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

[Roadcruiser1]

It was only called ugly when it was an uncompleted shell of concrete back in page 1. The cladding fixes the looks of the building, but the country is still not that great.

[UrbanImpressionist]

Great pics! Clad it does look better than expected; but still pretty fugly.

How some architects get chosen with such terrible designs that mix conflicting design elements cones & circles with linear lines is beyond me.

[Roadcruiser1]

Originally Posted by Roadcruiser1

Most recent pictures from Flickr Members Kirvis, and Poliphile. All of them were taken on April 17 & April 24, 2011. Note the recently installed telecommunication rings.

I really don't get why you guys are criticizing this building as North Korea isn't responsible for the completion of this building in the first place. Orascom placed a contract with the North Korean Government to complete the building if they want to use it as a telecommunications mast. As I will once again quote from BBC.

Excerpt from "Will The Hotel of Doom ever be finished?"

A Great Symbol

The company charged with finishing the Ryugyong is Orascom Telecom, part of an Egyptian conglomerate that took on the rebuilding work - "in partnership with a local firm" - as part of a $400m deal to build and run a 3G mobile phone network in North Korea.

Dozens of Egyptian engineers and some 2,000 local workers are working on the Ryugyong project, which Orascom's chief operating officer Khaled Bichara tells the BBC is "progressing well", despite reported problems with suspect concrete and misaligned lift shafts.

"There have been no issues that have caused us too much trouble," Mr Bichara says. "Most of the work at the moment is coverage of different areas of the building. The first job is to finish the outside - you can't work on the insides until the outside is covered.

"You can see that we have already completed the top of the building where the revolving restaurant will be. After 2010, that's when it will be fully safe to start building from the inside."

How the building will be divided up is not yet finalised the company says, but it will be a mixture of hotel accommodation, apartments and business facilities. Antennae and equipment for Orascom's mobile network will nestle at the very top.

Mr Bichara denies reports that the company's exclusive access to North Korea's fledgling telecoms market is directly linked to the completion of the hotel.

But he says the job is a way of planting a rather tall flag in the ground. "We haven't been given a deadline, we are not tied into doing it by a certain time," he said.

"But when you work in a market like this, where we cannot sponsor things, a project of this kind is good to do - it's word of mouth advertising for us, it builds good rapport with the people - on its own it's a great symbol, one which cements our investment."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8306697.stm

[Travis007]

This is such a fascinating building. Looks so surreal, and sci-fi-like, and forever shrouded in mystery.

[Tom In Chicago]

That time of the month again??? Newbies please note that this thread is about the Ryugyong Hotel building in North Korea. . . not about the North Korean government and society. . . surely there are other forums on the internet for you to post your regurgitated opinions, half-witted retorts and poorly thought out remarks. . .

For the rest of you. . . thanks for not feeding the trolls. . . [/sarcasm]

. . .

[phoenixboi08]

I wonder if they're having any problems with utilities (electricity to be specific)...that's a HUGE building, and I think the current infrastructure is already pretty strained.
Actually, I like that this building is where it is...makes it that just more interesting to observe.

[JDRCRASH]

Maybe my comment was too off-topic. Oh well.

Anyway, the antennae looks awesome.

[Phil McAvity]

Originally Posted by Roadcruiser1

It was only called ugly when it was an uncompleted shell of concrete back in page 1. The cladding fixes the looks of the building, but the country is still not that great.

No, lots of people still don't like it but i'm certain many of them hate it for political reasons rather than architectural. I think it's the coolest looking building ever.

I asked the Mrs. what she thought of it and she didn't believe it was real, she figured it was CGI.

[Roadcruiser1]

Anyway I did some calculations and figured out that each floor of the building is 10.3 feet high from floor to ceiling. Though the question is would this building have air conditioning?. Also how many inches would the building equipment take away from the floor to ceiling ratio?.

[MolsonExport]

^it is a fact that people in North Korea are substantially shorter than their South Korean counterparts, on account of 2-3 generations of extremely poor nutrition.

[armorand93]

If they're on rolling blackouts in Pyongyang, how can they even POWER that thing? Otherwise, its a good building

[SD_Phil]

Surprisingly awesome and, as some have said, looks a lot like a render. That's some nice glass.

I wonder if we'll ever get a night shot of it.

[JManc]

To reiterate Tom in Chicago, please stay on topic. This thread is about the building and nothing else. That means no Kim Jong-il, North Korean politics, communism, etc.

[Obey]

Originally Posted by Tom In Chicago

That time of the month again??? Newbies please note that this thread is about the Ryugyong Hotel building in North Korea. . . not about the North Korean government and society. . . surely there are other forums on the internet for you to post your regurgitated opinions, half-witted retorts and poorly thought out remarks. . .

