Think Your New York Apartment Is Crowded? Meet Hangzhou’s Vertical City.
If you thought your apartment building was packed, think again. In Hangzhou, China, the Regent International Apartment Complex redefines “city living” — it’s reportedly home to 20,000 residents. Some call it a “dystopian apartment block,” but this S-shaped megastructure is more than a building — it’s a self-contained vertical city, where theoretically, residents could go days without ever stepping outside.
With 5,000 apartments and a dizzying array of amenities — gyms, swimming pools, supermarkets, restaurants, salons, internet cafés, schools, and even hospitals — this colossal structure has it all under one roof.
Originally envisioned in 2013 as a six-star hotel by Alicia Loo, the chief designer behind Singapore’s Sands Hotel, economic realities transformed it into a residential giant. Today, it’s a magnet for students, recent graduates, and young professionals. Studios without windows rent for roughly 1,500 RMB ($210) a month, while larger apartments with balconies go for 4,000 RMB ($570) — a tiny fraction of New York’s $4,000+ rents.
At 675 feet tall, its striking design and endless amenities draw curious tourists from around the globe.
Life Inside the Giant
Walking through Regent International feels like wandering through a miniature city. Sky bridges and long corridors connect multiple blocks, giving residents access to nearly everything without ever leaving the building.
Apartments range from compact studios to multi-bedroom units, all boasting modern finishes, open-plan layouts, and panoramic windows that frame the cityscape.
Common spaces are everywhere: swimming pools, gyms, restaurants, and food courts make it easy to socialize or unwind. The lower floors host supermarkets and retail shops — essentially, everything a small town provides.
The building also incorporates smart technology and sustainable infrastructure, including solar panels, rainwater recycling, and advanced HVAC systems. Security is top-notch, with biometric access controls and CCTV, so residents can navigate the enormous space with peace of mind.
Drone footage from TikTok’s @fatheristheone captures the building’s staggering scale — and it’s truly jaw-dropping.
A Vertical Society
Yet living in such a vast vertical city comes with trade-offs. While self-sufficiency fosters strong internal communities, it can also isolate residents from the outside world. Neighbors may know each other well, but the wider city may feel distant.
Social hierarchies are apparent, too: better apartments and premium amenities sit on higher floors. Critics argue the design favors efficiency over aesthetics, with repetitive, utilitarian patterns dominating the skyline.
Noise, lack of privacy, and the psychological effects of extreme density are real challenges. Still, for many, Regent International remains a modern marvel, combining convenience, affordability, and sheer scale in a way few buildings anywhere in the world can match.
