Tag: Condo

Waste Not: The Trash Can that Inspired the World’s Tallest Condo Tower

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

432 Park Avenue in Manhattan has taken criticism for various reasons since well before it was completed, but its source of inspiration makes it almost too easy: the skyscraper was inspired by a garbage bin.

Specifically, Rafael Viñoly cited a 1906 trash can designed by Josef Hoffmann of the Vienna Workshops as a pattern basis for the gridded exterior of the supertall tower. The design origins were confirmed by the developer but are also plain to see. The infamous bin itself retails for $ 225, which could be considered cheap for a classic design object … or expensive for something you fill with garbage.

That grid design is intended to mask the fact that the columns of the building need to be wider at the base in order to support its immense height. The thick grid from top to bottom disguises this transition from wider to narrow, covering structural columns toward the top. It is the third-tallest structure in the United States and tallest residential tower on the planet.

Aside from aesthetic critiques, the skyscraper has come under fire for supply a relatively handful (just over 100) units at immense sizes to support occupancy but the wealthy elite. Of course, it is not that unusual for industrial design to inspire architecture. Still, the fact that its design was inspired by a waste receptacle only adds fuel to those who see it as an eyesore and sign of urban opulence.

Tree-Inspired Tower: Condo Balconies Unfurl Like Leaves

An iconic new mixed-use development in the heart of Montpellier in southern France, L’Arbre Blanc (The White Tree) grew out of a design concept tied to the outdoor traditions of this temperate …

World’s Tallest Tower: Dubai Superstructure by Santiago Calatrava

Edging out the record-holding Burj Khalifa by just a hair, the world’s tallest tower is set to rise into the Dubai skies by 2020 as the crown jewel of a new waterfront development. Neofuturist …

World’s Tallest Wood-Framed Skyscraper Proposed for London

An angular affair of wood and glass, this proposed skyscraper is designed to reach nearly 1,000 feet in the air and, if it goes forward, will be the first timber-framed tower in London and …

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January 19, 2017
Rotating Condo Tower: Units Take Turns as the Penthouse Suite

[ By WebUrbanist in Conceptual & Futuristic & Technology. ]

Spinning structures is not new territory, but shifting units around vertically as well as in horizontal circles is a fresh dimension of novelty with a likewise refreshed sense of purpose – to make housing truly fair for everyone, giving each person some time at (and views from) the top.

Every since the elevator shifted the top floors from being least to most desirable in cities, real estate prices have reflected the relative values of these spaces. With this alternative arrangement proposed by designer Shin Kuo, each unit would take turns being on top as well as facing each different direction.

A lot of engineering is required to make such a thing work, from detachable infrastructural connections to prescribed times and safety locks for rotation (please keep limbs inside your home!).

Part of what makes the solution so intriguing is that it conceives of architecture like a product of industrial design – something that can be fundamentally improved upon through rethinking even our most basic assumptions.

Still, at least one big question remains: given the upfront and ongoing costs of making this whole thing work, who will ultimately be able to live in such a structure, which presents itself with such an egalitarian purpose? It may simply be ahead of its time – if more modular modes of plug-and-play dwelling become the norm, such infrastructure may also come to be more commonplaces (and come down in cost).

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Penthouse Mountain: Stone Villa Tops Chinese Condo Tower

Over six years, one dedicated man has constructed his dream house, complete with (presumably fake) boulders, trees, gardens, pools and ponds. It is the kind of …
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Self-Assembly Line: Modular Units form Viral Architecture

Installed for the 2012 TED Conference in California, ‘The Self-Assembly Line’ is an architectural structure that was inspired by viruses.
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Tree-Inspired Tower: Condo Balconies Unfurl Like Leaves

An iconic new mixed-use development in the heart of Montpellier in southern France, L’Arbre Blanc (The White Tree) grew out of a design concept tied to the …
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[ By WebUrbanist in Conceptual & Futuristic & Technology. ]

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May 28, 2015
Luxury Retrofit: New 440-Square-Foot Condo Hidden in Old Garage

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

Boxed in on both sides, this once-homely little garage space is now a cozy high-end condo, its rusted white corrugated metal front replaced with a still-concealing wood facade serving to hide something much more dynamic inside.

