Shanghai World Expo stole my home (7 images)

Slideshow
Shanghai World Expo 2010 was declared a national cause. As such, it was a perfect excuse to kick out residents from their old houses and build new lucrative residences instead. It mattered little that the house in question was 500 meters from the Expo grounds. These residents fought against the destruction of their house, but it happened anyway. They protest on the rumbles of what used to be their home. Striking before and after photos.
  • Husband and wife Lan Guixiao (right) and Tu Huiyun (left) stand on rubble of their half-demolished house in Shanghai, China, on April 2, 2010. Lan Guixiao's house is a 'nailhouse', i.e. the last remaining house of an old neighborhood preventing a development project to be completed. Lan Guixiao's house was destroyed on April 8. He now has to live outside Shanghai, 15 km away. He didn't receive any financial compensation. Photo by Lucas Schifres/Pictobank

  • Lan Guixiao stands on rubble of his house half-demolished in Shanghai, China, on April 2, 2010. Lan Guixiao's house is a 'nailhouse', i.e. the last remaining house of an old neighborhood preventing a development project to be completed. Lan Guixiao's house was destroyed on April 8. He now has to live outside Shanghai, 15 km away. He didn't receive any financial compensation. Photo by Lucas Schifres/Pictobank

  • Lan Guixiao stands at the place where his house was demolished in Shanghai, China, on May 13, 2010. Lan Guixiao's house was destroyed on April 8 to make way to project related to Shanghai World Expo 2010. He now has to live outside Shanghai, 15 km away. He didn't receive any financial compensation. Photo by Lucas Schifres/Pictobank

  • Lan Guixiao's house stands half-demolished to make way to more modern residences like the ones in the background, in Shanghai, China, on April 2, 2010. Lan Guixiao's house is a 'nailhouse', i.e. the last remaining house of an old neighborhood preventing a development project to be completed. Lan Guixiao's house was destroyed on April 8. He now has to live outside Shanghai, 15 km away. He didn't receive any financial compensation. Photo by Lucas Schifres/Pictobank

  • Husband and wife Lan Guixiao (right) and Tu Huiyun (left) stand at the place where their house was demolished in Shanghai, China, on May 13, 2010. Their house was destroyed on April 8 to make way to project related to Shanghai World Expo 2010. They now have to live outside Shanghai, 15 km away. They didn't receive any financial compensation. Photo by Lucas Schifres/Pictobank

  • A toddler plays in rubble in an old neighborhood in the process of being demolished to make way to more modern residences like the ones in the background, in Shanghai, China, on April 2, 2010. The house on the left is a 'nailhouse', i.e. one of the last remaining houses preventing the development project to be completed. On the wall the Chinese characters say that the 'Water (is) cut'. Photo Lucas Schifres/Pictobank

  • Slide-show on L'Express.fr, July 15, 2010. Photos by Lucas Schifres/Pictobank

UA-1990687-1