Sunday Times 2
Inside the world’s biggest building
Shopping, swimming, skating, sunbathing and sleeping are all activities on offer to visitors at the world’s largest building.
Gigantic: The world's largest building has opened in China capable of fitting 20 Sydney Opera Houses inside (AFP)
The New Century Global centre in Chengdu, Sichuan province, China is capable of fitting 20 Sydney Opera Houses – or three Pentagons – inside.
Measuring a staggering 19million sq.ft. it contains shopping centres, a Mediterranean village, a water park, an ice-skating rink, and multiple hotels.
Clambering down the centre's roof, workers give a sense of the building's immense scale (AFP)
However, visitors to the glass-panelled building need not worry about the weather as the giant complex has its own artificial sun.
The building is 500 metres long, 400 metres wide and 100 metres high, reports said.
According to Chinese officials, the New Century Global centre is the largest freestanding building in the world, and took three years to complete.
‘This is an ocean city built by man,’ Chinese guide Liu Xun told AFP.
He added that the artificial sun built inside the building will provide light and heat 24 hours a day for shoppers exploring the around 400,000 sq. metres of boutiques and stores.
The building sits directly opposite the Chengdu Contemporary Arts Centre, designed by British-Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid, at the heart of a booming area of Chengdu.
© Daily Mail, London
The building will house hotels, shopping centres, conference centres, offices and various other attractions (AFP)
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