I’ve always been fascinated by apartment buildings that make you stop and stare, the ones that don’t just house people but completely redefine what a home can be.
Around the world, architects are dreaming big and building even bigger, turning sky-high towers into twisting sculptures and planting entire forests on balconies.
Some of them feel like something out of a sci-fi movie, yet real people actually call them home. If you’re as obsessed with jaw-dropping design as I am, you’ll want to see these incredible residential masterpieces for yourself.
1. Bosco Verticale’s Living Walls
Milan’s tree-covered towers look like they’re straight from a sci-fi movie where nature reclaimed the city! Two residential skyscrapers host over 20,000 plants and trees, creating a vertical forest that changes colors with the seasons.
The greenery acts as natural air conditioning, filtering pollution and creating mini-ecosystems for birds and insects. Residents enjoy improved air quality and reduced energy costs while living in what feels like a treehouse in the sky.
2. The Interlace’s Hexagonal Harmony
If Jenga blocks and honeycomb had a baby, it would look like Singapore’s The Interlace! Thirty-one apartment blocks stacked at various angles create a mesmerizing pattern when viewed from above.
Between these stacked structures lie swimming pools, gardens, and community spaces. The unique arrangement maximizes airflow and creates eight massive courtyards where neighbors actually get to know each other – fancy that!
3. Habitat 67’s Block Party
Though built for Expo 67 in Montreal, this quirky concrete complex still turns heads today! Imagine 354 concrete blocks arranged like a child’s building blocks, somehow forming 146 unique homes.
Each apartment enjoys terraces and gardens that would be impossible in traditional buildings. Architect Moshe Safdie created this modular marvel to revolutionize urban housing, proving prefab can be fab. Water views and privacy in dense urban settings? Yes please!
4. Cayan Tower’s Spectacular Spiral
Sometimes called the ‘Twisting Tower,’ this Dubai showstopper makes you wonder if buildings can do yoga! The 75-story structure completes a smooth 90-degree twist from bottom to top, creating a mesmerizing spiral effect.
Each floor rotates slightly from the one below, giving residents unique views of Dubai Marina. The clever design isn’t just for show – it reduces wind forces and shields apartments from direct sunlight in the desert climate.
5. 25 Verde’s Urban Jungle
Where else can you live in a treehouse as a grown-up? Turin’s 25 Verde apartment building wraps residents in a lush green embrace with over 150 trees growing right out of the structure!
Architect Luciano Pia designed this five-story wonderland with irregular terraces and steel “tree trunks” supporting wooden residences.
The living facade provides natural temperature regulation, noise reduction, and air purification. Plus, falling asleep to rustling leaves beats city noise any day.
6. Via 57 West’s Sailing Silhouette
Looking like a giant sail catching wind on Manhattan’s skyline, this “courtscraper” blends European courtyard living with American skyscraper height.
Danish architect Bjarke Ingels created this pyramid-like structure with a twist – literally! One corner soars to 467 feet while the opposite stays low, creating a dramatic slope.
The building’s hollow center houses a garden courtyard that would make Central Park jealous. Apartments feature floor-to-ceiling windows that frame jaw-dropping Hudson River views.
7. Marina City’s Concrete Corncobs
Chicago’s iconic twin towers have been nicknamed “corncobs” since their 1964 completion – and the resemblance is uncanny! These 65-story cylindrical structures feature scalloped balconies that create their distinctive corn-like appearance.
Designed by architect Bertrand Goldberg, Marina City pioneered the mixed-use concept with apartments sitting above offices, restaurants, and even a marina.
Car lovers appreciate the exposed spiral parking garage occupying the lower floors. Talk about bringing your wheels home with style!
8. Waldspirale’s Whimsical Wonderland
Who said apartment buildings need straight lines? Certainly not Friedensreich Hundertwasser! This colorful German complex resembles a rainbow ribbon candy twisted into a U-shape, topped with a lush green roof forest.
No two windows are alike in this fairytale structure, and trees grow right out of apartments. Golden onion domes and colorful ceramic columns add to the fantasy feel.
Inside, uneven floors (called “melody of irregularity” by the architect) make walking through hallways an adventure!
9. Absolute World’s Curvaceous Twins
Sometimes a building’s nickname says it all – these Toronto-area towers are locally known as the “Marilyn Monroe Buildings” for their hourglass figures!
Each floor rotates slightly from the one below, creating sinuous curves that seem to dance against the sky. Designed by Chinese firm MAD Architects, these voluptuous towers stand out in Mississauga’s skyline.
The elliptical balconies enhance the flowing aesthetic while giving residents 360° views. Form follows function here too – the twisting shape reduces wind loads and maximizes sunlight.
10. Aqua Tower’s Rippling Facade
Chicago’s Aqua Tower looks like someone froze ocean waves in concrete and glass! Architect Jeanne Gang created this 82-story stunner with undulating balconies that create the illusion of rippling water when light plays across the facade.
Beyond being pretty, these curves serve a purpose. The varying balcony depths provide shade, reduce wind impact, and create unique views for each apartment.
Residents enjoy an 80,000 square foot terrace with pools, gardens, and fire pits – practically a private park in the sky!
11. VM Houses’ Zigzagging Brilliance
From above, these Copenhagen apartments form perfect V and M shapes – hence the name! Architect Bjarke Ingels created these angular buildings with triangular balconies that jut out like spikes, giving the facades a jagged, crystalline appearance.
Floor-to-ceiling windows and glass balconies flood apartments with natural light. The zigzag design isn’t just for show – it maximizes views while ensuring privacy from neighboring units.
Inside, over 80 different floor plans mean no cookie-cutter living spaces in this Danish delight!
12. The Whale’s Oceanic Curves
Amsterdam’s aptly named “The Whale” resembles a massive sea creature breaching from urban waters! Three connected residential blocks rise and fall in wavelike motions, creating a silhouette reminiscent of a whale’s humped back.
Designed by de Architekten Cie, this undulating structure features cascading terraces that maximize sunlight and views.
The building’s hollow center forms a shared courtyard where neighbors gather. Large windows and balconies give residents panoramic views of the IJ River, completing the nautical experience.
13. Linked Hybrid’s Skybridge Symphony
Imagine connecting eight towers with glass skywalks suspended 18 stories above ground! Beijing’s Linked Hybrid does exactly that, creating a “city within a city” where residents traverse between buildings without touching the ground.
Architect Steven Holl designed these brightly-colored bridges to house swimming pools, fitness areas, and cafes. The complex includes apartments, hotels, schools, and theaters around a massive central garden.
At night, the bridges glow with LED lights, creating a futuristic light show visible across Beijing.
14. Spittelau Viaducts’ Technicolor Dream
Vienna’s abandoned railway viaducts found new life as the most colorful apartments in town! Architect Zaha Hadid transformed these historic arches into housing that looks like it belongs in a cartoon – in the best possible way.
Bold colors and curved forms wrap around the old brick structure, creating a playful contrast between old and new. Apartments are stacked in a gravity-defying arrangement above the viaduct.
The complex includes shops and offices, bringing vibrant urban life to what was once industrial infrastructure.
15. Nakagin Capsule Tower’s Modular Magic
Tokyo’s architectural time capsule looks like washing machines stacked on top of each other! Built in 1972, this metabolist masterpiece consists of 140 prefabricated capsules bolted onto two concrete cores.
Each tiny 8×12 foot pod contains a built-in bed, bathroom, and desk with vintage appliances. Architect Kisho Kurokawa designed the capsules to be replaceable, though none ever were.
While facing demolition threats, this retro-futuristic icon continues inspiring micro-apartment designs worldwide.