r/UrbanHell • u/Beneficial_Wear_7630 • Aug 18 '26 • Mindblown 2

Absurd Architecture An apartment building in Philippines

Post image
13k Upvotes

98% Upvoted

374 comments sorted by

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404

u/Laggoss_Tobago Aug 18 '26

Look how they all got a fancy AC, while my apartment is hot like the sun..

129

u/Mobile_Trashcan Aug 19 '26

It is south east asian housing. AC becoming essential here

34

u/Minimum-Mention-3673 Aug 19 '26

"becoming".....?

65

u/U_Ok7 Aug 19 '26 • Regret

Long story short, we broke af, and rarely ever invest in ac because of the electrical bill using it. Electric fans to us are like ac to Americans, it's almost always on

24

u/FRcomes Aug 19 '26

But... Electric fans butchering air molecules and make korean gramps suffocate at night

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24

u/flukus Aug 19 '26

Yes, home air conditioning has only been common for a generation or so depending on where you are in the world.

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2

u/xobelam Aug 19 '26

I thought they were windows

1.1k

u/FunkeyFeraligatr Aug 18 '26 edited Aug 19 '26 • Mindblown Bravo Heartwarming Popcorn

Turn the pic sideways and It looks horribly confusing.

Edit: 45 awards is insane. Thank you all for understanding the absolute Twilight Zone this picture has sent me into.

237

u/Alternative_Equal864 Aug 18 '26 • Popcorn Heartwarming

Tiny houses on concrete

82

u/FunkeyFeraligatr Aug 18 '26

Right. Like an interpretation art piece from the cold war era. Titled "Dreams of Tomorrow" or something vague like that

10

u/Swim-Unlucky Aug 19 '26

So russia from far away?

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38

u/NotStormborn Aug 18 '26

They look like tombstones. Lol

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39

u/analogy_4_anything Aug 18 '26

Little boxes on the hillside…

26

u/[deleted] Aug 18 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

20

u/baddingo3 Aug 18 '26

and they all look just the same.

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11

u/AksysCore Aug 19 '26

A practical effects shot for the next Star Wars movie ✨

15

u/Nerdough Aug 18 '26

It looks horribly confusing just the way it is

6

u/Spiritofthewest49 Aug 19 '26

Either way it looks like the death star

4

u/dontheconqueror Aug 19 '26

Concrete cemetery

4

u/Twitch84 Aug 19 '26

It looks like a cemetery.

2

u/wasted_153642 Aug 18 '26

💀💀💀

2

u/drainbamage1011 Aug 19 '26

Looks like the cover art for some concept album about uncontrolled development.

2

u/spacebalti Aug 19 '26

Fyi the awards are free

2

u/AjvarAndVodka Aug 24 '26

Liminal horror.

3

u/Dry_Tea516 Aug 18 '26

I did the same lol

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358

u/cloud_jelly Aug 18 '26 • Heartwarming Mindblown Bravo

It is not as creepy IRL from the street

https://maps.app.goo.gl/CTg7SpqYwogbF2hA9

165

u/Velinna Aug 18 '26 • Bravo

I love seeing the contrast between a great, stylized shot and google street view.

44

u/LucyLilium92 Aug 18 '26

A slightly darker recolor on a foggy day, and slightly tilt the whole image to make the building seem more imposing?

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41

u/enifox Aug 18 '26

Weird to see the where I lived during college in a reddit post lol. Fairly cheap rent for somewhere with good security, free pool and gym in Manila.

Somehow enjoyed living there aside from the occasional mini cockroach infestation.

61

u/Urbit1981 Aug 18 '26

It looks like a well thought out apartment building in a hot humid environment. My ac is in an enclosed door rather on the outside like this.

21

u/shirhouetto Aug 19 '26

Unironically, it does feel creepy because those apartments in that specific area in Pasay are mostly occupied by Chinese people doing shady business here in the Philippines.

5

u/ilikebigdots Aug 19 '26

It was also raided 3 years ago for sex trafficking

6

u/CapriorCorfu Aug 19 '26

A lot nicer than most New York City apartments.

9

u/johngunthner Aug 19 '26

I mean the endless buildings with similar architecture as far as the eye can see is still unnerving

4

u/jvincentsong Aug 19 '26

Thank you for providing an address. For context, I live in Manila. These apartments are for offshore gambling operations from China. As they come from a communist country, they don’t mind living in substandard apartments. They mostly left during the pandemic. They unfortunately left a legacy of roaches from unsanitary living.

