Apartment buildings are more than just places to live. They shape the character of a neighborhood. Whether you’re looking for design inspiration or just curious about what’s out there, this roundup of 17 facades shows how architects are playing with materials, color, and form to make everyday buildings worth a second look.
From sculptural concrete to warm brick and glass, these examples prove that good design doesn’t stop at your front door. Each one brings something different to the street, and that’s exactly what makes them interesting.
Contemporary Apartment Building with Terraced Green Balconies
This contemporary apartment building stacks beige and grey concrete floor by floor, but the real move is the terraced balconies. Each one steps back from the one below, leaving room for planters and greenery that break up the hard facade. Street-level retail keeps the sidewalk active, while the glass railings let the plants read as a continuous ribbon of green. The layout solves a common problem: how to put density on a site without making the street feel like a canyon.
Modern Apartment Building with a Curved Terracotta Facade
The palette here does the heavy work. A curved terracotta facade wraps around the balconies and reads warm against the grey concrete base and the glass windows. Green plants in each planter soften the brick and add a layer that changes with the seasons. The terracotta is not an accent; it is the main event, covering the curved forms that make the building feel sculptural rather than boxy. Grey keeps the look grounded, and the greenery stops the warm tone from feeling heavy. The ratio of warm to cool is roughly two to one, which is a solid starting point for any exterior palette where you want character without chaos.
Geometric Modern Apartment Building with Concrete and Metal Accents
Can a building feel modern without feeling cold? This one manages it by balancing white and grey concrete with metal railings and glass panels that let the sky and landscaping in. The balconies project in clean rectangles, and the metal accents give the edges a crisp line that concrete alone would not carry.
The style is defined by contrast: smooth glass against textured concrete, straight balconies against the soft green of the planted areas below. What breaks it is the landscaping. Without the trees and shrubs at ground level, the geometry would stay rigid. The plants add the one organic note the facade needs to feel like a place to live, not just a shape to look at.
Brutalist Apartment Building with Stacked Modular Units
This brutalist building stacks modular concrete units like blocks, each one pushed forward or back to create depth on the facade. The grey concrete dominates, but black metal railings and glass windows add lighter notes, and planters at each balcony bring green into the composition. The daylight hits the different planes and casts shadows that change hour by hour, so the building never looks the same twice. The materials are honest: raw concrete, simple metal, glass. Nothing is trying to hide.
Contemporary Apartment Building with Unique Pipe-Like Structures
To add visual interest to a flat facade, change the shape of something functional. This building takes the standard balcony railing and turns it into large, white pipe-like structures that curve along the front of each unit. The result reads as sculptural without adding square footage. The white pipes pop against the blue sky and the green plants tucked into each balcony. Glass panels between the pipes keep the view open, and the concrete base anchors the whole thing. It is a styling variation on a basic apartment layout: swap a straight railing for a curved one, and the whole street presence shifts.
Modern Apartment Buildings with Brick and Glass Facades
For a similar look, a brick facade paired with large glass windows offers a warmer alternative to all-glass towers. In this courtyard, the orange-brown brick and blue glass panels create a balanced palette that feels both industrial and inviting. The walkway between the buildings is lined with greenery, softening the hard edges of the metal and wood accents. The layout here is the key: the buildings frame the courtyard without blocking it, keeping the outdoor space open and usable. If you are choosing materials for an update, brick is a sturdy option that can be painted or left raw depending on the mood you want. The glass keeps the facade from feeling too heavy, and the bright sun helps it look clean.
Brutalist Apartment Building with Raw Concrete Facade on Street View
The raw concrete facade here is left completely unfinished, which is the defining move of brutalism. The grey surface is broken up by balconies and a few green plants, which keeps the street view from being a wall. For a renter, this look is easy to borrow: you cannot change the outside, but you can add potted plants on a balcony or window ledge to get that same contrast of hard and soft. The car parked below is a reminder that this style stays grounded at street level.
Sleek Modern Apartment Building with Curved Glass Facade
This is a tall building that uses a curved glass section to catch the late afternoon sun, making the whole facade shift in color as the light changes. The grey and brown metal frame keeps the glass from reading as too delicate, while the trees in front add a natural break. The palette here is simple: glass, grey, and green. The curved section is what defines the style, and the straight balconies on either side are what break it. A similar effect at home can come from a single curved mirror or a rounded sofa, which introduce that same soft geometry without needing a full renovation.
