#024 l Ryugyong Hotel l PYONGYANG l 330m l 105fl

D-Mac · October 14th, 2002, 10:47 PM

Ryugyong Hotel
Pyongyang, North Korea

HEIGHT: 330m/1,083 feet
FLOORS: 105 floors
COMPLETION: 1991 ( Topping Out )
ARCHITECT: Baikdoosan Architects & Engineers

3000 room hotel that was never finished, but would have been the tallest hotel in the world at "completion"

The North Koreans began constructing the pyramid-shaped Ryugyong in 1987, reportedly aiming for 105 stories to beat out a structure the South Koreans were building in Singapore (not Kuala Lumpur). With 3,000 rooms and an estimated cost of $750 million, the thing was strictly an ego trip for North Korea's rulers--Pyongyang's few existing hotels were, and are, virtually empty. In 1991, some time after the Ryugyong had been topped out, work halted for unknown reasons, though "out of money" would be a good guess. The 3.9-millon-square-foot concrete structure is lit up at night, at least in propaganda pictures, but is thought to be crumbling.

RafflesCity · October 14th, 2002, 10:51 PM

7.5/10

I am impressed with this very unusual design. It would be fantastic if completed..even better than the TransAmerica Pyramid.
Is that 3rd picture the 'back' of it?

October 15th, 2002, 12:37 AM

6/10 too may floors for its height. Strange desgin

Caledon1981 · October 15th, 2002, 01:36 AM

yuk . . . needs to be all glass or something other than the repetitive hotel/condo look . .. 4.5/10

Muse · October 15th, 2002, 02:51 AM

Height is no compensation for this one. Just looks like a, well an unfinished building in a newer type-yet-not communist bloc monolithic style.

0 for height and

0 for not being completed.

3 for style (or lack of it) and form.

2 for trying to be different, yet -1 for not achieving this completely.

Ummmm, calculating in head......

....so difficult....um.....

......brings it to.........

.....almost there.......

UH! Ka-ching!!! Brings it to a total of 3; no, no, i mean 4.

AG · October 15th, 2002, 01:34 PM

Sad to say that'll never get completed.

There are too many floors in this building for it's height, about 2.9m high for each floor.

It's way too wide and does not fit in with any other aurrounding buildings.

4/10

SUNNI · October 15th, 2002, 02:17 PM

nice try, 3, for its height

cgrassham · October 15th, 2002, 02:48 PM

Shame it will never be completed, but surely there must be too many floors for its height. If completed it would be beautiful, but it isn't. What a shame.

DrumCorpsAlum · October 16th, 2002, 12:50 AM

5/10. Yuck. It's just sitting there doing nothing.

Jasonhouse · October 16th, 2002, 01:23 AM

An incomplete hulking mass of concrete that will very soon become a serious liability to the structures and people that surround it, as its exposed innards deteriorate rapidly. A complete disaster, perhaps memorable only for this dubious distinction.

The only redeeming quality is the thought of lost potential...

2.0/10

Patrick · October 16th, 2002, 07:25 AM

ugly but althought interesting 8.0

Ersh · October 16th, 2002, 11:20 PM

As it is, it's an odd looking brown triangle that stands above all. 6.5/10

If it were finished, I'm sure it would have been a very impressive building all in glass like in that rendering in the last pic.

October 19th, 2002, 10:54 PM

What are it's redeeming features?

2/10

October 20th, 2002, 03:58 AM

Man, this is so freakin' ugly. I'll give it a 10, however, because I don't want to upset the Dear Leader and be hauled off to a re-education camp!

CTroyMathis · October 21st, 2002, 03:40 AM

I have very little like for this monumental shell... 2.

ryanr · October 21st, 2002, 04:50 AM

Wish they completed it and put the glass panels, then it would be an 8/10.

But at the moment i rate it 4.5/10.

October 21st, 2002, 07:40 AM

Gross.

***TYW*** · October 23rd, 2002, 06:42 AM

6/10

not very nice

anyway, why is it counted as the 25th tallest skyscraper?? it is not completed!

