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The Chinese Building Concentrates Services, Technology And Grandiosity, But Also Exposes Internal Inequalities, Social Tensions And The Isolation Of A Vertical City
The dream of gathering total comfort in a single space can turn into a challenge. Behind the grandiosity, the Regent Park International Center, located in Hangzhou, in China, houses 30,000 people, but it also concentrates tensions and contrasts.
Despite offering almost all services without residents needing to leave, daily life within its walls shows fragility.
In this scenario, the promise of independence intertwines with conflicts of rules and uses.
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A Working Vertical City
According to the portal Mariefrance, the idea of the project was to ensure that residents had everything within reach.
Supermarkets, schools, restaurants, medical clinics, and even tea houses are spread across the building’s blocks. Deliveries reach designated compartments, reinforcing the logic of self-sufficiency.
The corridors and walkways connect the towers, directing daily flow. Entry occurs through biometric recognition, and even water distribution is automated. Everything was designed to create an internal ecosystem.
With an “S” shape and straight lines, the construction has 39 floors, stands 206 meters tall, and comprises about 5,000 apartments.
Opened in 2013, it was initially conceived as a six-star hotel but was eventually transformed into a residential condominium to accommodate a massive population.
Luxury And Precarity Side By Side
On the upper floors, spacious apartments with open views ensure comfort. However, on the lower levels, lofts have been divided into small units without windows.
A 144 m² property was even transformed into eight micro-apartments.
These adaptations are repeated in different parts of the building, exposing internal inequality. Once referred to as the “building of celebrities,” it was a symbol of status in Hangzhou.
“In the height of its glory, everyone was impressed by this address,” recalls a realtor interviewed by Mariefrance.
However, the mix of residential and commercial spaces, combined with overcrowding, caused problems of safety, cleanliness, and coexistence. At its peak, the pressure on corridors, elevators, and common areas was immense.
Efficient But Isolated Architecture
The aesthetic follows functionalist principles: simple shapes, robust structure, and without ornaments. The goal has always been efficiency.
However, specialists emphasize that this design generates “isolated architecture,” characterized by parallel lives within the same structure.
In the Qianjiang Century City area, Regent Park operates as a vertical city. Services are concentrated on the lower floors while internal passages organize flows.
The use of technology reinforces safety but also anonymity.
This “all-in-one” model sounds practical because it reduces commuting, thus facilitating routines. However, it does not guarantee social bonds. Feelings of isolation and even claustrophobia emerge among the residents.
The Paradox Of Density
Planned as an example of high urban density, the building exhibits a paradox. While it simplifies daily life, it also reveals the fragility of community ties.
The differences between the floors amplify internal inequality. The giant of Hangzhou evokes fascination and unease because it demonstrates that true urban dynamism depends on collectivity and not just the concentration of services in one space.
With information from NSC Total.
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