Love hitting the slopes but live too far from a mountain? Or can’t find the time to get away? There may be hope for you yet. Shokhan Mataibekov of the Union of Architects of Kazakhstan has proposed the Slalom House residential project—a striking new winter sports facility that doubles as an apartment building—which could bring the slopes to the front door of people’s homes in the nation’s capital city of Astana.
Mataibekov’s design was a finalist in the residential category at the 2015 World Architecture Festival, held in Berlin. If the proposal gets the green light, the roughly $70 million project would not only be the world’s first apartment building with a ski slope, but would send winter sport enthusiasts down a 1,000-foot ski slope from the roof to the sidewalk. The mixed-use structure is designed in a way that seamlessly slants the height of the building at different points. The slope, which is positioned atop the U-shaped building, wraps around with a barrier on the side, safely sending skiers down the faux mountain.
The 21-story building would include 421 two-bedroom apartments, with shops and restaurants on the lower floors. Making an even stronger argument for construction, the House Slalom’s track could be used year-round. Even during the summer months, when temperatures average 70 degrees in Astana, an artificial snow called Snowflex would cover the slope.
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