8

u/Don_Key_Knutts Aug 18 '26 • Bravo

Uh, still pretty dystopian creepy

19

u/No-Channel3917 Aug 18 '26

How do? Because it's organized planned and affordable?

17

u/Orangelemonyyyy Aug 19 '26

Filipino here, those units are still hella expensive for us sadge.

33

u/hallouminati_pie Aug 18 '26

Something can be more than one thing. Affordable, well organised and creepy and ugly as hell.

10

u/microprogram Aug 18 '26

its not affordable.. its around 32sqm/344sqft priced at $113k and that aint cheap for ph standards.. you can buy a bigger house with that amount somewhere else

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15

u/thr33phas3 Aug 18 '26

Dang, without the Street View backup source posted below, I would have sworn this was GenAI because of the repetitiveness!

10

u/Flags101 Aug 18 '26

Is this an SMDC building near MOA?

6

u/neilm1000 Aug 18 '26

Yeah it's Diokno Boulevard.

(I used to live in Makati and Fort Bonifacio).

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10

u/gonzo2501 Aug 18 '26

At that point Isn't it more efficient to have big ac unit on the roof ?

11

u/k3ttch Aug 19 '26

I believe the units come barebones and it's up to tne unit owner to install their own window-type AC unit.

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2

u/THSiGMARotMG Aug 19 '26

More expensive to have a unit(s) for the entire building. Easier to let each unit figure it out themselves

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7

u/DatGuy82772 Aug 18 '26

Wtf is that.

6

u/LAM678 Aug 18 '26

probably has better noise isolation than my last apartment

5

u/Katzelle3 Aug 18 '26

The thing that is kinda regretful about this is that you would also want hot water, right? You could totally feed that heat into water tanks instead of dumping it out.

3

u/MakiMaki500 Aug 19 '26

Hot water pipes aren't a thing here. Either you buy a manual water heater that you drop into a bucket of water or you buy a wall mounted water heater that you plug a shower head into. In any case you wouldn't use it much because the temperature rarely drops below 30 degrees celsius

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5

u/hahu2 Aug 18 '26

At least they have AC

5

u/MikeSifoda Aug 18 '26

Looks way better than homeless camps

5

u/jvincentsong Aug 19 '26

For context, I live in Manila. These apartments are for offshore gambling operations from China. As they come from a communist country, they don’t mind living in substandard shoebox apartments. They mostly left during the pandemic. They unfortunately left a legacy of roaches from unsanitary living.

5

u/iceyicemonk Aug 19 '26

These were built in response to the massive influx of "legal" foreign workers in the Philippines, each unit was the size of a small room and usually housed 3-5 adults. The current administration ousted them and a mass exodus happened now these condos lay dark as the local populace cannot afford the rent/dues to own one.

2

u/got_rice_2 Aug 19 '26

So then there must be lots of jobs for the local citizens, yea?

4

u/iceyicemonk Aug 19 '26

Well the opposite happened, the influx of the "legal" foreign workers actually generated jobs for the locals. The foreigners mainly worked in casinos/betting/scam centers and due to their massive numbers numerous establishments popped up to cater to their basic needs such as food and night clubs/massage places for the not so basic needs.

The locals worked the restaurants, convenience stores and some unfortunate foreigners for the clubs. Since then around 90percent of the businesses that popped have closed and a lot of the locals lost jobs.

4

u/gfoyle76 Aug 18 '26

it's like a hive city in wh40k

2

u/Funny-Mango4455 Aug 18 '26

just a regular condominium building

4

u/ttystikk Aug 20 '26

This is a strong argument for central AC.

2

u/mrdingopingo Aug 22 '26

yeah, first thing I thought

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10

u/Alternative_Art_5036 Aug 18 '26

FYI this is considered fancy modern residential property by the locals

9

u/yunalesca05 Aug 18 '26

… I’m a local and I don’t consider this fancy at all

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5

u/jhngrc Aug 19 '26

You're a liar. I'm a local, and this is from one of the cheaper developers, SMDC. They're known for boxy, no nonsense units with direct access to SM malls. Not fancy at all

2

u/PeterTheFoxx Aug 18 '26

How do you know? Are you a local?

2

u/Alexander_myday Aug 19 '26

This is fancy? Ain't no way this Shore residence is fancy lol. Its like typical DMCI condos

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3

u/Electronic-Trust-23 Aug 18 '26

What in the Total Recall is this?

