with urban exploration -- from angry security guards to errant circuitry. "Firstly, you might face the risk of trespassing illegally. Secondly, private properties may have security guards or be completely sealed off," he told AFP. "These locations often involve hazards like no electricity or lighting, structural damage, and injuries from construction materials like exposed nails." But model Mao Yi said the hobby offered a respite from the drudgery of big city living. "Living in these sprawling metropolises of steel and concrete, we've grown familiar with the routines of daily life," she told AFP.
Japan Times
7 days ago
- Japan Times
China's abandoned buildings draw urban explorers despite risks
Xu Pengcheng looks over his shoulder and, after confirming the coast is clear, helps his crew of urban adventurers climb through the broken window of an abandoned building. Long popular in the West, urban exploration, or "urbex" for short, sees city-dwelling thrill-seekers explore dilapidated, closed-off buildings and areas — often skirting the law in the process. And it is growing in popularity in China, where a years-long property sector crisis has left many cities dotted with empty buildings. Xu, a 29-year-old tech worker from the eastern city of Qingdao, has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers for his photos of rundown schools and vacant cinemas. "When people see these images, they find them incredibly fresh and fascinating," he said. "The realization that so many abandoned buildings exist — and that they can photograph so beautifully — naturally captures attention." AFP joined Xu and his comrades at a deserted hotel in the outskirts of Shanghai for a unique photoshoot. From the outside, the hotel looked like a prefabricated medieval castle. Once inside, it was clear the property had been abandoned for years. Searching through the rooms for good spots for striking photos, Xu and his friends came across remnants of the hotel's past — a mahjong table, laundry sheets and piles of dinner plates. Props from past photoshoots were scattered on the floor and on one ballroom wall, "Long Live Chairman Mao" was written in spray paint. China's recent property market downturn has left many abandoned large-scale projects ready ground for urban explorers. "I don't think you would find sites like this in Europe," long-time explorer Brin Connal said as he walked around an empty, abandoned building. "In China, there's a lot of these places which are unfinished." One such unfinished megaproject in Shanghai, the Pentagon Mall, has become such a hotspot that explorers leave messages for each other on the walls of its top floor. "I think this is something really special about Chinese urban exploration," said Sean, a Shanghai resident who did not want to give his real name. "There's a very strong sense of community and it's very, very welcoming." Situated in Shanghai's Pudong district, the project came close to completion in 2009 but investment fell through. The giant concrete building now sits mostly in disrepair — broken tiles litter the ground and a large faded map of the uncompleted mall is barely visible under a thick layer of dust. Some rooms still have signs of life, with mattresses from squatters, discarded takeout and cigarette boxes and even laundry hanging outside. "In places like Shanghai, people always find a way to make use of these buildings, even if they're not completely built and completely usable," said Sean's exploration partner Nov, who also asked to go by a pseudonym. Chinese social media companies are less enthusiastic. Looking up abandoned buildings on Instagram-like Xiaohongshu, users are met with a message warning "there are risks in this area, please pay attention to safety and comply with local policies and regulations." Connal, originally from Britain, said he understood the restrictions. "Some of them are way too dangerous, and some of these abandoned locations were getting overwhelmed with people," he said. The hobby also takes place in a legal grey area. Many urban explorers go by a simple mantra — taking nothing from the places they visit and leaving nothing behind. But the act of trespassing can come with fines in China, just as it does in the West. Xu also acknowledged the risks that come with urban exploration — from angry security guards to errant circuitry. "Firstly, you might face the risk of trespassing illegally. Secondly, private properties may have security guards or be completely sealed off," he said. "These locations often involve hazards like no electricity or lighting, structural damage, and injuries from construction materials like exposed nails." But model Mao Yi said the hobby offered a respite from the drudgery of big city living. "Living in these sprawling metropolises of steel and concrete, we've grown familiar with the routines of daily life," she said.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Yahoo
China's abandoned buildings draw urban explorers despite risks
