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Andy Bainbridge – Lecturer in Visual Communications – Preston UK
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Latest
RYUGYONG HOTEL
Posted by Mike Rigby
Construction of the 330m (105 story) tall Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang, North Korea, began in 1987. The hotel was designed to have 3,000 rooms, 7 revolving restaurants, casinos, nightclubs and lounges. The building should have been opened in 1989. If finished, it would have been the 7th largest building in the world. (It’s still the 2nd tallest hotel globally).
Development came to a grinding halt in 1992, due to funding issues, electricity shortages, and the prevailing famine. It had cost – up to that point – a whopping $750 million (or 2% of the country’s GDP).
It’s ambitious size casts an ominous shadow over the rest of the city. It’s brutalism reminds me of a ministry of truth, fitting for the dictatorship government that sanctioned the project.
This is the original artists impression. The building was supposed to be clad in blue.
Work is now underway to finish the project. Here you can see the cladding being added.
Reports from South Korea estimate that it will cost in excess of $2 billion to finish the hotel. That’s equivalent to a staggering 10% of North Korean GDP.
10%!
The ultimate white elephant…
4 Responses to “RYUGYONG HOTEL”
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maybe in the event of war, south korea would waste a missile on this empty site… just to wind them up more?
Just got a copy of the Barnbrook designed Sydney Bienniel Catalogue (which is a masterpiece by-the-way), and would you adam n eve it, the hotel is included in an article.
Is this post from the same source r kid?
Hey mate. No, it’s from over a cool old post over on http://www.damninteresting.com/north-koreas-secret-hotel
The rest of the facts from wikipedia.
I’ve got the catalog, but haven’t seen the article, how weird. Will have a look tonight. Did you get the proper hard back biennial book? Lovely innit.
The one I’ve got isn’t case bound but it’s a hefty number!
Page 82 has the article, check it!