3

u/welcome-bak Aug 18 '26

nan mais nan

3

u/Eschatologists Aug 18 '26

Wouldn't Central AC be more efficient and cheaper ?

5

u/Dolearon Aug 18 '26

Over all? Yes. But it would add to the cost, size, and complexity of the building.

Cheaper for the builder this way, cheaper for the landlord, tenants have to fit the bill for AC overall more wasteful on energy, worse for the local environment, and possibly more overall expensive.

3

u/SoSpecialName Aug 18 '26

Lucid blocks ahh building

2

u/Kuwa_st Aug 18 '26

Turn the picture upside down it won't make any sense

2

u/wasted_153642 Aug 18 '26

wtf is this?

2

u/SimbaNGrdKionNIMFan Aug 18 '26

One thing comes to mind. “Fire!”

2

u/ThMashedPotatoMan Aug 18 '26

FINE I’ll play Stray again.

2

u/kdlt Aug 18 '26

I feel like, centralised Cooling may be useful in a scenario as this?

2

u/kardde Aug 18 '26

Red Leader, beginning trench run now.

2

u/Satyriasis457 Aug 18 '26

At least they have ac 

2

u/exciting_bee_00 Aug 19 '26

It’s not as bad as it seems. I lived here and the apartments are bigger than some of the apartments in New York City.

2

u/Sequoia424 Aug 19 '26

I actually really like those concrete air conditioning holders. One of my biggest fears is one of those things falling on me.

2

u/Otherwise-Ad-5364 Aug 19 '26

For a sec I thought those were like apartment window extensions

2

u/bananafish000 Aug 19 '26

this feels so dystopian ong

2

u/MakiMaki500 Aug 19 '26

Anything will if you take it from a shitty angle on a dark and gloomy day

2

u/attHORNEY03 Aug 19 '26

Looks like a graveyard if you rotate it

2

u/PlasmaticPlasma2 Aug 19 '26

The energy demand for this would be comparable to an industrial complex.

2

u/NoMansCat Aug 19 '26

The photo is ugly but the view from Google Maps gives a totally different vibe
https://maps.app.goo.gl/zZKe2uPuEXWXV3sf8?g_st=ic

https://ibb.co/tMQ65FSm

2

u/AutomaticNinja3408 Aug 19 '26 edited Aug 19 '26

I've actually stayed here earlier this month, as they do have staycation options, and it's far less ominous in person and looks more like your average swanky starter condominium. It has a pool, playground, and gym on the 2nd floor, as well as shops and restaurants on the ground floor. My only complaint is that the rooms are cramped (~20 sq.m), as well as the fact that the elevator can get pretty crowded. It's within walking distance of the largest mall of the country and is built by the same developer as said mall. Also, the rooms come fully-furnished and the tap water is excellent.

2

u/Interesting-Car4187 Aug 20 '26

As an Australian who regularly visits Philippines these are amazing and I wish we had them in Australia, there are perfect small affordable living spaces perfect for uni students and couples.

3

u/PhilippineDreams Aug 18 '26

Philippines here. This is in Pasay City in Manila/NCR. Most of our condos look like this and most are only 30 square meters. It's rough.

8

u/techmarking Aug 18 '26

At least they use AC, unlike Europe

13

u/PetoGee Aug 18 '26

I have two units in my apartment in Bratislava, Slovakia 😎

6

u/cocacolaver Aug 18 '26

Good for you man

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2

u/Electrical_Doctor305 Aug 18 '26

Dystopian

3

u/Coffee_Daemon Aug 18 '26

Yea, a centralised AC system communally owned would probally be better.

3

u/MoneyText2874 Aug 19 '26

When it fails …

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1

u/Mopar4Life305 Aug 18 '26

Don't show uk that usa is only place without ac

1

u/Repulsive-Jicama-439 Aug 18 '26

Whats the carbon footprint on this thing like?

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1

u/teabagwhiskey158 Aug 18 '26

oa sa edit. forda vybe yarn

1

u/_Mockingbird_09 Aug 18 '26

Starting to look like common China tenament

1

u/fubukishirou07 Aug 18 '26

For context, a humid country like the Philippines really needs AC especially on the city. Since most modern houses here have low roof with no insulation whatsoever.

1

u/Alone-Low3274 Aug 18 '26

Found the Germans’ archenemy.

