Fire destroys OMA designed hotel complex in Beijing

A fire sparked by company sponsored fireworks has destroyed a renowned highrise in Beijing.  The fire, started by shells from a pyrotechnical display hitting the roof of the nearly completed north tower of the Rem Koolhaas designed CCTV complex in Beijing, completely gutted what was to soon open as a luxury Mandarin Oriental hotel adjacent to the massive signature CCTV headquarters.

The building is considered, and by imagery most likely, a complete loss.  It is highly unfortunate considering I considered it to be a very imaginative and more intensely pragmatic and experimental design compared to the engineering marvel that is it's big brother next door.  I'm sorry there is no image but due to copyright issues I didn't want to link to a web page directly but will link to a Flickr set of the burned out hulk of the tower.  Google will quickly provide a before image for those of you unfamiliar.

Sad to see a potential icon taken out before it was even properly introduced.  I hope that some reiteration will be rebuilt in its place to accompany the functions that were lost in its destruction.

Flickr link here.