Dream Apartments (Evergreen Series)

The apartment is the logical evolution of the home in today?s heavily populated world. Restrictions on urban space have obliged people to opt for dimensions that are more limited than those of a traditional house if they are to continue enjoying the advantages of living in a city center. The term "apartment", however, need not be synonymous with lack of comfort or unattractiveness - in fact, the aim of this book is precisely to demonstrate that the most functional small home can also be a magnificent example of innovative and evocative architecture.

 

Although apartments are becoming an increasingly popular choice for a new home, it is important to bear in mind that the design of a dream apartment is not necessarily simpler or cheaper than that of a family house. Limitations on space force architects to follow two premises: the need for integrated, versatile spaces and the preeminence of functional solutions (although these may vary according to the type of family setup for which the residence is intended). Although there is a strong tendency to flood settings with light, the first priority should be to organize the available floor space along lines that ensure the principle of habitability, even while breaking with traditional approaches to construction - after all, it must not be forgotten that the ultimate aim is not just to admire the resulting architecture but also to live in it!

 

Dream apartments is aimed at readers who resist the idea of homogenization sometimes associated with an urban apartment. The creative genius of the world's best architects has been put at the service of simple spaces enclosed between four walls that are not so very different in principle from many other apartments in our cities. No elaborate exterior structure can distract the critical eye from the work undertaken in these interiors: the designer, like us, starts from the same point - an empty space - and, through the skilful and ingenious use of construction skills, this can result in apartments as exclusive and inspirational as the ones presented in this book.