Dozens of new and ornate apartment towers have sprung up without fanfare in central Pyongyang, covering two entire city blocks around North Korea’s infamous Ryugyong Hotel, satellite imagery shows.

Despite their unusually intricate and ambitious designs — similar to two major “10,000-home” skyscraper projects pushed since early last year — the buildings have yet to be featured or promoted in state media.

The projects appear to be part of “bottom-up” efforts and investments, one expert told NK Pro, as opposed to top-down projects state media typically promotes for propaganda purposes.

Peter Ward, an expert