Collection by Luke Hopping
Futuristic Apartment Buildings
Get a glimpse of the future of urban living at these cutting-edge housing complexes.
The perforated aluminum cladding surrounds the lower-level public area, which contains the pools and gym for the tenants. Khanna and Schultz played with the idea of using stainless steel, but found that aluminum had the appropriate strength for the building's needs. "With the lights glowing from inside, it turns the whole building into a big lantern at night," says Schultz.
The 947 Liberty Lofts, in downtown Pittsburgh’s Penn-Liberty Historic District, is one of developer Eve Picker’s efforts to bring the city core back to life. A 20-foot setback leaves room for an outdoor café that bustles at lunchtime. The 15-foot sculptures were created by James Simon, a Pittsburgh artist.
Every apartment has a terrace measuring around 1,000 square feet, with both private and semipublic spaces. “The cool thing about a garden is it’s yours,” says architect Bjarke Ingels. “If you’re on the wooden part, you can suntan in your bikini bottom or go without pants.” If, however, you walk out onto the artificial turf, you can see what’s going on with your neighbors (and they can see you).