Designed by FABRE/deMARIEN, this ‘100% Box’ home features white walls and ceilings, reinforcing lightness and openness toward the front of the space, an area containing a kitchen and dining room as well as a front entry deck.

A wood-paneled box in back serves all kinds of additional functions, housing a series of desk and seating built-ins, enclosing a small bathroom and supporting the elevated bedroom with bed and storage above.

The sloping roof helps provide higher ceilings in the back spaces as well as accommodating the additional needs of the raised bedroom area, with periodic sunlights to help illuminate all of the above. Enclosed on all sides, this urban infill lot reuse manages to feel spacious and open despite the limitations of its site.

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Cool Million: Famous 420 Square Foot SoHo Condo for Sale

A multifunctional masterpiece built with crowd-sourced design ideas and a small-space vision by the founder of TreeHugger, this New York City apartment is now …
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Trapdoor Secrets: Furniture Hidden Inside Floors & Ceilings

This remarkable remodel is full of fun and functional surprises ranging from ceiling-suspended swing sets, hammocks, bookshelves, tables and benches to …
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9 Amazing Apartment Interior Designs & Cool Condo Plans

Color, pattern, unexpected materials and careful editing of rustic historic architectural details make these apartment and condo remodels one-of-a-kind.
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April 17, 2015
IKEA Flips Condo Sideways to Create Furniture Climbing Wall

[ By WebUrbanist in Design & Guerilla Ads & Marketing. ]

Furnishings become footholds, supports and resting spots as you scale the flipped-over floor of this fanciful apartment, opened to the public as a method to market a new IKEA store location.

Set up in front of an historic church in Clermont-Ferrand, France, locals were invited to scale various routes (four paths in total) of different difficulties made for both children and adults, created in collaboration with Ubi Bene, a local communications agency.

The mock apartment features beds, bookcases, chairs, tables and other fixtures set against prints, carpets, tiles and textiles, all actually on sale in the store being advertised.

Professional climbers were on hand at the opening to help people get outfitted and learn to climb – probably not something that would have been an easy sell in a country like the United States with its safety restrictions.

Spanning roughly 30 feet vertically and horizontally, the area is effectively that of (close to) a 1000-square-foot living space.

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Climbing Wall Treadmill: Exercise Machine Rocks Your House

Far more exciting than a walking treadmill or elliptical machine, this infinite rock wall brings the challenges (and hard exercise) of scaling sheer cliffs …
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Off the Wall: 14 3D Graffiti Designs from Furniture to Homes

Flat paint on two-dimensional surfaces springs to life in surprising ways in these 14 graffiti-inspired projects ranging from sand sculptures to entire …
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Transforming Furniture: Fitting 5 Rooms into 640 Square Feet

With a mostly-open floor plan tucked into 60 square meters of space, the design challenge was to effectively fit the functionality of five rooms into the …
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October 1, 2014
Cool Million: Famous 420 Square Foot SoHo Condo for Sale

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

A multifunctional masterpiece built with crowd-sourced design ideas and a small-space vision by the founder of TreeHugger, this New York City apartment is now for sale for $ 995,000.

The star of Graham Hill’s LifeEdited, the unit boasts transforming furniture, sliding walls, secret panels and hidden resources from an array of manufacturers and custom installers.

Per the Gizmodo video above, the space unfolds to accommodate everything from dozen-plus dinner parties to overnight guests when you pull out the magically-long dining table or push an entire wall to one side.

From the living room (which splits into bedrooms) to the bathroom and kitchen, lots of little tricks make it all work, including a microwave that doubles as an oven and modular burners that can be deployed on demand.

Everyone knows a million dollars does not go quite so far in Manhattan, but some might still wonder if the place is worth the asking price. Cool factor and high-tech tweaks aside, though, it is worth noting that other units in the building have Zillow estimates of 1.5 million dollars in some cases, so at the very least this high-sounding price may not be wildly off base.

