The Platonian Tower is an unbuilt conceptual competition entry designed for Lima, Peru, by Tammo Prinz Architects rather than an existing completed building. This modular residential skyscraper proposal explores Platonic solids architecture, translating mathematical shapes into an experimental urban living system.
From the architects:
URBAN
Peruvian building codes and property lines dictated the sloped maximum height envelope. The required program was massive, so the design introduces a sunken outdoor plaza connected to an open public reception area that doubles as a versatile event space. The sunken plaza creates a protective spatial buffer that lets residential spaces reach close to ground level while preserving your privacy. An amphitheater-like perimeter borders the plaza, formed from pentagon-shaped stone blocks that echo the geometric motif of the tower. Variable-height rock seating is traversed by matching steps in contrasting colored stone that meander throughout the terrace. Underground communal facilities receive generous natural illumination through wide light voids cut into the reception zone.
PLATONIAN BODIES
The dodecahedron building design relies on Euclidean geometry principles by nesting a cube inside a 12-sided dodecahedron. These two Platonic solids fit together seamlessly, establishing two distinct spatial zones: primary interior living areas and flexible modular extensions. The inner cubic module easily organizes functional residential rooms, while the surrounding dodecahedron facets can become indoor room extensions, private balconies, or open-air terraces. Stacking these composite geometric units forms the Platonian Tower.
STRUCTURE TOWER
The concrete outer frame follows the perimeter of the dodecahedron, giving you complete structural freedom to customize interior layouts. This brute, exposed concrete framework defines the sculptural identity of the building while removing the need for internal load-bearing walls.
BASE STRUCTURE
Clustering six dodecahedra together generates a central star-shaped void that serves as a rigid, load-bearing base structure for the tower above. The boundaries of this star align with the original nested cube geometry, inverting the spatial hierarchy: the cubic volume transforms from an interior module inside the dodecahedron into an exterior enclosure that envelopes the star-shaped foundation.
You can adapt this modular system to virtually any urban site because the parametric units can expand across all three dimensions. Sliced half-modules with flat outer faces allow the structure to attach seamlessly to neighboring buildings, creating a flexible, site-responsive framework.
Renderings and design illustrations courtesy of Tammo Prinz Architects
