Architecture Instant Love
0 Comments Published by Cedric Benetti on Saturday, July 21, 2007 at 7/21/2007 03:16:00 PM.
Ryugyong Hotel, Pyongyang
Baekdu Mountain Architects & Engineers
1987-1992 (unfinished)
1987-1992 (unfinished)
The construction of the 330m tall tower began in 1987. It has a total 360,000 m² (3.9 million ft²) floor space and 105 stories. The building should have been opened in 1989, by that time it could have been the tallest hotel in the world and the 7th largest skyscraper. North Korea had spent $750 million or 2% of the country's GDP on the Ryugyong Hotel.
The hotel was designed to have 3,000 rooms, 7 revolving restaurants, casinos, nightclubs etc. In 1989 -the original completion date- they had several construction method and material problems therefore the opening was delayed, but in 1992 the construction came to a complete halt due to funding problems, electricity shortages, and the prevailing famine. Today, few North Koreans are willing to discuss the hotel with outsiders. The hotel, which was once found on city maps before the construction even began, has now been completely stricken from the official maps. Tour guides usually claim not to know where it is.
Italian DOMUS magazine ran a controversial competition in 2005 for the reuse of the tower.
The hotel was designed to have 3,000 rooms, 7 revolving restaurants, casinos, nightclubs etc. In 1989 -the original completion date- they had several construction method and material problems therefore the opening was delayed, but in 1992 the construction came to a complete halt due to funding problems, electricity shortages, and the prevailing famine. Today, few North Koreans are willing to discuss the hotel with outsiders. The hotel, which was once found on city maps before the construction even began, has now been completely stricken from the official maps. Tour guides usually claim not to know where it is. Italian DOMUS magazine ran a controversial competition in 2005 for the reuse of the tower.
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