High-rise living is increasingly attractive to young professionals and empty nesters, and residential towers are popping up all over the United States. Developers are designing their projects to appeal to these residents, who prefer buildings that offer edgy, contemporary architecture and unique amenities.
"Young professionals and empty nesters are choosing homes that let people know they're young and trendy," says Mark Humphreys, CEO of Humphreys & Partners Architects, a Dallas-based firm that is working on about $2.5 billion worth of multifamily development.
The popularity of high-rise condominiums also continues to influence the high-rise rental market, according to industry experts. "We're after the renter-by-choice, so we have to be architecturally
competitive with condos when it comes to the percentage of glass, ceiling heights, and size of the units," says John Chappelear, senior vice president for Vienna, Va.-based KSI Services, which manages more than 8,000 units in the Washington metropolitan area and has another 5,000 units in development there. In fact, the condo market is forcing rental developers to provide a higher level of design and to use higher-quality materials, according to Ed Hamilton, managing partner with the Houston-based Hanover Co., which has developed more than 25,000 apartment units since its inception in 1982. "An apartment that is condo-quality is more competitive against condos," he explains.
As a prolific developer of high-rise residential projects, Hanover strives to build rental towers that incorporate the newest design trends. In Dallas, for example, Hanover recently broke ground on The Cirque, a 28-story apartment tower in Victory near American Airlines Center. Designed by Gromatzky Dupree & Associates, The Cirque will sit on a six-story base and will feature a curved glass faÇade wrapped with pre-cast concrete panels. The 530,000-square-foot tower includes 252 apartments and 10,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor.
It's All About the View
An outstanding view is the prime reason why most people choose to live in high-rises, particularly urban high-rises, Hamilton says, pointing out that The Cirque's design was driven by its views of downtown Dallas.
Most of Hanover's new residential projects are using a lot of glass and stone, Hamilton notes, adding that renters today want floor-to-ceiling glass of 9 feet to 11 feet versus punched windows. "In the past, high-rise buildings had very little fenestration," he recalls.
Today, many high-rise residential towers use glass curtain walls for their skin. In Chicago, for example, the 49-story Shoreham features floor-to-ceiling glass and vertical bands of exposed concrete with two sets of recessed balconies. The tower, which is part of the 28-acre Lakeshore East development, has views of the Michigan Avenue skyline.
"We wanted to take advantage of the views, so we used highly reflective glass to bring the views into the room," explains Jim Loewenberg, president of Chicago-based Loewenberg + Architects and NNP Residential & Development, which is developing The Shoreham.
Developers are not only using more glass and including floor-to-ceiling windows, but the ceiling heights are higher, according to Richard Burns, principal with Baltimore-based Design Collective. "Years ago, 8-foot ceilings were standard; today, floor-to-ceiling heights are 10 feet or more, which has had an impact on the outside design," he says.
Taller ceiling heights and more glass can make a big difference to residents because these features collectively brings more light into units, notes Fred Harris, senior vice president of development for Alexandria, Va.-based AvalonBay Communities. One of the REIT's newest high-rise projects, Avalon Riverview in Long Island City, N.Y., features corner and bay windows with full-height glass to optimize light and views of the East River and Manhattan skyline.
Developers are also using balconies to bring more light into the interior and to help residents connect to nature even though they live in the sky. "Balconies are becoming another living space," says John Sheehan, principal of Studio E Architects in San Diego.
Specifically, more high-rise buildings today feature balconies that are cantilevered–where they're open on three sides–rather than embedded balconies, says Judd Bobilin, senior vice president of development for Atlanta-based Novare Group, which currently has more than 3,500 condo units under development in Atlanta, Nashville, Tenn., Tampa, Fla., and Charlotte, N.C. "Although people don't tend to use balconies as much as a porch on a single-family home, they're a necessity for high-rise residential," he says.
Moreover, balconies are another place in residential towers where glass is being used. And, although glass is more expensive than masonry, it allows for edgier design. "Developers are using glass in different shapes today to create an entirely different visual appearance," Loewenberg says. "Glass is more fluid and allows you to cant things at goofy angles, particularly roofs and balconies."
Hamilton agrees: "Today's high-rises are almost like sculptures–with a lot of curves in the building's skin. We're trying to break away from one large mass."
Mixing It Up
While most new residential high-rises incorporate a large amount of glass in their faÇades, developers also are mixing in other materials in an effort to make their buildings more eclectic and, at the same time, help them fit into the existing landscape.
"I think there was a period when residential buildings tended to look the same, but now people want to be distinctive," AvalonBay's Harris says. "Developers are making a conscious effort to be a little more unique, and the driver is from the for-sale market." He points to Avalon Chrystie Place as an example of a high-rise that incorporates a variety of materials. Designed by Miami-based Arquitectonica, Avalon Chrystie Place's skin is comprised of several colors of brick and glass.
Design experts agree that using a variety of materials in a single project creates more visual interest. "The main thing is that we don't want everything to look the same," Loewenberg says. "To have everything all the same material is too sterile."
In particular, consumers are attracted to projects where construction materials are exposed, giving the buildings an edgier, raw feel. This type of design treatment also allows developers to save some money by using structural elements as part of the building's skin, says Daun St. Amand, vice president of Baltimore-based RTKL Associates.
