Call it transhumanist architecture. The designers of these odd-looking abodes – New York-based duo Shusaku Arakawa and Madeline Gins – believe that comfort leads to degeneration and, ultimately, death. So they created the Reversible Destiny Lofts to keep residents on their toes. Located in the Mitaka suburb of Tokyo, the nine-unit complex features concave floors to throw you off balance, oddly placed light switches you have to feel around for, and bright colors to assault the senses. Arakawa and Gins claim that living in the apartments will boost immunity and increase longevity – a kind of domestic extension of Japan’s “brain training” craze. They even come with directions like, “At least once a day, amble through the apartment in total darkness.” Hey, don’t laugh: Studies with both mice and humans have shown that inhabiting an enriched environment – one that stimulates the body and the mind – can stave off the effects of aging. And the $750,000 price tag for one of these cribs will seem like peanuts when it’s amortized over eternity.
– Greta Lorge
Exterior of the Reversible Destiny Lofts.
Interior of the Reversible Destiny Lofts.
Interior of the Reversible Destiny Lofts.
Interior of the Reversible Destiny Lofts.
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Choose Your Own Adventure Returns
The Worst: Stupid Engineering Mistakes
Discomforts of Home