For the rest of you. . . thanks for not feeding the trolls. . . [/sarcasm]

. . .

Yes, but its not a building but simply an antenna owned by Orascom Telecommunications. Orascom paid to make the building look finished so they can place their mast on top (as you can clearly see). This isn't my opinion or some conspiracy theory I have but it is simply fact. I'm not saying its good or bad but it is just purely factual. It looks nice but once again it is not a building.

[Tom In Chicago]

Originally Posted by Obey

Yes, but its not a building but simply an antenna owned by Orascom Telecommunications. Orascom paid to make the building look finished so they can place their mast on top (as you can clearly see). This isn't my opinion or some conspiracy theory I have but it is simply fact. I'm not saying its good or bad but it is just purely factual. It looks nice but once again it is not a building.

Duly noted. . .

. . .

[Golyadkin]

What exactly is the point of a massive antenna in North Korea? As far as I know, there isn't massive cell phone use there. Or really any public networking of any kind, for that matter.

[Obey]

Originally Posted by Roadcruiser1

That is certainly not true as I have had posted links before that had never mentioned things like that. It's a building. Just, because it's in North Korea doesn't mean the building doesn't exist, or anything like that. It is there. People in fact have brought proof. That is why there are pictures on this page.

Originally Posted by Tom In Chicago

Duly noted. . .

. . .

Is going to be one of those things were everyone thinks I'm crazy and I have to prove you wrong.

First of all, so everything you post is everything there is to know about this building?

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/JL23Dg01.html

The Ryugyong is planned to become a mixed-use development, including "revolving restaurant" facilities along with "a mixture of hotel accommodation, apartments and business facilities" according to BBC quoting Orascom's Mr. Bichra. Other sources have hinted on the future multi-purpose nature of Ryugyong, including one quoting that Ryugyong's "3,000 rooms, offices, restaurants, nightclubs and banquet halls remain hollow shells."

Notice the quotes.

Use your common sense, who is going to use this hotel and all its amenities? All its tourists? Not in the most xenophobic country in the world.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2008/...O9654020080717

Features that Orascom has installed include exterior glass panels and telecommunications antennas. It is unclear to what extent Orascom plans to complete the building.

Its a building with just exterior glass and an antenna.

You might be thinking "Gee, that's pretty stupid who would do that?" North Korea would: http://www.cracked.com/article_17165...ship-ever.html

[Roadcruiser1]

Golyadkin Orascom Telecommunications has a contract with North Korea to provide cellphones to the elite, and for the rich. Currently as of 2011 there are 400,000 subscribers, and it is growing. Also Obey the building isn't going to just be a hotel. If you realized the other lines they are going to have residential, and office units in there. Also if you read from some other sources for example
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/JL23Dg01.html
that they are also building the revolving restaurants on the top. Also there are tourists that visit North Korea as proven on pages before. North Korea has for example the Koryo Hotel. You can't just say no one is visiting North Korea. Not talking to just you, but people should stop making random ideas that this building is going to fall apart, or it isn't real. Just, because North Korea is a evil regime doesn't mean these things doesn't exist. It also doesn't mean North Korea is deserted. People should read and watch some more documentaries about North Korea from the History Channel before assuming. As I have had done the same thing.

[Obey]

Originally Posted by Roadcruiser1

Golyadkin Orascom Telecommunications has a contract with North Korea to provide cellphones to the elite, and for the rich. Currently as of 2011 there are 400,000 subscribers, and it is growing. Also Obey the building isn't going to just be a hotel. If you realized the other lines they are going to have residential, and office units in there. Also if you read from some other sources for example
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Korea/JL23Dg01.html
that they are also building the revolving restaurants on the top. Also there are tourists that visit North Korea as proven on pages before. North Korea has for example the Koryo Hotel. You can't just say no one is visiting North Korea. Not talking to just you, but people should stop making random ideas that this building is going to fall apart, or it isn't real. Just, because North Korea is a evil regime doesn't mean these things doesn't exist. It also doesn't mean North Korea is deserted. People should read and watch some more documentaries about North Korea from the History Channel before assuming. As I have had done the same thing.

Please, do take a look at the info I provided. I have nothing against this building and I don't think its going to fall apart but all it is, is an antenna. I advise reading the last article in my comment. Its comedic but only because its unfortunately true.

I did watch a National Geographic special on North Korea, which I can assure you doesn't help any case for North Korea.

[Tom In Chicago]

^Perhaps it's you who should "calm down". . . it's fine that you don't think the building is going to amount to anything rather than a veiled antenna. . . but going on a crusade to try and convince everyone else of that fact is counterproductive. . . so let's just watch as things develop and see if the actually build out the interior. . . or not. . .

. . .