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How architecture becomes a ghost town

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Architecture, an expression of human ingenuity, affects the environment and has been designed for various purposes, including providing shelter, comfort, and security and hosting businesses, religious gatherings, and cultural events. Buildings are made with the users’ needs and a specific purpose in mind. Because it captures the cultural, social, and economic environment in which it was produced, architecture is a vital part of a city’s or community’s identity.

How architecture becomes a ghost town - Sheet1
Ghost architecture. [Photograph] (© Independent-https://www.independent.com/).
But with time, it’s possible for some structures, even entire towns, to become vacant, forgotten, and abandoned. These abandoned buildings, commonly called ghost buildings or ghost towns, act as a spooky Reminder of our history and the fleeting nature of existence. The various reasons that contribute to a building or community deteriorating over time into a ghost town will be discussed in this article.

A neighbourhood or building could become abandoned for a variety of reasons. Some buildings may become outdated or cease to serve their intended purpose, while natural disasters, armed conflict, or neglect may destroy others. Whatever the cause, the result is the same: a once vibrant town or building is neglected and allowed to deteriorate, eventually becoming just a faint memory of what it once was.

One aspect that could turn a building become a ghost town or building is economic change. Various factors, such as a recession, a labour shortage, and a lack of investment, can cause economic instability. The demand for real estate decreases when the economy struggles because businesses struggle to stay afloat, people lose jobs, or their incomes are reduced. Due to this drop in demand, property owners could find it difficult to keep up with maintenance expenses.

How architecture becomes a ghost town - Sheet2
Ghost building. [Photograph] (© History- https://www.history.com/).
Some homeowners might choose to sell their houses, while others might give up on them because they lack the resources to maintain them, leaving behind abandoned communities or buildings in their wake. For instance, during the 19th century, the railroad, forestry, and mining sectors significantly impacted the development of countless American communities. As these industries started to fail or move, the communities that relied on them also began to suffer. When people moved in search of greater opportunities, they left their homes and other buildings behind.

Natural disasters are the second factor that could make a town or structure a ghost town. Natural disasters like hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, and fires can badly damage buildings, displacing owners and making the affected areas unsafe or unusable. Owners of some structures could let them deteriorate naturally due to the high cost of upkeep. Natural catastrophes can also cause individuals to leave their homes and places of employment, leaving towns in their wake that have been abandoned. Communities can sometimes be completely devastated, causing the survivors to flee.

How architecture becomes a ghost town - Sheet3
Ghost town due to natural disaster. [Photograph] (© Allthatisinteresting-https://allthatsinteresting.com/)
Urbanization is the third factor that could make architecture a ghost town or building. Urbanisation occurs when individuals move from rural to urban areas for better possibilities. People are relocating to urban regions, which boosts the demand for real estate and drives up real estate prices. The rise in real estate values may cause buildings that are no longer profitable to maintain or rent out to be abandoned. To make a place for new construction, developers can also decide to demolish existing buildings. If this happens, historical and cultural landmarks will be destroyed, and ghost towns will grow.

When a war or time of political unrest begins, a city or a structure may also turn into a ghost town. Conflict and political instability have the potential to destroy infrastructure and uproot populations. Formerly occupied buildings may become vacant due to a lack of security or essential services like power and water. Buildings damaged during a fight could also be hard to maintain or repair, which causes them to be abandoned and turn into ghost towns or buildings. For instance, continuing conflicts have caused people to evacuate their homes in many parts of the world, leaving entire cities and villages in their wake. These derelict buildings serve as a sombre reminder of the carnage and destruction caused by war.

Neglect is another important factor that causes buildings to be abandoned. It needs ongoing maintenance and repairs to retain its structural integrity as a building age. With proper upkeep, structures can maintain value. They might cost too much to keep up with or eliminate, leaving them to degrade.

How architecture becomes a ghost town - Sheet4
Centralia Pennsylvania Ghost town. [Photograph] (© Howstuffworks-https://www.howstuffworks.com/).
Pennsylvania’s Centralia is one example of a deserted town. This town used to have a thriving coal mining business, but in 1962 a fire broke out in the mines beneath the town. Since then, the fire has persisted, making it unsafe to dwell in the neighbourhood. As a result, fewer people moved in, leaving most of the buildings vacant. Centralia has little to no residents left today and is a ghost town.

Conclusions | Ghost Town

To conclude, finding an abandoned town or structure serves as a depressing reminder of the fleeting nature of life and the value of protecting the past. Various factors, such as economic instability, natural disasters, urbanisation, conflict, and political instability, can cause architecture to become a ghost town or building. Communities and structures can be abandoned as a result of neglected maintenance. The number of crimes in the neighbourhood could increase if abandoned buildings develop into hubs of criminal activity. These constructions are disturbing, but they also remind us of our past and our influence on the globe. Therefore, we must work to protect and keep these buildings in good shape for future generations.

Stakeholders should invest in maintaining and repurposing historic buildings, fostering economic growth, and developing rules to protect historical locations to prevent the change of architecture into ghost towns or buildings. Stakeholders should invest in maintaining and repurposing historic buildings, fostering economic growth, and developing rules to protect historical locations to prevent the change of architecture into ghost towns or buildings.

References:

Cheney, J. (2023) What to do in Centralia: Pennsylvania’s toxic ghost town (updated for 2023) – UNCOVERINGPA, Uncovering PA. Available at: https://uncoveringpa.com/visiting-centralia (Accessed: April 19, 2023).

Centralia, Pennsylvania – A lost town – legends of America (no date). Available at: https://www.legendsofamerica.com/centralia-pennsylvania/ (Accessed: April 17, 2023).

Constructed Environment Research Network (no date) If You Build It, They Won’t Come: Abandoned Architectural Marvels in China’s Largest Ghost Town. Available at: https://constructedenvironment.com/news/if-you-build-it-they-wont-come-abandoned-architectural-marvels-in-chinas-largest-ghost-town (Accessed: April 19, 2023).

Ghost architecture: Unconscious art of building demolition (2014) WebUrbanist. Available at: https://weburbanist.com/2013/08/20/ghost-architecture-unconscious-art-of-building-demolition/ (Accessed: April 17, 2023).

Ghost town definition and meaning: Collins english dictionary (no date) Ghost town definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary. HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. Available at: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/ghost-town#:~:text=A%20ghost%20town%20is%20a,two%2Dthirds%20of%20its%20residents. (Accessed: April 17, 2023).

This is what happens when entering a ghost town by Zacharie Gaudrillot-Roy (2021) Arch2O.com. Available at: https://www.arch2o.com/entering-ghost-town-zacharie-gaudrillot-roy/ (Accessed: April 18, 2023).

Thomson, M. (2008) Deserted villages and abandoned lives, BBC. BBC. Available at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_7779000/7779890.stm (Accessed: April 18, 2023).

What is a Ghost Town? (no date) State of Oregon: Oregon Ghost Towns – What is a Ghost Town? Available at: https://sos.oregon.gov/archives/exhibits/ghost/Pages/about-what.aspx#:~:text=Some%20towns%20died%20because%20the,ended%20their%20share%20of%20towns. (Accessed: April 17, 2023).

What is a ghost town? (no date) Wonderopolis. Available at: https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/what-is-a-ghost-town/ (Accessed: April 17, 2023).

Author

Osama Nasir is a creative architecture student with a passion for art and history & a serendipitous explorer as a person. He believes architecture is made up of millions of untold stories preserved in heritage and culture. He wants to portray his concepts into the field of architecture by considering the community needs and bringing the past into the future with a minimal approach.

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