If the Pentagon is the center of military power in the USA, then its counterpart in China is a shopping mall in Shanghai, which has been sitting unused since construction finished in 2009.
The Pentagon World Trade and Commerce Mall was originally built to attract tourists; but, it was largely ignored because of its remote location and confusing interior layout.
The structure has the dubious distinction of being China’s largest vacant building, at 500,000 square meters. As each side of the Chinese Pentagon measures 320 meters long, it is even larger than the original.
The shopping mall currently has only one tenant, an importing business that operates out of the northeast corner of the five-sided structure. The building’s owner has been trying to increase interest from prospective tenants.
The landlord may have some help because 2016 will see the opening of its new neighbor, the Shanghai Disney Resort, when it opens on June 16.
Between Disney, the fake louvre, and the fake Tian’anmen Square, it appears Shanghai visitors can go from one magical kingdom to another in the same day.
An aerial drone shot footage of the Shanghai Pentagonal Mart:
