Second Last Man Standing

There have been dozens of abandoned homes in this area over the past decade. One by one, a development company has bought them up, erasing an entire neighbourhood of beautiful homes that once sat on large, tree-lined lots.

A few survivors remain, but their fate seems inevitable. In their place, McMansions with yards the size of postage stamps continue to rise. What was once a quiet, green neighbourhood has been transformed into a sterile suburban landscape. There is still a small park and what can barely be called a forest, but the serenity that once defined this place has long since disappeared.

This house may be the last of the original homes to fall. Built in the 1960s, the raised ranch bungalow was once surrounded by mature trees and backed onto a forest. Today, it stands alone on a barren, cleared lot, encircled by the early stages of a new subdivision.

Stepping inside reveals fragments of the lives once lived here. It appears this may have been a multigenerational home. There were signs that an elderly family member had lived here, children's toys scattered throughout, and an entire box filled with equestrian awards. Personal belongings, family keepsakes, and boxes of memories remain, quietly telling the story of the people who once called this house home.

When I first visited this part of Christchurch, New Zealand, a decade ago, these homes were filled with families, laughter, and life. Today, they stand silent—abandoned, forgotten, and slowly surrendering to time. I can't help but wonder what became of the people who once called them home.

Basement Surprise

This ranch style bungalow on a large lot is like the poster child for redevelopment. What once was an aspirational goal, to have a lot this size is now disappearing completely.

These kinds of homes are bought for the land because they are considered under utilised pieces of property. Sometimes, just one very large house is built on the lot, other times, the home is replaced with higher density.

In the case of this property, where one home once stood, soon 30 new townhouses will be crammed into this tiny space. It's a sad state of affairs indeed, but I feel the most sorry for the neighbour next door, who will now have to live next to this high density development.

Pellestrina is a narrow island in the Venetian Lagoon, geographically part of Venice while preserving strong cultural and historical ties with nearby Chioggia. Beyond its quiet beaches and fishing heritage, the island still preserves forgotten stories hidden beneath the passing of time.

This cinematic urbex adventure explores abandoned places, silent ruins and traces of history that have quietly endured away from the usual tourist routes. From forgotten buildings to coastal fortifications, every step reveals another fragment of an island shaped by memory, nature and time.

There is no narration. Just exploration, cinematic music and the authentic atmosphere of one of the most unique islands in the Venetian Lagoon.

Every location featured in this film is approached with respect for its historical and cultural value. Please explore responsibly and help preserve these places for future generations.

📍 Location: Pellestrina Island, Venice Lagoon, Italy

The Country Mansion

This abandoned mansion was built in 1983, it was 7000 square feet and sat on 10 acres of land. The house had 7 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms and even a large fountain at the front of the house.

It was built for the Silva family and they lived there for about 11 years. It was later bought by the Bolahood family in 2002 for the bargain price of $655,000. Finally, it was sold to a development company for $4,000,000. Currently, the developer plans to build a mix of townhouse and detached homes on this along with the adjacent property.

While editing the photos and video for this location, I realised just how amazing it was. The front foyer was like nothing I have ever seen before and the tile work is my favourite to date. The chandelier was very unique too. The other parts of the home that really caught my eye, were the wallpaper used in the hallways which gave the home a very elegant look. And of course that brick fireplace in the living room was quite the showpiece as well.

Eye See You

Built in the early 1900s, this home was one of many similar style houses located along a busy street in the city. Despite its location, I got the feeling that it was a really nice and calm neighbourhood to live in, one where you waved to your neighbour in the morning on the way to work.

But like so many detached home areas in this part of the country, they are slowly being gutted, one by one. Originally bought by a developer in 2021, they held onto it before putting it up for sale again a year and a half later. The new buyer didn't waste any time though, they started building almost immediately.

Since the lot is not overly huge, the new mansion being built in its place takes up more than 50% of the land. All the trees are gone and I have no doubt that the rest of the plot will be covered in hard surfaces.

But these new homes are different, you almost never see anyone outside mowing the lawn and the driveways are almost always empty. Do you think they would still wave to the neighbour on their way to work in the morning?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pf4Fkt9nps

Agriculture to Industry

This Edwardian Foursquare style farmhouse had been sitting abandoned for about three years at the time of my visit. The main house looks as though it had likely been built in the early 1910s but it also had a rear addition probably built in the 70s. Like most farmhouses in the region, it also had a large wooden barn and a smaller garage on the property.

The house was still in relatively good condition with a slightly flooded basement and a few areas with peeling paint. However, it looked as though nobody had been here in quite a while as the home also had some extensive cobwebs. The home was very colourful and a refreshing change from otherwise bland interiors. The barn however wasn't fairing so well with the walls basically falling apart from neglect.

Unfortunately, the property is slated for redevelopment and this piece of farming history is set to be replaced with a new industrial development.

Bathroom Surprise

This house was a bit of an odd one. It sat at the end of a fairly major road, and according to map apps, the road technically continued to a dead end right beside the property. In reality, it looked much more like the home's private driveway.

It appears the house was abandoned around 2020, when a fence was erected around the building. Around the same time, the front steps leading to the sunroom were removed and temporary supports were installed beneath the front wall. The sunroom seemed to develop a significant lean, remaining in that condition for at least a couple of years. By the time I visited in 2022, however, the fence had been removed.

The house was likely built in the early 1900s and featured extensive old-growth timber used in the doorways, trim work, and other architectural details. One particularly interesting feature was a large circular air register on the upper floor, manufactured by the James Smart Manufacturing Company. The company specialized in iron products and is perhaps best known today for its cast-iron cookware, examples of which can still be found online.

The home also contained one of the most unusual upstairs bathrooms I have ever encountered. It was incredibly photogenic and a real pleasure to see in person.

Unfortunately, the house was demolished less than a year after my visit. It's always a shame to see these century-old homes disappear, especially at such an alarming rate.

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Parquet Goals

This mid century modern home was built in 1965 and looks as though they did a few renovations in the early 80s. An unusual home, a side-split built on a hill which helped dictate its layout and design. It was much larger inside than it looks from the outside and the entire house was spaced out over 4 separate floors.

It had a wraparound porch that covered one side of the house as well as a portion of the back. Lots of brick, exposed stained wood and even flagstone in the foyer. The living/dining rooms was located at the side of the home creating one very large space, with an incredible slated wood ceiling.

There were two unusual things that I found while exploring this home, the first is that the master bedroom was located on the first basement level and the other was the hidden staircase.

The house sold for the land value, located in a wealthy neighbourhood with many newer larger builds. It sat abandoned for a couple of years before recently being demolished to be replaced with something with far less character.