American Copper Tower by SHoP Architects, New York City
Sky bridges are another feature we’ll likely see more of in the coming decades, with a real-world example coming in the form of the American Copper Tower by SHoP Architects. The gleaming 761-unit residential skyscraper features two towers connected at the 28th floor by a two-story platform featuring an indoor lap pool and lounge area. It’s also set to be complete in 2017.
Stacked Garden Tower by ODA, New York City
Melding urban living with suburban backyards, ODA’s Stacked Garden Tower inserts sculptural garden spaces between every two floors of its vertical height, running the entire length and width of the building. That means every 9,000-square-foot luxury apartment in the building will have its own 4574-square-foot private outdoor space. The design dramatically reduces the wind load on the building and avoids blocking the sun for neighboring structures.
Spire London by HOK
The tallest residential skyscraper in Western Europe is set to rise 771 feet into the sky in London, packed full of 861 apartments overlooking Canary Wharf and West India Quay. ‘Spire London’ by HOK takes visual inspiration from the nautical history of the site and the shape of an orchid flower, the latter in reference to the building’s Chinese developers. The lobby is conceived as similar in feel to a boutique hotel, and the base of the tower is filled with amenities like a spa, gym, cocktail bar and cinema.
Helix Tower by Studio Prescient, Abu Dhabi
The Helix Tower by Studio Prescient features extended green verandas on every floor, giving each apartment a connection to nature, fresh air and views of the city and sea. The 45-floor residential tower is organized to free up lots of space for shared services and amenities, and the top five floors contain recreational spaces. “The architectural design has sought inspiration from the first principles of life and their correlation with habitats to arrive at the design for this new paradigm in vertical living in consonance with nature,” say the architects.
