As more people flock to cities to find work and escape the congested roads from suburbs to urban commercial districts, the most favored housing solution is soaring apartment towers. What innovative design concepts are in the planning stages for the residential skyscraper of the future?
One of the defining characteristics of the post war era in the United States was the mass migration from cities to surrounding suburban housing developments. During the 21st century, however, forecasts indicate that people will move back into cities to take advantage of employment opportunities and to escape congested commuter corridors. With the high cost of real estate and scarcity of land in urban areas, the most practical housing solution is to build towers of apartment units. What innovative design concepts are on the drafting table for 21st-century residential skyscrapers?
Give Everyone a View: The Rotating Apartment Tower
Shin Kuo, a Taiwanese industrial designer, recently proposed his award winning conceptual design for a 27 story apartment tower he calls Turn to the Future. By mounting the living units on track system with a infrared sensor and braking system, the design allows the apartments to rotate up and down the tower, thus providing the resident with a different view each morning. According to Shin Kuo, he envisions creating the components of his apartment tower using a 3-D printer. Some examples of the materials he plans to use to constuct the building include smart glass, steel, carbon fibers, bendable concrete, and aluminum.
Bringing the Concept to Life
Since Skin Kuo’s conceptual design has received positive affirmation, he is now seeking architects, interior designers, mechanical engineers, and structural engineers, as well as investors, to build the first of its kind apartment tower. You can see his plans and drawings for this project here.
What are you opinions about this architectural design for an urban apartment tower?