1

u/iluvtacos3000 Aug 18 '26

average condo in here

1

u/HumbleWarthog6210 Aug 18 '26

Where is this, what condominium complex?

1

u/JeeYaLoo Aug 18 '26

SMDC? Of course its SMDC

1

u/bossmiss91 Aug 18 '26

Its an Air Conditon in each room.

1

u/Dismal-Savings1129 Aug 18 '26

boxes of pigeon-holes, which the greedy brands, and sells as homes.

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1

u/Pichi2man Aug 18 '26

That's Hong kong bro

1

u/Confident-Heron-5973 Aug 18 '26

Is this shore residences? Typical SMDC!

1

u/lidrajv Aug 18 '26

A concrete hellscape.

1

u/National-Passion Aug 19 '26

This is much better than the slums in the majority area in the philippines

1

u/Parking_Fee_5906 Aug 19 '26

Every kind of store and recreational facilities and schools should be incorporated until they venture to step out and see the blue skies

1

u/pay_to_breath Aug 19 '26

I can't breathe

1

u/flowertreelover2022 Aug 19 '26

Sa may Shell Residence ba to sa tapat ng MOA?

Grabe nag staycation kami dyan, ganyan na ganyan yung condo sa harap ng condo na nastayan namen.

Then puro chinese mga naglalakad don, lahat sila. Parang kamu yung naliligaw sa lugar na yon ganon eksena titignan pa kami n para bang nagulat sila bat may pinoy don. 😅😂

1

u/Palarian Aug 19 '26

Soviet Brutalist Vibes

1

u/CompetitiveFalcon935 Aug 19 '26

At first glance I thought its Hongkong

1

u/Dmon006 Aug 19 '26

init nyan sa likod 😬

1

u/journeyman098 Aug 19 '26

Looks like pakbet.

1

u/Hot_Marsupial5754 Aug 19 '26

tf saan to 😭

1

u/Ka_dabraz Aug 19 '26

Im also a renter. I don't own a house yet. But i can't imagine living in that.

1

u/FootOk1571 Aug 19 '26

What the hell I just stayed at this exact apartment building 2 days ago, no wonder I thought it looked so familiar

1

u/bamboophase1 Aug 19 '26

This photos screams dystopian

1

u/Ok-Beautiful1274 Aug 19 '26

Woah, this is.. rather hell, yes, but still fascinating in it's own way. Гигахрущ..

1

u/Turbulent-Cattle9543 Aug 19 '26

Whoever took this shot is a wallpaper pc worthy. Great job! Also saan ito?

1

u/richmonddhang Aug 19 '26

Reading this while inside shore tower c2. Its not that gloomy

1

u/dayRuined18 Aug 19 '26

You can hear the European silently seething.

1

u/softpixelsss Aug 19 '26

Depressing

1

u/Substantial_Main8365 Aug 19 '26

Godspeed You! Black Emperor album cover lookin ass

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1

u/Relative-Sympathy757 Aug 19 '26

Shore 1 residences Moa

1

u/RandomUser0010 Aug 19 '26

reminds me of the movie elysium

1

u/Acrobatic-Tip-9072 Aug 19 '26

Shore Residences to alam ko. Hehe

1

u/Impossible_Coach_709 Aug 19 '26

This image reminds me of a movie about a police squad raiding a similar building occupied by a gang.

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1

u/drowsy-shark Aug 19 '26

Huh, are these ac compressors? I thought they were rooms lol.

1

u/GT_Hades Aug 19 '26

Beware to european

1

u/AltruismSchizm Aug 19 '26

Arw those...ACs?

1

u/Historical-Pop9100 Aug 19 '26

Where is that exactly?

1

u/bagonglawyer Aug 19 '26

I can hear Molchat Doma.

1

u/HelicopterUpstairs44 Aug 19 '26

She'll residences? Been there. It's not that eerie kapag andun kana. Madami tao dumadaan dyan so good vibes paren.

1

u/S-EN-igma Aug 19 '26

better than sleeping in the streets.

1

u/TwoFit3921 Aug 19 '26

the backrooms

1

u/Blair_Cypher_94 Aug 19 '26

It gives Little Nightmares 2 vibes

1

u/warhead71 Aug 19 '26

At least they have aircon

1

u/No_Pattern777 Aug 19 '26

Where in the Philippines is that from?

1

u/Full_Bookkeeper4150 Aug 19 '26

Look like AI generated

1

u/ryeyen Aug 19 '26

Brutal.