Modern Apartment Building with Striking Red and Grey Facade
Can a bold color like red work on a large facade without looking like a theme park? This building proves it can. The red panels are used as accent elements against a grey concrete base, with glass balconies that keep the look airy. The blue sky and green trees are a natural contrast that helps the red feel grounded. The palette ratio is roughly one part red to three parts grey. The glass balconies add a sense of transparency, so the red never feels overwhelming. For a smaller version of this, a red door or window frame against a neutral brick wall gives the same punch with much less commitment.
Modern Apartment Complex with Integrated Landscaping
The layout here is a central courtyard with multiple buildings arranged around it, a common trick for making a large complex feel less crowded. The grey and white concrete facades are simple, but the balconies add a rhythm that keeps the eye moving. The landscaping is the real star: low plants and trees fill the space between buildings, creating a buffer that softens the concrete. Under overcast light, the beige tones in the concrete come out, a reminder that neutral materials shift with the weather. If you are planning a similar setup, keeping the palette tight and letting the plants do the decorating is a reliable approach.
Modern Apartment Building with Light Cream Brick Facade
A light cream brick facade looks warm and approachable, even on an overcast day. The pale tone keeps the building from feeling heavy, while the grey metal balconies and dark window frames add just enough contrast. Trees planted along the street level soften the base, so the whole frontage feels grounded. To recreate it, look for a cream brick veneer on a porch or garden wall to bring the same soft neutrality without committing to a full rebuild. The trick is pairing it with a darker trim or railing so the pale brick looks intentional, not unfinished.
Modern Apartment Building with Geometric Balconies and Wood Accents
White and grey concrete buildings can feel uniform, but this one breaks the pattern with geometric balconies and warm wood paneling. The balconies project in staggered rectangles, creating shadows that shift through the day. Wood accents on the lower facade tie the structure to the street level, where trees add green. The palette stays restrained, letting the balcony shapes do the work. A practical takeaway: if you are working with a boxy layout, repeating a single bold shape at different depths gives the facade rhythm without adding clutter. One consistent material in a warm tone keeps the look from reading as cold.
Modern Apartment Facade with Contrasting Wood, Concrete, and Brick
The brick anchors the building to the ground, the concrete provides a clean visual break, and the wood brings warmth to the upper floors. Metal balcony railings add a thin, crisp line that keeps the layers from feeling heavy. On a smaller project, the same logic applies: a solid base material, a neutral middle section, and a warmer accent on top creates a natural hierarchy. The contrast works because each material has a distinct role.
Modern Apartment Building with Geometric Red Brick and Orange Metal
This building is bold by design. Red brick dominates the facade, while orange metal panels cut across the surface in a geometric grid. The combination is energetic without being chaotic, because the brick and metal share a similar warmth. Dark grey window frames and a concrete base keep the palette from tipping into pure brightness. If you are considering a red brick exterior, introducing a single accent color in a secondary material, like metal or painted wood, can give the facade a modern lift. The ratio to aim for is roughly two-thirds brick to one-third accent.
Modern Luxury Apartment Facade with Lush Greenery
Green changes how a luxury facade reads. Here, climbing plants and layered shrubs soften the beige concrete and glass railings, making the building feel established. The greenery is densest at the base and thins out as it rises, drawing the eye upward. A stone walkway and metal accents keep the look polished. To recreate it, look for cluster potted evergreens near the entrance and let one or two vines climb a trellis. The goal is depth, not a wall of leaves. Check your USDA zone for hardy climbers that will fill in over two or three seasons.
Modern Apartment Building with Clean Lines and White Facade
A multi-story building with a white facade, grey accents, and balconies sets a straightforward modern tone. Concrete, glass, and metal keep the exterior clean without extra ornament. The balconies break up the flat surface and add a human scale, while trees soften the street-level view. For a similar effect on your own place, focus on a simple palette of white, grey, and black, and let the building’s structure do the talking. A few potted plants on a balcony can mimic that softening effect without any structural changes.
Reflective Glass Skyscraper at Dusk
A glass skyscraper at dusk acts as a mirror for the city around it. The blues and greys of the sky and water bounce off the glass, while the orange lights from boats and nearby buildings create warm pops of contrast. This interplay means the facade changes constantly with the light. For a renter friendly take, hang a large mirror opposite a window to catch the evening city glow. The reflection will bring the same shifting color and light into your room without any permanent changes.
Final Thoughts
A building’s facade sets the tone for the neighborhood and the lives inside it. These 17 apartment designs prove that material choices, from warm brick to cool concrete, define character just as much as layout or light. Notice how balconies, window grids, and entry details add function without fuss. For renters, a striking facade often signals good maintenance and thoughtful management. For owners, investing in exterior upgrades like updated cladding or landscaping boosts curb appeal and tenant interest. The takeaway: a great apartment building works for the street and for the people who call it home.
