Introduction: living in iconic neighborhoods
Have you ever gazed at a quaint little mews house in London and thought, “It must be amazing to live there”? You’re not alone. However, for residents of these picturesque homes, the reality can be quite different due to the rise of social media photography.
Alice Johnston, a long-time resident of Notting Hill, London’s neighborhood renowned for its pastel-painted row houses and its appearance in the Julia Roberts/Hugh Grant movie of the same name, has mixed feelings about her Instagram-famous neighborhood. Living on Portobello Road, one of the capital’s most iconic streets, she has seen a variety of bizarre behavior from people in pursuit of the perfect snapshot(living in iconic neighborhood).
The Impact of Social Media on Everyday Life
Johnston, a journalist, recounts an instance where she and a friend, while walking his French bulldog, were approached by a tourist who wanted to “borrow” the dog for a photo. The tourist took the photo with the Frenchie in front of a bright blue door and then handed over five pounds as a thank-you gesture.
While this encounter was harmless, there can be a darker side to living in what people perceive as a movie set. Johnston shares another story: “One time, I was changing after a shower, and there was an elderly man taking a picture of my windows with an iPad.” Although her shutters were closed, the experience was understandably unsettling.
Coping with Public Attention in Private Spaces
When private homes become tourist attractions, conflicts can arise. In rural areas, residents can erect fences or other barriers to limit access. However, when these homes are on public streets in bustling cities, what can residents do?
Different communities have adopted various approaches. For example, in Hong Kong, a group of five interconnected housing estates, nicknamed “the Monster Building,” became a popular selfie spot after being featured in several Hollywood films, including “Transformers: Age of Extinction.” The building, located in Quarry Bay, a relatively quiet neighborhood on Hong Kong Island, attracts many visitors despite residents’ attempts to maintain privacy.
Managing Tourists in Residential Areas ” living in iconic neighborhoods”
Residents of the Monster Building cannot block off the building due to the presence of public businesses on the ground floors. As a result, some have posted signs asking visitors to be respectful. One sign, in both English and Chinese, reads, “This is a private estate. Trespassers are strictly prohibited from all kinds of activities (including but not limited to photographing, gatherings, use of drones, and yelling, etc.). We shall not take responsibility for property damage and/or personal injury caused by any accident.” Despite these warnings, many visitors ignore the signs, as evidenced by numerous recent Instagram posts from the location.
Johnston mentions that a pale-pink house near her home has become so popular for photos that the residents have given up trying to keep people away. Instead, they have put up a donation box, asking people to contribute money to charity in exchange for taking a photo.
Living in a Piece of History
Chuck Henderson’s grandmother, Della, was an architecture enthusiast who commissioned a home in California designed by the world-renowned American architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The Mrs. Clinton Walker House in Carmel-by-the-Sea, nicknamed “the Cabin on the Rocks,” was completed in 1951 and passed into the hands of Henderson and his relatives when Walker died. Although no one lives in the house full-time, family members and their guests take turns staying there.
Preserving Architectural Masterpieces
Wright fans from around the world come to catch glimpses of his masterpieces. While some, like the famous Fallingwater house in Pennsylvania, are open to the public year-round, others remain private residences. Many owners of homes featured in architecture textbooks face additional costs for security measures.
Henderson recounts a vandalism incident from six or seven years ago: “We have this big wooden remnant of a tree placed as the centerpiece of the garden by the original landscape designer. Someone cut a notch from it. It looked clean, like someone used a chainsaw or something. One of our doors – between the carport and the main house – has a bunch of nautical cork discs in a rope net and is the counterweight for the door. That has been absconded with a couple of times.” However, he adds, those discs weren’t designed by Wright and are of little value.
Striking a Balance Between Privacy and Public Interest
Henderson shares that despite the “private property, no trespassing” signs, people often walk right past them. “We’ve had people dancing in our carport. We get a few people wandering up as a surprise, and as long as they don’t do anything wrong, we don’t call the police.”
Living in a much-photographed place can be a mixed experience. Johnston tries to be understanding of travelers, recalling her own love for taking pictures in historic neighborhoods like the Marais in Paris and Alfama in Lisbon. She recently found photos of herself as a teenager at the Notting Hill Carnival, years before she moved to the capital.
“I love to travel, so I have to be pretty understanding when people travel to where I live. I feel lucky that it’s cool enough that people want to come where I live.”
Finding Compromises in living in iconic neighborhoods
Henderson and his relatives have found ways to balance public interest with privacy. They occasionally rent out the house for photo shoots, such as a campaign by the eyewear brand Oliver Peoples. Additionally, they open the home to the public one day a year to benefit the local Carmel Heritage Society. In 2021, 657 people bought tickets and toured the property.
“For us, it’s a tremendous pleasure to be able to share the house and see so many people happy and excited about it,” Henderson says. “And it allows us to be able to tell people when it is open. It gives them an option to visit, and we don’t have to be the Grinch.”
Reflecting on High-Profile Home Ownership
Despite these efforts, it’s unclear if any family members have changed their minds about maintaining such a high-profile residence. Ultimately, Henderson and his relatives decided to sell the house in 2023.
Conclusion: living in iconic neighborhoods
Living in an iconic neighborhood or a historically significant home comes with its own set of challenges and rewards. While social media has increased the allure of these picturesque places, it has also introduced privacy concerns for residents. Striking a balance between enjoying the charm of these locations and managing public interest is crucial. Whether it’s through signs, security measures, or opening homes for public visits, residents continue to navigate the complexities of living in places that captivate the world.