Xu Pengcheng looks over his shoulder and, after confirming the coast is clear, helps his crew of urban adventurers climb through the broken window of an abandoned building. Long popular in the West, urban exploration, or "urbex" for short, sees city-dwelling thrill-seekers explore dilapidated, closed-off buildings and areas -- often skirting the law in the process. And it is growing in popularity in China, where a years-long property sector crisis has left many cities dotted with empty buildings. Xu, a 29-year-old tech worker from the eastern city of Qingdao, has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers for his photos of rundown schools and vacant cinemas. "When people see these images, they find them incredibly fresh and fascinating," he told AFP. "The realisation that so many abandoned buildings exist -- and that they can photograph so beautifully -- naturally captures attention." AFP joined Xu and his comrades at a deserted hotel in the outskirts of Shanghai for a unique photoshoot. From the outside, the hotel looked like a prefabricated medieval castle. Once inside, it was clear the property had been abandoned for years. Searching through the rooms for good spots for striking photos, Xu and his friends came across remnants of the hotel's past -- a mahjong table, laundry sheets and piles of dinner plates. Props from past photoshoots were scattered on the floor and on one ballroom wall, "Long Live Chairman Mao" was written in spray paint. China's recent property market downturn has left many abandoned large-scale projects ready ground for urban explorers. "I don't think you would find sites like this in Europe," long-time explorer Brin Connal told AFP as he walked around an empty, abandoned building. "In China, there's a lot of these places which are unfinished." - 'Really special' - One such unfinished megaproject in Shanghai, the Pentagon Mall, has become such a hotspot that explorers leave messages for each other on the walls of its top floor. "I think this is something really special about Chinese urban exploration," said Sean, a Shanghai resident who did not want to give his real name. "There's a very strong sense of community and it's very, very welcoming." Situated in Shanghai's Pudong district, the project came close to completion in 2009 but investment fell through. The giant concrete building now sits mostly in disrepair -- broken tiles litter the ground and a large faded map of the uncompleted mall is barely visible under a thick layer of dust. Some rooms still have signs of life, with mattresses from squatters, discarded takeout and cigarette boxes and even laundry hanging outside. "In places like Shanghai, people always find a way to make use of these buildings, even if they're not completely built and completely usable," said Sean's exploration partner Nov, who also asked to go by a pseudonym. - 'Way too dangerous' - Chinese social media companies are less enthusiastic. Looking up abandoned buildings on Instagram-like Xiaohongshu, users are met with a message warning "there are risks in this area, please pay attention to safety and comply with local policies and regulations". Connal, originally from Britain, told AFP he understood the restrictions. "Some of them are way too dangerous, and some of these abandoned locations were getting overwhelmed with people," he said. The hobby also takes place in a legal grey area. Many urban explorers go by a simple mantra -- taking nothing from the places they visit and leaving nothing behind. But the act of trespassing can come with fines in China, just as it does in the West. Xu also acknowledged the risks that come with urban exploration -- from angry security guards to errant circuitry. "Firstly, you might face the risk of trespassing illegally. Secondly, private properties may have security guards or be completely sealed off," he told AFP. "These locations often involve hazards like no electricity or lighting, structural damage, and injuries from construction materials like exposed nails." But model Mao Yi said the hobby offered a respite from the drudgery of big city living. "Living in these sprawling metropolises of steel and concrete, we've grown familiar with the routines of daily life," she told AFP. acc/oho/je/dhw/rsc
CBS News
19-06-2025
- CBS News
Beverly Grove residents express concerns over abandoned apartment buildings overtaken by squatters
Some Beverly Grove residents are expressing their concerns over a group of abandoned apartment buildings that have been overtaken by squatters. They say that their usually quiet street has been hit with a rash of fights, fires and people using drugs because of the nearly 20 people that took up house in the vacant buildings at the corner of Flores Street and W. Third Street. "It's horrible and it's very scary," said Lauren Green, who lives near the complex of apartments. "The buildings are not secure and there's not a solid fence to keep vagrants, homeless, unhoused, whatever you want to call anybody that is living without paying rent on a beautiful, beautiful street." Though the buildings are surrounded by a large fence, residents say that hasn't stopped anyone from gaining access. Green says that she has had to change the route she typically took when walking her dog because of the people living inside. "I've seen some horrible, horrible people doing horrible things and they have come after me," she claimed. She's one of many who say that the issues come at any time of the day, along with Margaret Ruskin. "It's become a real serious public safety issue, I mean they knock on windows when they are too, I am assuming, drugged up to know how to get back in," Ruskin said. Since the group of squatters moved in a few months ago, residents say they have counted at least seven fires stemming from the buildings. Beverly Grove city leaders say that the issue lies with the property owner. "We've made it clear that the owner must take full responsibility for addressing safety and nuisance issues on-site," said a statement shared by a spokesperson for Los Angeles City Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky. "Our office has also flagged the matter with the Department of Building and Safety and Code Enforcement and LAPD." CBS News Los Angeles has reached out to the property manager but has not yet heard back.