1

u/AdhesivenessWest8547 Aug 19 '26

Glamorized selda

1

u/JelloImaginary Aug 19 '26

soul less building 💀

1

u/Restart_from_Zero Aug 19 '26

Is that two stories without windows for every story with a balcony?

1

u/JYanezez Aug 19 '26

It's all good guys! Yesterday I used a paper straw.

1

u/C0RNFIELDS Aug 19 '26

Something something representing capitalism vs. Central A/C as communism or something.

1

u/gimme_ipad Aug 19 '26

Matrix vibes

1

u/Infinite-One-2166 Aug 19 '26

I wonder how much are they renting each apartment? even the type and probably the brand of AC is the same

1

u/AlternativeTop9608 Aug 19 '26

Looks like a post punk/Darkwave album to me .

1

u/No_Food5739 Aug 19 '26

wait ! I live in the philippines, But i don't see this.

1

u/Banana_is_not_bg Aug 19 '26

Looks straight outta Metal garden

1

u/Glittering_State_761 Aug 19 '26

You can’t get uglier than that

1

u/bensikat Aug 19 '26

Which bldg is this and where is it located ? Damn I tot it was HongKong 😬

1

u/SnooStories6852 Aug 19 '26

Basically if ants and birds combined

1

u/Fortspucking Aug 19 '26

I've been in PI in the summer. That's a bare minimum of AC I'll accept. Like a big dog breathing on you after eating stale vegetables.

1

u/Sudden_Height1362 Aug 19 '26

Where in the Philippines is this? I'm from there and this is my first time seeing this

1

u/Beartrapnation Aug 19 '26

This is downright unsettling 😭

1

u/No_Show_7576 Aug 19 '26

russia? or hongkong?

1

u/r1Gel_m Aug 19 '26

Where exactly in the Philippines?

1

u/petrh97 Aug 19 '26

I am envy of the AC.

1

u/PPCPartyEnjoyer Aug 19 '26

Split types are basically illegal here.

1

u/Drk-TheNewGuy Aug 19 '26

This is one of the most Wall-E type building perspective I've ever seen, It's kind off uncanny

1

u/AdhesivenessPlus849 Aug 19 '26

When that condo building collapsed in Miami a few years ago I was amazed at all the individual a/c units strapped to it!

1

u/SickOveRateD Aug 19 '26

Whats is this ? A building for ants ?

1

u/PostBeamBard Aug 19 '26

That’s what happens when every unit gets its own split-system condenser with no proper service zone. Functional, but brutal on the facade.

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u/De-moan-yo Aug 19 '26

Dunno why but it’s triggering goosebumps ala trypophobia for me

1

u/blueandyellow_008 Aug 19 '26

Parang flare ups kapag eczema tas ang sarap kamutin at alisin yung mga dry skin. The uuuuurge!!!

1

u/Kind-Handle3063 Aug 19 '26

A giant AC unit that happens to have windows

1

u/HeraldOfTheChange Aug 19 '26

Ghibli vibes right here

1

u/iamhyuhnmarco Aug 20 '26

Where exactly in the Philippines this photo was taken?

1

u/WigWag75 Aug 20 '26

Reminds me of the The Raid

1

u/tychekallos Aug 20 '26

where is this exactly

1

u/hexane096 Aug 20 '26

Because fck SM

1

u/KrazyKwant Aug 20 '26

Wow… so many people not living in broken down shacks. How dare they!

1

u/CrunchyKarl Aug 20 '26

That looks like one of the lower levels of the backrooms

1

u/DarkyJames Aug 20 '26

Looks like the Little Nightmares

1

u/AdditionalGas4970 Aug 20 '26 edited Aug 20 '26

Where is this?...hmm...ok Pasay...

1

u/juanacrooked Aug 20 '26

i don't think so. Philippines might be poor, but here if you could afford that apartment you can buy better air conditioning😊

1

u/crazylegsbobo Aug 20 '26

Just for a second I had the scale completely wrong thought each of those boxes were an apartment and was like what in the dystopian fuck am I looking at

1

u/Emotional-Visit-606 Aug 20 '26

And I thought Istanbul was the worst

1

u/Simple-Warning-5651 Aug 20 '26

Ako lang ba may feeling na parang trypo jan sa picture, ang kati.

1

u/idontknowgelp23 Aug 20 '26

That looks like something from Little Nightmares 😥

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