Vertical Communal Living

With highrise apartments being common, why I don't live in one? Well, #1) I can't afford to and #2) with most condos being 1 bedroom or 2 bedroom units, there are no options on the market that offer communal living.

Loosely based on Loth in Berkeley, the drawings below imagine a stack of communities. Compared to a regular tower, there are twice the number of bedrooms, half the per-bedroom cost, and lots of spaces for social interaction. To address the management issues previous high rise communities faced, this design separates the building into individual communities of 50-90 people: small enough to know everyone, large enough to keep things lively. One of these 2 to 3 story communities could also be made by remodeling a few floors of an office building.

When a region's most beloved streets are done in a quirky Victorian or Craftsperson style, shouldn't its biggest buildings also be something other than a glass box?

(click images to enlarge)

Vertical Community Living - Elevation and Section

Vertical Community Living View of Courtyard