The largest apartment building in the world - China, 20,000 people live there and never leave
An episode of Black Mirror could start like this: inside a massive 260,000-square-foot building with 20,000 residents who are never allowed to leave. However, the Regent International Apartment Complex does exist. The housing giant is located in Qianjiang Century City, in the commercial district of Hangzhou, China. It has gone viral on social media, with drone footage posted showing the 39-story S-shaped building. Inside, it houses everything: shops, supermarkets, restaurants, gyms, schools, swimming pools, hospitals and over 5,000 apartments.
The Regent International Apartment is completely self-sufficient. The 20,000 residents, the equivalent of a small city, never need to leave: every need can be met without leaving the vertical city.
The complex, designed by architect Alicia Loo, was originally intended to be a luxury hotel but was later converted into a residential structure. It has 5,000 apartments and 39 floors arranged in an S-shape. The building is spread over several blocks, occupying 260,000 square meters, making it one of the largest buildings in China.
Inside, it is traversed by a dense network of corridors, balconies and windows. The lower floors house commercial areas, while the upper floors are dedicated to residential accommodation. Accommodation options range from basic studios to spacious luxury apartments for large families. The complex is also energy-self-sufficient thanks to solar panels and rainwater collection and recycling systems.
Prices vary depending on the floor and size of the apartment. The smallest units without windows cost about 191 euros per month, according to an article in the Chinese news agency Sina. The largest houses with balconies cost up to 509 euros per month.
More than a building, Regent International is an urban experiment. And while self-sufficiency offers convenience and security, it also raises new questions. Being able to meet every need within a building is troubling. Residents risk becoming isolated from the outside world, and the confined life inside the apartment can have a psychological and social impact. This residential giant resembles a gilded cage.
Not only does it risk restricting the social freedom of its residents, it also creates a microcosm within itself where new social inequalities are reproduced. Wealth develops vertically. Those who live on the upper floors are wealthy and have access to exclusive services compared to those who live in smaller apartments on the lower floors. Regent International is not only the largest apartment building in the world, but it is also a disturbing urban experiment that demonstrates all the dangers of a hypercentralizing lifestyle.
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