A new train station in China has been ridiculed online due to its pretty... unique design.
The proposed design for the North Nanjing train station in China has stirred up a storm of ridicule online, and it's easy to see why.
Despite assurances from the designers that the four-lobed structure is intended to mirror the elegant form of a plum blossom, Chinese social media users have been quick to highlight the odd design, noting that plum blossoms typically have five petals.
The controversial design, estimated to cost a whopping $2.7bn, has become the subject of widespread mockery on Chinese social media platforms, attracting millions of views and comments deriding its unfortunate resemblance to a sanitary pad, per BBC News.
"Why can we all tell it is a sanitary pad immediately, but the architects can't?" questioned one Weibo user, encapsulating the sentiment shared by many.
The ambitious Nanjing North station project, slated to become the city's largest transportation hub, represents a significant investment for the metropolis of 8.5 million residents. Spanning an area of 14 square miles (37.6 square km), the station is projected to serve an estimated 36.5 million passengers annually.
However, the station's grand scale hasn't shielded it from relentless online mockery, with social media users humorously comparing it to items like an "aunt's towel" or "aunt's scarf," using a euphemism for sanitary pads.
"This is a giant sanitary pad. It's embarrassing to say it looks like a plum blossom," quipped another Weibo commenter, as cited by the Daily Mail.
In a lighter vein, some netizens found humor in the design's perceived functionality, with one joking: "No matter how large the passenger flow is, it can be fully absorbed and stay dry all day long," while another questioned: "Is this style designed to prevent side leakage?"
Amidst the deluge of criticism, a few voices emerged in defense of the station, albeit in a less conventional manner.
One person questioned: "Why does the sanitary napkin have a bad meaning?"
Despite the online uproar, the provincial government and China State Railway Group have given the design their stamp of approval, as reported by local outlet Nanjing Morning News.
Construction is scheduled to commence in the first half of 2024, with the station expected to welcome its first passengers by early 2028, according to The Nanjinger.
This incident is not the first time a public building in China has raised eyebrows. The China Central Television headquarters, also known as the CCTV building, faced similar scrutiny in 2004 for its unconventional design, with some likening it to a pair of black shorts. Locals have since affectionately dubbed it "big pants" or "big boxer shorts."
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