20,000 people live in eerie Black Mirror style building and have no reason to ever go outside

Living in an absolute mammoth building and never, ever having to step outside sounds like some sort of Black Mirror sh*t.

I’m talking staying in some sort of colossal complex with every necessity you could possibly need within the building.

Sure, for some people, the idea of never having to go outside onto the busy, dirty streets could be perfect.

But for others, the idea of being between the same walls 24/7 sounds like torture.

And yet there’s 20,000 people living in a viral complex like this in China – with some of them not experiencing any other kind of set-up. Take a look here:

Just imagine that - it’s like living in a whole separate world. Absolute Black Mirror stuff.

Known as the Regent International, the mega complex is located in Qianjiang Century City in Hangzhou’s central business district.

Sure, the residents could leave if they want to - but the building has everything you need. I mean, except for like fresh, outdoor air, but they can always open a window.

So why don't these people have to leave?

The incredible building stands at 675ft tall with 260,000 square metres of space, subsequently making it one of the largest buildings in China.

Regent International can house up to 30,000 people and the sides of the building offer different facilities.

TikTok/@fatheristheone

And it’s just like what you’d find on your local high street.

There are barber shops, nail salons, medium-sized supermarkets, swimming pools, a whopping food court and even internet cafes.

The mega building has gone viral on social media as TikTok videos show off its facilities.

While what is inside is certainly impressive, the sheer scale of the building is what has grabbed many people's attention online.

In a TikTok shared by user @fatheristheone, the building is showcased with drone footage.

When Alicia Loo (also the chief designer of the world’s second seven-star hotel, the Singapore Sands Hotel) designed the mammoth place, it was initially intended to be a six-star hotel.

TikTok/@fatheristheone

But now Regent International absolutely thrives as a building boasting thousands of apartments.

These swanky apartments are particularly popular with students, graduates and young professionals – quite the upgrade from the box room ‘bargain’ you found in a mouldy seven-bed terrace.

And if you're curious about how much it costs to live there, small apartments without windows usually go for around 1,500 RMB per month (£167.58), according to local news outlets.

Yes, you read that price right.

Meanwhile, some of the larger properties with balconies are on the market for 4,000 RMB per month (£446.88).

Topics: Black Mirror, China, World News, TikTok, Viral

Jess Battison

Jess is an Entertainment Journalist with a love of all things pop culture. Her main interests include keeping up with the Twitter girlies, waiting for a new series of The Traitors and losing her voice at a Beyoncé concert. She graduated with a first in Journalism from City, University of London in 2021 and has previously worked at MyLondon.

@jessbattison_