By Lisa Cornwell
The Associated Press
CINCINNATI -- Some buildings sweep to the sky in eye-catching twists and turns, while the mirrored exteriors of others reflect surrounding landscapes.
Visions by such celebrated architects as Michael Graves and Daniel Libeskind will likely change the skylines of many American cities, as developers increasingly turn to designers known more for their work on museums and other public buildings than condominiums and luxury housing.
Today's structural stars are creating condos with curves, glass-enclosed, elevated walkways, glass expanses and other flourishes that in previous decades were reserved for office towers. Some in the architectural community see the burst of creativity as a renaissance in urban residential building.
"I think there is a new awareness in this 21st century that design is as important to where and how we live as it is for museums, concert halls and civic buildings," said Libeskind, who designed the landmark Jewish Museum in Berlin and won the competition to create the master plan for the new World Trade Center in New York City.
Libeskind has designed a crescent-shaped, 21-story condominium complex -- The Ascent -- that will give the appearance of sweeping upward in a flourishing curve of mirrored glass against the backdrop of the Cincinnati skyline. Construction, which is expected to top $40 million, is to begin this year along the Ohio River in Covington, Ky.
"Having a noteworthy architect's name on a project also makes it unique and individual, so that if the market goes bad or softens up, we will be a notch above competitors," said Craig Nassi, president of the Denver-based BCN Development LLC, which is building the 38-story Aura condominium in Sacramento, Calif.
In recent decades, urban condo design has largely tended to be more sedate and less imaginative than commercial office buildings and cultural institutions. Developers of residential buildings have often gone with more economical designs, especially as urban residents continued to migrate to the suburbs.
While some cities such as San Francisco and New York have been innovative with urban loft spaces, much of the urban landscape has continued to be dominated by more traditional, often boxlike, brick apartment and condo dwellings.
"There was no heart or soul to it," said Ronnette Riley, chairwoman of the committee on design of the American Institute of Architects.
The demand for high-rise condominiums has increased as land becomes scarce and property values rise, and developers are looking for ways to make their buildings stand out in the urban residential market.
Baby boomers like Steve and Nancy Frank are considering moving to the Covington complex since their son has graduated from college.
"We no longer need a big house and the burden of maintaining it and a yard," Steve Frank said.
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