This old, decaying shed in figure 6 stands out among the other houses and buildings on Wellington Road in downtown London. To the average person, this shed may be an “eyesore” or an “obstacle” to “renewal” (Lyons, 2017). But, to an urban explorer, it could be a “realistic glimpse into post-apocalyptic life for humanity” (Lyons, 2017). Or, they may see it as the “inevitable process of history, to which we, too, will eventually succumb” (Lyons, 2017).
Since this shed, and the house it is part of, is just south of downtown, it was most likely once expected to be a value property. Other houses along the block seem to be similarly run down or have been turned into storefronts. When London was starting to grow significantly, houses were built just outside downtown so families could move in and workers had a quick commute. As more people came to the city, more houses were built further out from the downtown core. Since these were newer, and in the suburbs, people flocked to them. Business men and women now drive from the suburbs to their downtown jobs, ignoring the stuff in between. It seems the value of these “in between” properties and building decreased, so people stopped taking such good care of them. Although the house in figure 6 looks nice, the graffitied shed reveals that the owner does not care enough to improve the shed.