Inside 'Dystopian' Mega Apartment Block Where 20,000 Residents Rarely Need To Step Outside

In China stands a gigantic apartment block that many say is the largest and most crowded residential building anywhere in the world. Its size and scale are hard to imagine until you see it for yourself.

For anyone who thinks their New York apartment block feels overfilled with neighbors, this building takes things to a whole new level. Reports suggest that more than 20,000 people call this single complex home, making it more like a vertical city than a typical building.

The structure is known as the Regent International Apartment Complex, and it sits right in the heart of Hangzhou’s central business district, Qianjiang Century City.

The complex contains about 5,000 separate apartments spread across its massive S-shaped design. It towers at 675 feet and covers a staggering 260,000 square meters of space, making it one of the most unique and ambitious living spaces in modern China.

According to Parametric Architecture, the apartments range from tiny studios to larger multi-room homes, offering a mix for different needs and budgets. Some units are designed for singles or students, while others accommodate families.

But the Regent International is far more than just a place to live. Inside, it combines living spaces with areas to work and relax. In theory, people who move in could live their entire lives within the complex and never need to step outside its walls.

A huge apartment block in China has been dubbed the world's largest TikTok/@fatheristheone

You might be wondering what kinds of amenities could possibly make a building like this feel like an entire town under one roof. The answer depends a little on which side of the complex you’re on, but every section offers a surprisingly complete lifestyle.

No matter where a person’s apartment is, they’ll find conveniences similar to what you’d expect in a city neighborhood. That means there are plenty of options without ever leaving the property.

Residents have access to a giant food court, barbershops, nail salons, mid-sized grocery stores, swimming pools, and even old-school internet cafés. The wide range of facilities means daily errands, shopping, and leisure can all be handled inside the same building.

The Regent International has gained attention online multiple times, often going viral thanks to TikTok videos showcasing its jaw-dropping facilities and size.

Although the amenities are impressive, it’s the mind-boggling scale of the building that truly captures people’s attention. Many viewers online are left shocked at just how many lives are packed into a single structure.

One popular TikTok video posted by the user @fatheristheone shows sweeping drone footage of the building, giving people around the world a chance to see the immense size from above.

Over 20,000 people live there TikTok/@fatheristheone

The design was created by Alicia Loo, the lead architect behind Singapore’s Sands Hotel, which is known as the world’s second seven-star hotel. Her vision was originally for this building to operate as a six-star hotel catering to luxury guests.

Instead, the project evolved into a residential mega-building filled with thousands of apartments. Today, it is home to tens of thousands of residents, each living in a piece of her massive design.

The stylish apartments are especially attractive to students, recent graduates, and young professionals looking for affordable but modern housing in Hangzhou’s booming business hub.

If you’re curious about what it costs to live in such a unique place, the prices might surprise you. Smaller apartments without windows — yes, some units really don’t have windows — typically rent for about $210 per month, according to local reports.

Meanwhile, the larger apartments that come with balconies are usually rented for around $570 per month. Even at the higher end, these prices are a fraction of what renters would pay in major cities like New York. For comparison, Apartments.com estimates that the average rent in New York City is over $4,000 a month.