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If you’ve ever thought that huge apartment building next to Ysterplaat on the N1 looks depressing, check out this human version of an ant hill.

Located in Qianjiang Century City, Hangzhou’s central business district, the S-shaped Regent International was originally designed as a luxury hotel, but was eventually converted into a colossal apartment building, with the rooms turned into thousands of high-end residential apartments.

With around 20,000 inhabitants, the complex is bigger than most towns you drive through in the Karoo.

The impressive building is 206 metres tall and has 36 to 39 floors, depending on what side of it you’re on, and as any self-contained community, features a variety of amenities and businesses, like a giant food court for its tens of thousands of inhabitants, as well as swimming pools, barber shops, nail salons, medium-sized supermarkets, and internet cafes.

You can find anything you need in the building, except for a backyard.

Designed by Alicia Loo, the chief designer of the world’s second seven-star hotel, the Singapore Sands Hotel, the Regent International building was inaugurated in 2013, and quickly became one of the most popular edifices in Hangzhou.

The majority of its residents are young professionals who recently graduated college or are about to graduate, but you can also find young influencers as well as small businesses.

Smaller apartments without windows usually rent for around $220 (R4,300) per month, while larger units with balconies can rent for up to $550 (R10,600) per month or more.

Offering more than 260,000 square metres of space, the apartment building is one of the largest of its kind in China. The number of inhabitants has been a matter of debate on Chinese social media, but judging by the number of rooms and the number of floors, it is estimated that between 11,000 and 22,000 people live in the building at any given time.

The Regent International apartment building in Hangzhou, China,originally designed as a luxury hotel. Building is 206 m tall and has 36 to 39 floors,HAS giant food court,as well as swimming pools, barber shops, nail salons, medium-sized supermarkets,and internet cafes. pic.twitter.com/DWEn9J1Lm8

— DarkKnight (@iamshinerk) June 23, 2023

Photos and videos of the Regent International started going viral on social media last month, with some posts racking up millions of views. Most people are blown away by the number of inhabitants, with some declaring that they grew up in towns with fewer people than what the colossal building can accommodate. I know I did.

 

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If you’ve ever been an apartment dweller, you can only wonder what that place smells like during dinner time.

[source:odditycentral]