For the last decade or so, the push to stand out in multifamily housing was toward improving the amenities or "extras" you get when renting a smallish apartment in the city. Your rental may be a small studio or one-bedroom unit, but along with that you get to enjoy the roof deck, the gym, a coffee bar and lounge space. Many designers did their homework during the housing boom of the last decade and advised that not only do building owners need to offer these spaces, but they'd be missing an opportunity if they didn't make them beautiful. Design can be transformative and I would guess after a year of being encouraged to stay home, it may just be essential to your quality of life.
I've had the pleasure of photographing several properties in the greater Seattle area through my connection to Board & Vellum. I worked at the multi-disciplinary design firm for nearly 6 years focused primarily on the marketing side of things, coordinating all the photography for the office: headshots for new employees, blog imagery, company events and completed projects. I often worked with outside photographers and really loved collaborating with other professionals, but I also enjoyed photographing select completed projects myself. It was a great tool for building my skills as a photographer and led to my decision to go freelance. I truly fell in love with interior spaces.
I gave up the rental life over 15 years ago, but photographing these newer apartment buildings has made me really envious of the urban rental lifestyle. The new crop of apartment buildings appearing around the city are thoughtfully designed, contemporary spaces that encourage you to hang out for a while. Plus there's no yardwork involved.
The last time I rented an apartment the front door didn't lock, the elevator was broken, the carpet smelled of wet leaves and there was no parking included. Jack Apartments (featured in this post, designed by Board & Vellum), is less than a mile from my first apartment building way back when I moved to Seattle, and it has so much more to offer. City dwelling has never been so chic.