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9 Amazing Apartment Interior Designs & Cool Condo Plans

Color, pattern, unexpected materials and careful editing of rustic historic architectural details make these apartment and condo remodels one-of-a-kind.
Click Here to Read More »»

Transforming Furniture: Fitting 5 Rooms into 640 Square Feet

With a mostly-open floor plan tucked into 60 square meters of space, the design challenge was to effectively fit the functionality of five rooms into the …
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100 Cubic Meters: Split-Level Urban Micro-Condo in Madrid

Good home design is not just about a perfect product but about process and context, as illustrated in this case through diagrams, videos and photos of how to …
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March 24, 2014
Tree-Inspired Tower: Condo Balconies Unfurl Like Leaves

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

An iconic new mixed-use development in the heart of Montpellier in southern France, L’Arbre Blanc (The White Tree) grew out of a design concept tied to the outdoor traditions of this temperate region along the Mediterranean Sea.

Spinning out from a central core, the design-defining balconies unfold brilliantly to offer upper-level residents an array of amazing panoramic views while providing shade for units below.

This collaborative project by Sou Fujimoto Architects, Nicolas Laisné Associés and Manal Rachdi Oxo Architects (via ArchDaily with images by RSI Studio) includes a restaurant, bar, offices and art gallery in addition to dwellings.

Set in the fastest-growing city in France, the building is designed as a transition point between the heart of the old city and a series of faster-growing neighborhoods surrounding the existing center.

A series of passive heating and cooling strategies, including wind and solar usage, reinforce the tree concept with practical and sustainable solutions for everyday occupants.

In terms of the housing units themselves: “The architects sought to encourage free-choice architecture, which they see as underpinning tomorrow’s housing trend where everyone starts with a ‘housing stock’ when they buy their flat and are not confined to manufactured articles, regimented layouts, turnkey spaces. Instead they are given possibilities, modular interior spaces they can choose from a catalogue of optional features and floor plans.”

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Hanging Hotel: Camp in a Trunk-Friendly Tree House Retreat

Without harming the forest that supports it, this streamlined tree house design is stabilized by a central trunk but ultimately suspended from the branches …
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Fire-Inspired: 14 Converted & New Lookout Tower Homes

From 15th century guard towers on the Italian coast to modern timber-framed fire towers in Montana, these 14 homes get their inspiration from high places.
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A Tree Grows Inside This Modern Cylindrical Glass House

Would you give up all your privacy in order to live in a spectacular glass cylinder with a tree growing up the center? Perhaps the secluded forest location …
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March 23, 2014
Penthouse Mountain: Stone Villa Tops Chinese Condo Tower

[ By WebUrbanist in Architecture & Houses & Residential. ]

Over six years, one dedicated man has constructed his dream house, complete with boulders, trees, gardens, pools and ponds. It is the kind of luxury home you might expect expect to set into the side of an actual mountain … rather than perched atop an urban apartment building.

The Daily Mail reports that Chinese eccentric Zhang Lin slowly assembled this structure in Beijing despite disruptions and dangers caused to those residents below, apparently without planning permission and in defiance of zoning laws (not to mention common sense). The many tons of material required were hauled up the building, then transformed into a faux mountaintop. In turn, the industrious top-floor owner tucked his unique private penthouse retreat into the resulting rock face.

A number of residents have complained about the noise from construction, and one has experienced flooding, either from fake mountain pools and ponds above their place, broken drainage due to displaced infrastructure, or perhaps both.

Meanwhile, the penthouse – originally slated to be a small shack added to the top – has sprawled in all kinds of creative and (to those below, at least) unexpected ways. There are various outdoor decks, viewing platforms and winding paths that make their way through and around the stone mountaintop and its outgrowths of greenery.

And what comes next? Well, no one in the city has stopped the project so far, but as complaints mount from other residents, and as the weight loaded on the roof grows, one has to wonder what will happen first: government intervention or a tragic structural collapse.

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August 13, 2013