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When London-based architecture critic Oliver Wainwright visited North Korea over the summer, he was stunned by the symmetry and color inside some the buildings he toured. Whether a sports complex, children’s nursery or office building, the sites he visited were color-coded and neatly arranged. In a piece he wrote for the Guardian, Wainwright even likened these interiors to a Wes Anderson film set.
![Rungrado 1st of May Stadium, Pyongyang](https://livingnomads.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Rungrado-1st-of-May-Stadium-Pyongyang.jpg)
Symmetry is one of the guiding principles of “Juche” architecture, which is inspired by a political philosophy of the same name. It uses design elements to exaggerate the perspective of statues and portraits of North Korean leaders and instill a sense of awe in the viewer, Wainwright told The WorldPost in an email. North Korea is so committed to Juche architecture that late leader Kim Jong Il wrote a 340-page treatise on it, named “On the Art of Architecture“.
“It’s a very theatrical device, which is why I think so many North Korean spaces feel like stage sets — they’re designed to evoke an emotional response, usually one of monumental power of the leader, compared to the insignificance of the masses”, Wainwright said of the style.
![Rungrado 1st of May Stadium, Pyongyang hall room](https://livingnomads.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Rungrado-1st-of-May-Stadium-Pyongyang-hall-room.jpg)
But many of these interiors may vanish soon. In a quest to present North Korea as a modern nation, the government is undergoing a massive effort to construct more contemporary buildings in its capital city of Pyongyang, Wainwright wrote in a Sept. 11 article for The Guardian. Later that month, the Hermit Kingdom unveiled an impressively state-of-the-art airport and leader Kim Jong Un has reportedly ordered that some buildings replace their floors with more “modern” materials like vinyl and granite, Wainwright explained.
Take a look at Wainwright’s photos of North Korean interiors and marvel:
![Rungrado 1st of May Stadium, Pyongyang](https://livingnomads.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Rungrado-1st-of-May-Stadium-Pyongyang-team.jpg)
![Paektusan Academy of Architecture, Pyongyang](https://livingnomads.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Paektusan-Academy-of-Architecture-Pyongyang.jpg)
![Kim Jong Suk Creche, Pyongyang](https://livingnomads.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Kim-Jong-Suk-Creche-Pyongyang.jpg)
![Changgwang Health and Recreation Complex, Pyongyang](https://livingnomads.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Changgwang-Health-and-Recreation-Complex-Pyongyang.jpg)
![Yanggakdo International Hotel, Pyongyang](https://livingnomads.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Yanggakdo-International-Hotel-Pyongyang.jpg)
![National Drama Theater, Pyongyang 2](https://livingnomads.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/National-Drama-Theater-Pyongyang-2.jpg)
![Rungrado 1st of May Stadium, Pyongyang concert](https://livingnomads.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Rungrado-1st-of-May-Stadium-Pyongyang-concert.jpg)
![Paektusan Academy of Architecture, Pyongyang prof](https://livingnomads.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Paektusan-Academy-of-Architecture-Pyongyang-prof.jpg)
![Pyongyang Diplomatic Club](https://livingnomads.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Pyongyang-Diplomatic-Club.jpg)
![Yanggakdo International Hotel, Pyongyang 2](https://livingnomads.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Yanggakdo-International-Hotel-Pyongyang-2.jpg)
![Chongnyon Youth Hotel, Pyongyang](https://livingnomads.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Chongnyon-Youth-Hotel-Pyongyang.jpg)
![Grand People’s Study House, Pyongyang](https://livingnomads.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Grand-People’s-Study-House-Pyongyang.jpg)