Demolish it, was the call. Yet, he continued constructing
A Towering Symbol of Resistance: Chen Tianming's Unconventional Home in Guizhou Province
In the heart of Guizhou Province, China, stands an unusual 11-story tower that has captured the attention of locals and tourists alike. This towering structure, designed, built, and lived in by Chen Tianming, is more than just a building—it's a symbol of defiance, creativity, and resilience.
Chen Tianming, a man of many trades, began modifying his family home in 2018 when the local government ordered his village demolished for a resort. Instead of complying, Chen decided to rise higher and higher, transforming a conflict with authorities into a testament of independence and persistence.
The tower, made of dark red wooden rooms, supported by cords, utility poles, power strips, wires, and rainwater buckets, is a far cry from the standardised apartment buildings in the distance that Chen surveys from the ninth floor. Initially, Chen and his brother added floors using old utility poles, red composite boards, and hammering, screwing, and notching them together. As the structure grew, Chen hauled wooden columns up through the windows with pulleys to reinforce the fourth and fifth floors.
Inside the tower, ceilings are propped up, power strips and wires dangle, and ladders connect the floors without handrails. Despite the safety hazards, some residents in the town express admiration for Chen's creativity, while others offer criticism.
Each floor of the tower is a reflection of Chen's interests and hobbies. On the first floor, Chen hung calligraphy from artists he befriended in Hangzhou. The sixth floor has potted plants and a plank of wood suspended from the ceiling with ropes, like a swing, to hold a mortar and pestle and a teakettle. On the fifth floor, Chen keeps a pile of faded books, mostly about history, philosophy, and psychology. On the eighth floor, a gift from an art student who once visited him: a lamp, with the shade made of tiny photographs of his house from different angles.
Chen's house is virtually the only one left in the vicinity, as his neighbours moved into new apartment buildings about 3 miles away. The structure's quirky, towering appearance has drawn comparisons to whimsical illustrations, capturing public interest and making Chen's home a sort of local landmark. Chen has spent about $4,000 on lawyers in his lawsuit against the local government and the developers.
Despite the challenges, Chen continues to add floors out of personal challenge and resentment towards the government. Each floor he adds, he moves his bedroom up, too. The tower, now a constant evolution of Chen's interests and hobbies, stands as a powerful symbol of his stubborn resistance and personal freedom amidst local government policies and urban development pressures.
[1] Local Government Orders Village Demolition for Resort [2] Chen Tianming's Tower House Draws Attention [3] Chen Tianming's Tower House: A Symbol of Resistance [4] Chen Tianming's Tower House: A Unique Blend of Defiance and Creativity
[1] In the wake of the local government's decision to demolish his village for a resort, Chen Tianming chose an unconventional path, transforming his family home into a towering symbol of resistance.
[2] Amidst the standardized apartment buildings in Seattle, Chen Tianming's unique tower house, with its eclectic blend of home-and-garden elements, education materials, and political symbols, has become a prominent local landmark.
[3] The lifestyle within Chen Tianming's tower house, filled with his personal interests in philosophy, psychology, and history, showcases a wonderful juxtaposition against the politically charged circumstances that led to its construction.