This Chinese “Dystopian” Apartment Building Houses 20K Residents And They Never Need To Leave
Imagine having the chance to do everything you need without leaving your apartment, from your grocery shopping to meeting your friends at the coffee shop and even having your hair cut.
A Chinese apartment complex in Qianjiang Century City, located in Hangzhou’s central business district, offers its residents this unusual lifestyle.
The massive building, known as the Regent International, is home to 20,000 residents, the number of inhabitants of a small town.
Standing at 675ft (approximately 206 meters) tall, the colossal structure offers 260,000 square meters of space, making it one of the largest buildings in China.
A colossal apartment complex in China that accommodates 20,000 residents has recently been the subject of debate, with some believing it can be an alternative to the housing crisis
Image credits: billionaire_estates
Initially conceived as a luxury hotel, it opened its doors in 2013. It was designed by Alicia Loo, the chief designer of the world’s second seven-star hotel, the Singapore Sands Hotel.
What’s more, the building is believed to have the capacity of accommodating up to 30,000 people.
Who lives inside the walls of the impressive complex? The facility is believed to be primarily occupied by graduates or students who are about to graduate. Among its tenants are also young professionals, including small business owners and influencers.
The massive building, known as the Regent International, stands at 675ft (approximately 206 meters) tall
Image credits: nevsedoma.com.ua
The price to live in the vertical small town varies, as smaller apartments without windows usually rent for around 1,500 RMB ($210) monthly, while larger units with balconies can rent for up to 4,000 RMB ($560) monthly or more.
The Regent International has 36 to 39 floors, depending on what side of it you’re on, and it features a variety of amenities and businesses, such as a giant food court, swimming pools, barber shops, nail salons, medium-sized supermarkets, and internet cafes.
Therefore, the only time members of the compact community need to leave the building is to get some fresh air.
Videos of the gigantic facility have recently been circulating online, with people expressing their astonishment in regards to its numerous amenities and its inhabitants’ uncommon lifestyle.
The price to live in the vertical small town varies, as smaller apartments rent for around $210 monthly, while larger units can rent for up to $560
Image credits: billionaire_estates
Image credits: nevsedoma.com.ua
In 2012, China projected the construction of a similar structure that would become the tallest building in the world: a 2,749 ft (838-meter) complex named Sky City. The Changsha-based construction company, Broad Group, expected to erect the building in just 90 days.
To put this ambitious plan into perspective, the Burj Khalifa, which is currently the world’s tallest structure, has a total height of 2,722 ft (over 829 meters) and took five years to build.
They announced that the fantastic feat would become a reality thanks to a construction technique that consists of producing thousands of prefabricated steel-and-concrete blocks, transporting them to the location, and packing them into position, just like a Lego house.
Initially conceived as a luxury hotel, it opened its doors in 2013
Image credits: nevsedoma.com.ua
The Broad Group said the 202-story, 1.05 million-square-meter building would be capable of keeping at least 2,000 cars off of Changsha city streets by creating an environment no one needs to leave.
Additionally, they projected the tower would house more than 30,000 people alongside a shopping mall, school, hospital, office areas, roof garden, amusement park, sports facilities, organic farm, and a 10-kilometer “walking street,” as per CNN.
The Regent International features amenities and businesses, such as a giant food court, swimming pools, supermarkets, and internet cafes
Image credits: nevsedoma.com.ua
Authorities eventually suspended the project due to safety issues and the lack of necessary approvals, according to Medium. Faced with rising floodwaters, local farmers repurposed the abandoned construction site into productive fish farms.
Buildings like the Regent International and the failed Sky City project are still the subject of debate.
While some see the facility as something out of a dystopian film, pointing to its safety hazards, others think these types of buildings can be a solution to the housing crisis
Image credits: Megaprojects
On the one hand, some believe these “small town” apartment blocks are a solution to the housing crisis, providing a sustainable and affordable alternative to expensive homes.
However, others see them as something out of a dystopian film and point to the safety hazards of having thousands of people crammed into a single structure. For instance, in the event of a fire or an individual emergency, people could be more vulnerable compared to residents of more traditional structures.
Additionally, as housing quality is a determinant of mental health, there is considerable debate about whether these structures would be supportive of psychological wellbeing.
People were concerned about potential fire hazards or individual emergencies that would make the residents vulnerable
What is more dystopian, this or the homeless living on the streets and under bridges, living with constant harassment and scorn?
Right? I get the safety issues, but have you seen the "coffin apartments" in Hong Kong that currently house many of the lower-income Chinese people? A metal cage with a bunk bed, and table... if you are lucky. This seems just as bad, but it may beat a coffin apartment, or living on the street.
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I love how so many of the commentors are apparently experts in safety and fire prevention.
I agree. But's it's also China so no way I'd live there relying on their safety standards.
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And the look out of the windows also has a Megacity One Vibe!
Load More Replies... A better alternative to the housing crisis is to stop breeding so much. There's too many people on this planet. We need government incentives for people who decide not to breed at all.
This needs to be a very careful concept, as it can cross into eugenics (e.g. who's allowed to 'breed').
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That's not a new concept at all, IIRC the "Ziggurat Project" in Dubai is around since the 90's. And maybe I overlook something here, but what is the difference to this building and any other like a skyscraper or hotel complex of similiar size when it comes to fires?
Having no windows would get me, but honestly I can see the appeal of a large building complex like this to begin with. My entire life I've lived on military bases or college campuses, and while they don't have mega buildings, they are all contained within a small area. I can see the appeal of having residential buildings with 20 or more floors having all those amenities nearby.
yes, yes - we all know the narrative - all made by China must be bad and dystopian: China plant forests in Gobi desert: bad, China build fast rail ways - bad, China build huge blocks to house its people - bad..