October 23rd, 2002, 11:53 PM

3

Looks like the centre peice at some corn dog amusement park. Yet if I could visit 10 structures in the world this one would be on the list, it'd be awesome to see the decay and dellapadated state of the entrance.

A modern day ruin! Too bad it will never stand the test of time and is bound to crumble or at least whither away...

They should at least try to make it into something, like the world's tallest monument, they could have a contest out of the regular citizens and the winner would be the one the building stands in honour of... and when you die you could get buried beneath it. hehe

October 24th, 2002, 12:04 AM

That's one of the ugliest buildings that could ever have been built, but because it's in Pyongyang, a city where color and decent urban design are surely illegal, it just looks like a taller extension of the terrain.

4.0

View Poll Results: Ryugyong Hotel, Pyongyang
10	211	15.14%
9.5	22	1.58%
9	80	5.74%
8.5	45	3.23%
8	82	5.88%
7.5	50	3.59%
7	77	5.52%
6.5	36	2.58%
6	77	5.52%
5.5	37	2.65%
5	79	5.67%
4.5	42	3.01%
4	86	6.17%
3.5	54	3.87%
3 or less	416	29.84%
Voters: 1394. You may not vote on this poll

October 14th, 2002, 10:47 PM	#1
D-Mac Old School Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Montréal Posts: 144 Likes (Received): 0	#024 l Ryugyong Hotel l PYONGYANG l 330m l 105fl Ryugyong Hotel Pyongyang, North Korea HEIGHT: 330m/1,083 feet FLOORS: 105 floors COMPLETION: 1991 ( Topping Out ) ARCHITECT: Baikdoosan Architects & Engineers 3000 room hotel that was never finished, but would have been the tallest hotel in the world at "completion" The North Koreans began constructing the pyramid-shaped Ryugyong in 1987, reportedly aiming for 105 stories to beat out a structure the South Koreans were building in Singapore (not Kuala Lumpur). With 3,000 rooms and an estimated cost of $750 million, the thing was strictly an ego trip for North Korea's rulers--Pyongyang's few existing hotels were, and are, virtually empty. In 1991, some time after the Ryugyong had been topped out, work halted for unknown reasons, though "out of money" would be a good guess. The 3.9-millon-square-foot concrete structure is lit up at night, at least in propaganda pictures, but is thought to be crumbling. Last edited by ZZ-II; June 19th, 2008 at 09:48 PM.

October 15th, 2002, 01:36 AM	#4
Caledon1981 --------- Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: OKC Posts: 217 Likes (Received): 0	yuk . . . needs to be all glass or something other than the repetitive hotel/condo look . .. 4.5/10 __________________ --------

October 15th, 2002, 02:51 AM	#5
Muse Supernature Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Sydney Posts: 8,630 Likes (Received): 7	Height is no compensation for this one. Just looks like a, well an unfinished building in a newer type-yet-not communist bloc monolithic style. 0 for height and 0 for not being completed. 3 for style (or lack of it) and form. 2 for trying to be different, yet -1 for not achieving this completely. Ummmm, calculating in head..........so difficult....um...........brings it to..............almost there....... UH! Ka-ching!!! Brings it to a total of 3; no, no, i mean 4.

October 15th, 2002, 02:17 PM	#7
SUNNI architect by day Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Brisbane Posts: 3,058 Likes (Received): 0	nice try, 3, for its height __________________ kr.au

October 14th, 2002, 10:51 PM	#2
RafflesCity By Spirit Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: S I N G A P O R E Posts: 26,215 Likes (Received): 6	7.5/10 I am impressed with this very unusual design. It would be fantastic if completed..even better than the TransAmerica Pyramid. Is that 3rd picture the 'back' of it?

October 15th, 2002, 12:37 AM	#3
NickT Guest Posts: n/a Likes (Received):	6/10 too may floors for its height. Strange desgin

October 15th, 2002, 01:34 PM	#6
AG Engineer in training Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Gladstone (ex. Adelaide) Posts: 2,023 Likes (Received): 0	Sad to say that'll never get completed. There are too many floors in this building for it's height, about 2.9m high for each floor. It's way too wide and does not fit in with any other aurrounding buildings. 4/10

October 15th, 2002, 02:48 PM	#8
cgrassham Burned Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Pontefract, UK Posts: 317 Likes (Received): 0	Shame it will never be completed, but surely there must be too many floors for its height. If completed it would be beautiful, but it isn't. What a shame.