For example, the pre-cast concrete used for the 18-story Acqua Vista in San Diego's Little Italy neighborhood serves two purposes–it acts as an exoskeleton for tower and the exposed concrete also provides the faÇade treatment, according to St. Amand.
New Materials
Design Collective's Burns notes that many projects are taking eclecticism to the next level by incorporating non-traditional materials. For example, one of the firm's high-rise apartment projects in Baltimore, Md.–the 22-story Zenith–features a faÇade that is 65 percent glass curtain wall with metal panels making up the remainder.
Burns says that metal panels are just now gaining favor with developers and design professionals. "Developers are specifically trying to appeal to young professionals, and metal panels offer a hipper looking exterior–a non-traditional kind of look," he contends.
Moreover, Zenith's design echoes the geometry of its site, which is straight on two sides and curved along the busy intersection of Pratt and Paca streets near Baltimore's Inner Harbor. The building has a curved faÇade that features continuous glass walls of 20 to 30 feet. "Developers and designers are taking a lot of cues from external forces like the uniqueness of the site and the context of the neighborhood," Burns says.
It's up to the design team to work with the developer to create a design that connects to the place, whether it's urban or rural, Sheehan says. "As a designer you have two choices. You can make a conscious effort to contrast or you can try to incorporate styles or materials," he notes.
Studio E tackled the challenge of fitting in with the neighborhood when it designed the seven-story Fahrenheit in its hometown of San Diego. Fahrenheit is situated right next to the new Petco Park–a massive structure with plenty of exposed concrete and steel. "The ballpark has this industrial strength toughness and the other neighbor is parking garage," Sheehan explains. "We had to come up with a residential design with that kind of vibe." With that in mind, Sheehan's team chose bright orange corrugated metal and pre-cast concrete for Fahrenheit's faÇade.
Hanover also does all it can to make sure its projects don't stick out like a sore thumb, Hamilton says. In Dallas, for example, the company chose to use brick for the exterior of The Ashton, a 21-story rental tower in the Uptown neighborhood. "We do a lot of modern buildings with glass, but when we built The Ashton we felt that masonry would fit the neighborhood better because most of the buildings in the immediate area are brick," he explains.
KSI Services faced the same challenge when it was planning Metropolitan at Pentagon Row, Chappelear says. Located near Washington, the 18-story rental in Arlington, Va., features a brick faÇade with pre-cast concrete accents and ornamental trellises. "Every project really needs to respect its surroundings and blend in with the neighborhoods, especially if it's going to be approved by the city," he says. "In the D.C. area, brick is the material that conforms."
Rooftop Oasis
While KSI Services chose a traditional exterior design for Metropolitan at Pentagon Row, the firm's decision to put a pool on the roof of the building was ultra-modern. Design experts contend that smart developers are no longer wasting the great views at the top on mechanical systems or limiting access to penthouse occupants.
Instead, developers of quality high-rise projects are locating courtyards, gardens, and pools on the roof. In Nashville, Tenn., for example, Novare Group is developing Viridian, a 31-story luxury condo project that features an Olympic-size pool on the roof. Designed by Atlanta-based Smallwood Reynolds Stewart & Associates, Viridian also offers a terrace with trees, walkways and seating areas, and a complete fitness center on the roof.
"Roofs are the new gathering place for high-rises," says Judd Bobilin, senior vice president of development for Atlanta-based Novare Group. "We've found that space that overlooks the skyline is very appealing to residents because it's a great amenity–the sizzle that sells the steak."
–Jennifer Popovec is a freelance writer in Fort Worth, Texas.
Real-Life Lessons
An architect mulls how to build a hurricane-proof high-rise. The devastation that Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma brought to the shores of the United States is forcing some design professionals and developers to stop and think about ways to make their residential high-rises "hurricane proof." "The emotion of what's happened to some of these people is what's driving us," says Mark Humphreys, CEO of Dallas-based Humphreys & Partners Architects, adding that hurricane-resistant buildings will be more attractive to buyers.
Two of Humphrey's condominium towers in Gulfport, Miss., survived Katrina with minimal damage, Humphreys says. The 14-story buildings, dubbed Legacy, were built over code, he says, meaning that they were designed to stand up to 150 mph winds. Still, Humphreys' Orlando office is working to improve the design.
The key to withstanding Category 4 and 5 storms, Humphreys says, is smarter site planning and better materials. Specifically, buildings near the coast need to be raised at least 25 feet above sea level to get out of the way of a hurricane's storm surge. "The storm surge is the number one hazard, so we are raising finished floor levels and raising grades to the building," he explains.
Moreover, Humphreys' new projects feature artificial sand dunes in front of the towers. "The sand dunes can break the wave before it hits the building," he notes. Additionally, the building must be built of strong exterior material such as pre-cast concrete and include windows systems that need to be a level or two above code. Within the building, Humphreys has suggested creating a "hurricane room," which is a common area similar to a tornado shelter.
Humphreys also recommends that owners invest in a large generator that is located on the property so residents will have power in the event of a large or particularly lengthy storm.
"All the pain that people are feeling–we can make a difference because we have the ability to building structures that can withstand hurricane-force winds," Humphreys says.