By Star Chang, posted Feb 15, 2013 at 8:04 PM, 804 views,

A Beijing Office Building That Looks Like a Pile of Carelessly Stacked Plates (Video)

An urbanization drive has turned China into a continent-sized construction site. Some of the new buildings have won international acclaim, such as Beijing’s “Bird’s Nest” stadium built for the 2008 Olympics. But far too many are eyesores, complain architects and online critics. A new office building in Beijing has become the latest of a series to be ridiculed by internet users. The building, formally named the XingChuang Mansions, caught the attention of local residents during its construction, though they didn’t know what to make of it at first. As more of the building went up, it was considered more like a pile of carelessly stacked plates, which led to its various nicknames such as “hula hoops”, or “Colon Tower” …

The building was originally intended to be 120 meters tall before its height was reduced to 80 meters because of a nearby airport. After it was completed, an internet user posted the picture online and renamed it as the “Colon Tower,” since its twisted cylindrical design appears reminiscent of the large intestine. The nickname has won immediate recognition. The weird and wacky design has also made some residents felt like the building has brought to life and perform hula hooping. In communist China, some cities excessively pursue strange and unique buildings because authorities believe they are good for raising the city’s renown. The new XingChuang Mansions is considered the latest “classiest” work of architecture in China.

SOURCE: YNET.com (Chinese content)