Why buy a home when you can buy a whole grown-up amusement park that goes with it? That seems to be the philosophy behind BOOM, a new residential development—complex, microcosm, small town, large village—that's expected to kick off phase one of construction next year. The $250M project, from L.A.-based developer Boom Communities and "conceived for the gay community but expanded to embrace everyone," enlisted 10 architects ranging from large to small to each design a "neighborhood." Diller Scofidio + Renfro, for instance, conceived "housing units to be part of a continuous, pre-cast concrete wave," whereas architect Juergen Mayer devised "a series of highly sculpted, one and two-story town homes with large patios and communally accessible gardens." Amenity buildings include a gym, a health and wellness center, and an Arakawa + Gins-designed "healing funhouse." (Not surprising, given that they're the guys behind the architectural concept of "reversible destiny"—as in structures meant to prolong youth.) Oh, and let's not forget about Diller Scofidio's "Rooftop Mist Disco and Market"—after all, this would be a pretty sorry gay community without a mist disco. Or a "market," for that matter! If this all is too mindblowing to handle, there's no need to wait to actually move in. That's right, BOOM comes with its very own social-networking site, Boom For Life, "where everyone gets to know each other, and the real interests and make-up of BOOM become evident for all."
· Boom For Life [official site]
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