Homes that hint at real estate's future

We may not have flying cars just yet, but a new residential construction project going up in Sunny Isles Beach, Fla., may make you think otherwise.

The Porsche Design Tower will feature an elevator to lift owners–and their cars–to their front doors in seconds. A co-production of developer Dezer Properties and Porsche Design Group, the retail-oriented spin-off company of the luxury German carmaker, it will be the first residential project affiliated with the Porsche name. These car-friendly condos will range in price from $2.9 million to $9 million.

“You will drive into the building, onto the elevator ramp, shut the ignition off and be magically whisked to the front door of your apartment in 45 seconds to a minute and 15 seconds depending on what floor you’re on,” explains Gil Dezer, president of Dezer Properties. The elevator will cover all 57 floors and include technology that automatically identifies the car and the unit owner once both are on board.
It’s just one example of how modern design aesthetics have coupled with technology to birth innovative, cutting-edge homes that not so long ago would have been reserved only for the sets of films like Minority Report (or TV shows like The Jetsons).
We rounded up a selection of futuristic abodes that challenge traditional McMansion layouts. Some are relatively new homes designed with green living in mind while others are the decades-old brick and mortar visions of celebrated artists. Realtor.com, Zillow.com, Coldwell Banker Previews International, Sotheby’s International Realty and others helped us sort through listings to handpick the sleekest, most avant-garde, in some cases zaniest, homes on the market. They conjure images of science fiction lore, and in many cases, have actually been rented out by movie and television studios for that express reason.
Futuristic homes will ultimately sell to affluent buyers who collect art or at least appreciate architecture as an art form. Here are five worth checking out:
Loma Linda Drive
Location: Beverly Hills, CA
Recently Sold: $9 million

This Ed Niles designed home is transparently modern. Photo: Zillow

Designed by Ed Niles, this home's structure features curved glass walls and curved stainless steel windows and doors, fitting six bedrooms, an elevator and a seven-car garage within its layout.

West 29th Street
Location: New York, NY
List Price: $1.75 million

This Steampunk-style New York space is retro-modern. Photo: Trulia

This one-bedroom steam punk-inspired apartment is adorned in ship doors, steam pipes, construction dropcloths, even a 32-foot model of the Hindenburg that lights up and changes colors.

Wissioming Court
Location: Bethesda, MD
List Price: $7 million

This rectangular mansion is loaded with modern luxury features. Photo: Realtor.com

This brightly-hued, rectangular 10,000-square foot manse was designed by Robert Gurney, sits overlooking the Potomac River and boasts heated floors, glass bridges, a five-car garage and an infinity pool.

Twin Sisters Road
Location: Fairfield, CA
List Price: $6.75 million

Open, expansive views with glass walls are a must-have. Photo: Coldwell Banker Previews International

This Northern California abode sits atop the Twin Sisters Mountains, touting 6,000-square feet of carved slate decks, a blue-tiled pool that starts inside the house and flows outside underneath a sheet of glass, and an indoor, glass-enclosed atrium with pond.

Pottery House
Location: Santa Fe, NM
List Price: $4.75 million

Pottery House was designed but not built by Frank Lloyd Wright. Photo: Zillow

This Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home was built of 24,000 adobe bricks and the design centers around concentric circles.