Dept. of Lazy Susan

Another reason to move promptly to Brazil. Thanks to Todd Jatras at Wired for pointing out what is apparently the world's only rotating skyskraper. Get this: 11 floors, eleven 3,000 square foot condos, and each condo spins independently 360 degrees. Fast or slow, clockwise or counterclockwise. We're really not sure about the feng shui on this one, and worry about families bickering over the remote as it were, not to mention the possibly traumatic implications for late night trips to the bathroom. But it's refreshing to see such a willingness to take risks, such playfulness, such grand engineering style. (Dare we pray that The Donald would be so inspired before our West Side has been further wounded?) Ahem, anyway, the real story here may be the lovely Brazilian city of Curitiba, where urban planners go to samba. OHR
Photo: Nelson Kon

Comments (7)

And then realtors can upcharge for river AND city views! Ah, technology!

posted by patrick (the other one) on 2005-07-05 15:32:55

I think it's sincerely beautiful from the outside, and I'd bet that views from it would be spectactular.

However ... you're gonna have to hire some kind of top-notch super to take care of that building. It seems to me that the more moving parts ANYTHING has, the more likely it is to break down.

So, I would say that when Brazilians 60 years from now looking for pre-apocalypse co-op buildings are going to look pretty hard at the maintenance fees and how recently the turntable has had its belts changed, before plunking down their 299 squillion "reals" for these puppies, even if their broker DOES buy them a photograph of one of the stars of Logan's Run.

But I could be wrong.

posted by Curtis on 2005-07-05 16:34:41

Imagine what the monthly homeowners association fees must be!

posted by Enrique on 2005-07-05 17:44:10

Does anyone here remember when they installed 4 of the Curitiba bus stops downtown and ran a continuous free shuttle bus? ( I seem to recall it was South St. Seaport, Battery Park, WTC, and somewhere in between -- perhaps City Hall) The efficiency of the tubes was amazing, but totally lost on most of the tourists who tried it. Not sure how hot those things get in the summer sun, though.

posted by Frank on 2005-07-05 18:06:21

Brazil is not the only place. San Diego has them spinning in circles.

http://www.rotatinghome.com/

posted by mewindow on 2005-07-05 18:21:12

I read about this building before, it's a great concept, very jetsons. but i guess frustrating for peeping toms.
there is a project proposed for manhattan on the east river for a tower of vertical townhouses. has anyone else seen the renderings for this? it looks great.

posted by patrick on 2005-07-05 21:19:09

Before setteling on Mexico City I actually took a logn hard look at a very similar building...maybe a year or so ago.

Amazingly afforable (in contrast to NYC...bus isn;t that always the case?)

posted by me of me inc. on 2005-07-06 04:27:05