I wondered how far I'd have to look to see this. The first thing I thought of was how would they get folks out of that thing if/when there's a fire? How would you get seniors or disabled people down those dozens of sets of stairs?
Load More Replies... If I were living by myself I'm not really sure if I would ever leave the building as long as I would have the primary necessities are within it. I'm an introvert and I could live like that forever. The only thing that gets me out of the door is my Fiancé who is an extravert.
"Smaller apartments WITHOUT windows" Nuff said. Also really on point tweet on living Vs merely existing.
210$ a month for no windows? And all these people in one spot? No way.
Out of curiosity, where are you from? I only ask because $210 a month sounds incredibly cheap to me, but I’m wondering if I may just be used to the prices in my area of the U.S.! For context: an incredibly cheap place around here might be 700 a month. The average is closer to 1000.
Load More Replies... Different countries, different laws. This is also quite common in Vietnam.
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That's what I was thinking too. What's with the "never have to leave" stuff?
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I don't mind the idea, but I don't like that it's so Vertical. 202 floors is too many. Make it tall but not that tall and a larger ground area. And while you're at it provide more elevators in different zones. That way if something does go wrong you actually have a chance of evacuating most of the people.
This is the only thing that's going to help the poorest of Americans get out of homelessness.... But only if the government can make a profit off it.
In countries that have very limited land areas, for example, Singapore and Hong Kong, I can understand because the only way is to build up. But China still has lots of land area, so it's kind of strange to build residential buildings like this. Having visited China before, I've come across megacities with buildings like this (known as ghost cities due to overdevelopment in real estate) with very few people living in them.
Well, it's not bad, having supermarkets, workplace, hospital, etc. in one building. But did you see The Towering Inferno?
Here's the kicker: China's population is already declining. Soon, it will be losing the population of all of six states of New England per year. That might include the population of New York in a few more years.
Hopefully the population of every nation will be on the decline soon. There are just too many people trying to get too few resources. Isn't that what the housing crisis means?
Load More Replies... Sim City used to have as its top prize an "arcology," which was supposed to be a building with the population of a city all in one building.
What is more dystopian, this or the homeless living on the streets and under bridges, living with constant harassment and scorn?
Right? I get the safety issues, but have you seen the "coffin apartments" in Hong Kong that currently house many of the lower-income Chinese people? A metal cage with a bunk bed, and table... if you are lucky. This seems just as bad, but it may beat a coffin apartment, or living on the street.
Load More Replies... I love how so many of the commentors are apparently experts in safety and fire prevention.
I agree. But's it's also China so no way I'd live there relying on their safety standards.
Load More Replies... And the look out of the windows also has a Megacity One Vibe!
Load More Replies... A better alternative to the housing crisis is to stop breeding so much. There's too many people on this planet. We need government incentives for people who decide not to breed at all.
This needs to be a very careful concept, as it can cross into eugenics (e.g. who's allowed to 'breed').
Load More Replies... That's not a new concept at all, IIRC the "Ziggurat Project" in Dubai is around since the 90's. And maybe I overlook something here, but what is the difference to this building and any other like a skyscraper or hotel complex of similiar size when it comes to fires?
Having no windows would get me, but honestly I can see the appeal of a large building complex like this to begin with. My entire life I've lived on military bases or college campuses, and while they don't have mega buildings, they are all contained within a small area. I can see the appeal of having residential buildings with 20 or more floors having all those amenities nearby.
yes, yes - we all know the narrative - all made by China must be bad and dystopian: China plant forests in Gobi desert: bad, China build fast rail ways - bad, China build huge blocks to house its people - bad..
I wondered how far I'd have to look to see this. The first thing I thought of was how would they get folks out of that thing if/when there's a fire? How would you get seniors or disabled people down those dozens of sets of stairs?
Load More Replies... If I were living by myself I'm not really sure if I would ever leave the building as long as I would have the primary necessities are within it. I'm an introvert and I could live like that forever. The only thing that gets me out of the door is my Fiancé who is an extravert.
"Smaller apartments WITHOUT windows" Nuff said. Also really on point tweet on living Vs merely existing.
210$ a month for no windows? And all these people in one spot? No way.
Out of curiosity, where are you from? I only ask because $210 a month sounds incredibly cheap to me, but I’m wondering if I may just be used to the prices in my area of the U.S.! For context: an incredibly cheap place around here might be 700 a month. The average is closer to 1000.
Load More Replies... Different countries, different laws. This is also quite common in Vietnam.
Load More Replies... That's what I was thinking too. What's with the "never have to leave" stuff?
Load More Replies... I don't mind the idea, but I don't like that it's so Vertical. 202 floors is too many. Make it tall but not that tall and a larger ground area. And while you're at it provide more elevators in different zones. That way if something does go wrong you actually have a chance of evacuating most of the people.
This is the only thing that's going to help the poorest of Americans get out of homelessness.... But only if the government can make a profit off it.
In countries that have very limited land areas, for example, Singapore and Hong Kong, I can understand because the only way is to build up. But China still has lots of land area, so it's kind of strange to build residential buildings like this. Having visited China before, I've come across megacities with buildings like this (known as ghost cities due to overdevelopment in real estate) with very few people living in them.
Well, it's not bad, having supermarkets, workplace, hospital, etc. in one building. But did you see The Towering Inferno?
Here's the kicker: China's population is already declining. Soon, it will be losing the population of all of six states of New England per year. That might include the population of New York in a few more years.
Hopefully the population of every nation will be on the decline soon. There are just too many people trying to get too few resources. Isn't that what the housing crisis means?
Load More Replies... Sim City used to have as its top prize an "arcology," which was supposed to be a building with the population of a city all in one building.
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