October 16th, 2002, 12:50 AM	#9
DrumCorpsAlum Phoenix, AZ/Camden, SC Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Phoenix, AZ/Camden, SC Posts: 320 Likes (Received): 0	5/10. Yuck. It's just sitting there doing nothing. __________________ http://www.galleychronicles.com http://www.facebook.com/DrumCorpsAlum

October 16th, 2002, 01:23 AM	#10
Jasonhouse Registered User Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 12,319 Likes (Received): 8	An incomplete hulking mass of concrete that will very soon become a serious liability to the structures and people that surround it, as its exposed innards deteriorate rapidly. A complete disaster, perhaps memorable only for this dubious distinction. The only redeeming quality is the thought of lost potential... 2.0/10

October 16th, 2002, 07:25 AM	#11
Patrick DWF Alaaf! Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Kurtrier / Herzogtum Nassau Posts: 2,728 Likes (Received): 382	ugly but althought interesting 8.0 __________________ Viquet oisch, Motz d'Öropp!

October 16th, 2002, 11:20 PM	#12
Ersh Skyscrapercity Hobbit Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Atlanta, Ga Posts: 78 Likes (Received): 0	As it is, it's an odd looking brown triangle that stands above all. 6.5/10 If it were finished, I'm sure it would have been a very impressive building all in glass like in that rendering in the last pic. __________________ 9/11 - We will remember

October 19th, 2002, 10:54 PM	#13
Sunflower Guest Posts: n/a Likes (Received):	What are it's redeeming features? 2/10

October 20th, 2002, 03:58 AM	#14
Subdude Guest Posts: n/a Likes (Received):	Man, this is so freakin' ugly. I'll give it a 10, however, because I don't want to upset the Dear Leader and be hauled off to a re-education camp!

October 21st, 2002, 03:40 AM	#15
CTroyMathis Sea™ Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Dallas.TX Previously:New London.CT/Portsmouth.NH Posts: 290 Likes (Received): 0	I have very little like for this monumental shell... 2.

October 21st, 2002, 04:50 AM	#16
ryanr Registered non-User Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Vancouver Posts: 6,681 Likes (Received): 7	Wish they completed it and put the glass panels, then it would be an 8/10. But at the moment i rate it 4.5/10.

October 21st, 2002, 07:40 AM	#17
Procurator Guest Posts: n/a Likes (Received):	Gross.

October 23rd, 2002, 06:42 AM	#18
*TYW* Penang Skyscrapers Hunter Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: George Town Posts: 9,276 Likes (Received): 1	6/10 not very nice anyway, why is it counted as the 25th tallest skyscraper?? it is not completed! __________________ THE CITY OF GEORGE TOWN, PENANG - 55 YEARS (1ST JANUARY 1957) "the said Municipality of George Town shall on the First Day of January in the Year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and fifty seven and forever thereafter be a city and shall be called and styled the CITY OF GEORGE TOWN instead of the Municipality of George Town and shall thenceforth have all such rank, liberties, privileges and immunities as are incident to a city." - Queen Elizabeth II

October 23rd, 2002, 11:53 PM	#19
wonderboy905 Guest Posts: n/a Likes (Received):	3 Looks like the centre peice at some corn dog amusement park. Yet if I could visit 10 structures in the world this one would be on the list, it'd be awesome to see the decay and dellapadated state of the entrance. A modern day ruin! Too bad it will never stand the test of time and is bound to crumble or at least whither away... They should at least try to make it into something, like the world's tallest monument, they could have a contest out of the regular citizens and the winner would be the one the building stands in honour of... and when you die you could get buried beneath it. hehe

October 24th, 2002, 12:04 AM	#20
Daniel8ty8 Guest Posts: n/a Likes (Received):	That's one of the ugliest buildings that could ever have been built, but because it's in Pyongyang, a city where color and decent urban design are surely illegal, it just looks like a taller extension of the terrain. 4.0

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