The Building That Defied Demolition
The Building That Defied Demolition: Located in Guangzhou, China, ‘Number 28 on Yongxing Jie’ is a unique attraction that stands out due to its unusual placement. This eight-story apartment building is surrounded by a busy overpass, making it an urban anomaly that has received international news coverage.
The story of ‘Number 28 on Yongxing Jie’ dates back to 2008 when several buildings in the Haizhu District were scheduled for demolition to make way for a new road.
While most residents agreed to sell their homes and relocate, three residents of the yellow apartment building refused to abandon their homes unless their demands were met. In the end, developers decided to build an overpass around the building instead, making it the most tenacious holdout against infrastructure developers in Guangzhou.
In 2015, the building gained attention when it was captured in photos of the newly-inaugurated Zhoutouzui Tunnel. The resilience of its three remaining inhabitants, who had virtually no chance of being compensated by developers after the construction of the encircling overpass, became a news topic.
According to a 2017 article by That’s Mags, the only remaining inhabitants of the building were two brothers, Guo Zhiming and his brother, who refused to move out of their 30-square-meter home. Despite having virtually no chance of compensation from the developers, the brothers had bus stations and supermarkets within walking distance.
The term ‘dingzihu’ or ‘nail house’ originated in China to describe homes that stood out in the middle of demolished areas and whose owners resisted state-ordered evictions.
‘Number 28 on Yongxing Jie’ is just one example of such houses that have gained attention over the years.
