North Korea remains one of the most elusive nations on the planet, closed off from scrutiny and shrouded in mystery. But the architecture and design of the capital Pyongyang, marvelled in the West for its Wes Anderson-esque kitsch appeal, is one of the Communist country’s best known features – and it is increasingly under threat.
Writing in The Guardian, journalist and photographer Oliver Wainright explains how the city, completely reimagined and rebuilt by Soviet architects after the Korean War, is pushing for modernity, with the pastel-coloured retro designs being knocked down to make way for contemporary North Korean structures.
In an effort to improve efficiencies and convenience, the intricate parquet floorboards are being ripped up and the marble motifs on the walls broken off, all to be replace by modern hard-wearing and easily-cleaned materials.
“It’s no coincidence that they feel like stage sets,” Wainwright says. “These are backdrops for carefully managed photoshoots and the admiring gaze of foreign visitors – who would be much more impressed by the period features that they’re busy tearing out.”
Take a look at some of Pyongyang’s fading architectural design in the gallery below:
