PYONGYANG | Ryugyong Hotel - Reconstruction | 1,083 FT / 330 M | 105 FLOORS - Page 40

marvelfannumber1 · #**781** Posted **May 11, 2013, 11:52 AM**

Ok, I'm not the biggest fan of modern architecture, but this thing is suprisingly for North Korea turning out pretty nice. It's got some nice massing and the top is really unique.

Will be interesting to see it as a ruin in the following decades (maybe?).

The Imster · #**782** Posted **May 11, 2013, 1:34 PM**

One of the best looking hotels in the world - shame many wont be able to go there

ThatOneGuy · #**783** Posted **May 11, 2013, 5:19 PM**

It uses the Golden Ratio in the design. The height is 330 meters and from head-on, the base is around 204 meters (according to Google Earth measuring), which is a Golden Ratio proportion.

You can sorta see it in the picture, although it's a crappy MS Paint edit.

Roadcruiser1 · #**784** Posted **Jun 23, 2013, 12:02 AM**

Photos from April and May 2013. Credits go to Reinormand, Recliner, and BRJ INC.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/3863460...-e34yKZ-dTsuyb

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1662255...-dGSmt2-dEwmGE

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8454450...-dEwmGE-dEjusK

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8454450...-dGSmt2-dEwmGE

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1662255...-dDzviw-dDzgPG

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1662255...-dGSmt2-dEwmGE

adrianharvey · #**785** Posted **Jun 23, 2013, 9:05 AM**

Looks kinda like a giant rocket stuck in the ground ready for launch :s

mrnyc · #**786** Posted **Jun 23, 2013, 5:25 PM**

as we all suspected it was capable of for so long -- it really finally looks great now at last!

montréaliste · #**787** Posted **Jun 23, 2013, 7:51 PM**

Not better or worse than the London Shard, IMO.

mfastx · #**788** Posted **Jun 23, 2013, 11:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by adrianharvey

Looks kinda like a giant rocket stuck in the ground ready for launch :s

Haha, yeah hopefully they don't launch their nukes from there. I imagine the top sliding off and a warhead coming out lol.

photoLith · #**789** Posted **Jun 24, 2013, 2:22 AM**

Such a strange building, so menacing.

Guiltyspark · #**790** Posted **Jun 25, 2013, 2:27 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by montréaliste

Not better or worse than the London Shard, IMO.

Significantly worse than the London Shard. Simpler 1980s design. Looks like something from American suburbs or Vegas.

jd3189 · #**791** Posted **Jun 25, 2013, 2:49 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by photoLith

Such a strange building, so menacing.

The whole city is a strange place.

Roadcruiser1 · #**792** Posted **Jun 25, 2013, 2:58 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guiltyspark

Significantly worse than the London Shard. Simpler 1980s design. Looks like something from American suburbs or Vegas.

Well what do you expect from a building designed in the 1980's.

navyweaxguy · #**793** Posted **Jun 25, 2013, 5:05 AM**

It looks out of place now, but I wonder if they had finished it when they had originally planned what else would have been built around it.

ThatOneGuy · #**794** Posted **Jun 25, 2013, 4:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guiltyspark

Significantly worse than the London Shard. Simpler 1980s design. Looks like something from American suburbs or Vegas.

Which American suburbs have you seen that have something like this?

Guiltyspark · #**795** Posted **Jun 25, 2013, 7:28 PM**

Atlanta, Detroit, Chicago... Simple kids block shapes with monolithic glass facades and built in the 80's. It's all over man.

ThatOneGuy · #**796** Posted **Sep 3, 2013, 3:18 AM**

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7086/7...43c3aaaa_o.jpg

chris08876 · #**797** Posted **Sep 3, 2013, 7:03 AM**

Shame because that city looks amazing and peaceful. Unfortunately its in NK. The tower itself is amazing. I'd say IMO with all the talk of the London Shard that this is a lot more futuristic. Almost something out of a Alien Movie. It doesn't look human. Nevertheless, I think it looks awesome.

fimiak · #**798** Posted **Sep 3, 2013, 12:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris08876

Shame because that city looks amazing and peaceful. Unfortunately its in NK. The tower itself is amazing. I'd say IMO with all the talk of the London Shard that this is a lot more futuristic. Almost something out of a Alien Movie. It doesn't look human. Nevertheless, I think it looks awesome.

I kind of think that considering how messed up N Korea is, it must have been a very rewarding feeling to be one of the people responsible for finishing this building. It was estimated by the Japanese that at one point the construction of this building accounted for 2% of North Korea's GDP. I can't even imagine how a government could have thought that spending 2% of the entire countries earnings on a single hotel was a good idea.

I dont even consider N Korea to be communist anymore. It is more like personality driven fascism on top of songun 'military first' ideology.

dfiler · #**799** Posted **Sep 6, 2013, 2:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by fimiak

I kind of think that considering how messed up N Korea is, it must have been a very rewarding feeling to be one of the people responsible for finishing this building. It was estimated by the Japanese that at one point the construction of this building accounted for 2% of North Korea's GDP. I can't even imagine how a government could have thought that spending 2% of the entire countries earnings on a single hotel was a good idea.

I dont even consider N Korea to be communist anymore. It is more like personality driven fascism on top of songun 'military first' ideology.

America spent around .75% of GDP on the Apollo project. It is debatable which was the better investment.

At the time this building was being built, tourism was on the rise and a landmark hotel might have had a good projected return on investment. As compared to other economic development projects that could have been undertaken by NK, tourism promotion was quite logical. Competing in manufacturing or services would have been difficult. That leaves few other options. Unfortunately for NK, tensions worsened and tourism dropped off, leaving them with a building that would have to be repurposed to be useful.

AaronPGH · #**800** Posted **Sep 6, 2013, 3:00 PM**

I'd love to see photos of the interior of this thing. Have any been floating around?