Architectural triumphs or just plain pants? China's latest superstructures resemble a giant pair of long johns and the world's biggest Yorkshire pudding

One has been trumpeted as 'a dramatic, iconic gateway' to the East that makes the Arc de Triomphe look like a mere ornament.
The other is a majestic, sweeping glass media centre that epitomises the daring architecture we have come to expect from the nation that gave us the magnificent Bird's Nest stadium.
And yet anyone gazing up at China's latest two superstructures may be forgiven for thinking they look more like a towering set of pants and an enormous Yorkshire pudding.

Underwear despair: The £445m Gate of the East in Suzhou, China, has been likened to a pair of long johns

Bold design: Beijing's new Phoenix International Media Centre has a distinct, caved-in hollow

The first of the two behemoths is the 74-storey, British-designed Gate to the East in the city of Suzhou.

Just months away from completion, the £445million structure has been lampooned for looking less like an imperious archway and far more like a pair of long johns.

At first, the 250m-high project attracted favourable reviews and was described as the 'Arc de Triomphe of the East', but the critics have started to turn after a deluge of criticism online.
'This should be called the Pants of the East, not the Gate of the East,' said one user on China's Twitter-style micro-blogging site Weibo.
A front page of the Shanghai Daily followed this up with: 'Is it an arch or just plain pants?', while the state-run news agency Xinhua cried: 'New giant tower branded "pants"'.

Knickers in a twist: Critics were initially complimentary about the 74-storey structure, but turned after users peppered the internet with derogatory remarks, including the fact it should be called 'The Pants of the East'

Tough sell: According to the designer's website, the arch 'introduces a dramatic iconic "gateway" to the city of Suzhou and represents the significance of the China in the world today'

Favourable reaction: The Arc de Triomphe in Paris which was used initially to compliment the Gate to the East

The skyscraper is the brainchild of British architecture practice RMJM, which was founded in Edinburgh in 1956.
According to a description on RMJM's website, the arch 'introduces a dramatic iconic "gateway" to the city of Suzhou and represents the significance of the China in the world today.'
The company funding the project, Suzhou Chinaing Real Estate Co, says it will be finished by the end of the year.

Superstructure: The Chinese seem to approve but does Beijing's new Phoenix International Media Centre look like a bean bag, a doughnut or even a Yorkshire pud?

Attracting more admirers that detractors meanwhile, is Beijing's new Phoenix International Media Centre with its sweeping metallic curves and shimmering glass exteriors.

Scheduled to open this year, the 55-metre tall building created by the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design will boast 65,000 square metres of floor space for offices, restaurants and the headquarters of China's Phoenix TV.
And while it may look like a giant bean bag, a doughnut or a Yorkshire pudding, the critics have been more welcoming of this building.
Its sleek, spiralling design 'boldly expresses its intentions to move away from tradition toward the open ideals of the future,' says the website of China Radio International.