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The tower, located in Zhuyuan village in Huqiu town, covers more than 400 square meters and stands out sharply from the surrounding traditional tiled homes. It has 15 above-ground floors, two underground parking levels, and elevators, according to Jimu News.

Floors two to 12 house 22 fully equipped units, while the large balconies on every level are spacious enough for drying several blankets at once. The ground floor was originally intended to be a supermarket but is now used as storage for food and as a play space for children.

Unlike typical city apartment complexes, the building has no management committee or service fees. Maintenance and daily operations, including elevator servicing, are handled through agreements among family members.

The project was proposed by a 70-year-old clan member surnamed Zhu, who said construction began in 2016, according to local news outlet 163. He explained that the family’s old homes were too small, forcing children to study at dining tables, prompting the clan to pool funds for a larger shared living space.

He said the building houses a four-generation family with more than 100 members. Most working-age adults are employed outside the city while around 30 elderly people and children stay in the building during the day.

Local authorities said Zhu’s house was constructed about 10 years ago, when regulations allowed multiple households to jointly use residential land to build high-rise building.

Under new local regulations introduced in April 2023, newly built rural houses must not exceed three floors and a height of 15.5 meters, making similar buildings no longer permitted in the area.

After images of the building went viral on social media, some online users said it was a way to show off wealth. Zhu rejected the view and said he had declined a proposal to convert the building into a homestay, describing it as a family home rather than a commercial asset.

“The neighbours get along very well,” he said.