When 32-year-old French designer Pierre met his future wife Mei at a university café in Paris, he never imagined their love story would lead him to live inside a colossal vertical city in eastern China. Today, the married couple resides in the famous Regent International apartment complex in Hangzhou—a single 206-metre-tall building so incredibly massive that it currently houses up to twenty thousand people.
Originally designed as a high-end luxury hotel, the massive S-shaped structure was eventually converted into thousands of residential apartments. It is now completely self-contained, offering its thousands of residents a unique, futuristic lifestyle where they technically never have to step foot outside the glass doors.
"It is an absolutely fascinating way to live," Pierre explains via a video call from his 36th-floor apartment. "On the ground floors, we have giant grocery stores, numerous coffee shops, barber shops, nail salons, swimming pools, and even medical clinics. We have twenty-four-hour access to incredible amenities without ever needing to put our shoes on or wear a heavy winter coat."
For Mei, who works as a senior financial analyst, the sheer efficiency of the complex is the biggest attraction. "My daily commute is literally just walking to the elevator and going down to the lobby for a fresh coffee before I open my laptop," she laughs. "When I lived in Europe, it took me over an hour on a crowded, dirty train just to reach my office desk. The convenience here is unmatched. We even have small robots that navigate the elevators to deliver hot food directly to our door."
However, living alongside the population of a small European town inside one single building can sometimes feel highly overwhelming. With thousands of young tech professionals, students, and internet influencers rushing through the brightly lit corridors every day, the energy is intense. Pierre admits that for a natural introvert, the sheer scale of the building requires a major psychological adjustment.
"You would think living with twenty thousand neighbours would be deeply social, but the sheer anonymity is actually quite surprising," Pierre notes thoughtfully. "You rarely see the exact same face twice in the elevators. Sometimes, that strange lack of real community connection can actually feel quite isolating. You are surrounded by people, but you don't really know anyone."
While the endless indoor convenience is a modern marvel of engineering, both Pierre and Mei actively force themselves to leave the complex on weekends to avoid feeling claustrophobic. They regularly explore the vibrant cultural sites, historical temples, and beautiful lakes scattered across the surrounding metropolis of Hangzhou.
"It is the ultimate experiment in modern living," Pierre concludes with a warm smile. "We absolutely love the luxury of our apartment, but human beings still need to feel the natural rain on their faces sometimes. Even if you have the whole world safely tucked inside your building, you still need to remember to open the front door and breathe the fresh air."
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