Metal Shutter Houses by Shigeru Ban Architects and Dean Maltz Architect

After hours, rolling metal shutters fasten across these New York apartments designed by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban. Surrounded by art galleries in a West Chelsea neighbourhood, the Metal Shutter Houses rise above a gallery on the ground floor. The eleven-storey block contains eight duplex apartments, each with balconies facing the street. Activated by a motor, individual perforated shutters slide over each balcony to entirely conceal the glazed facades of the apartments behind. A central elevator provides access to the apartments, which each have private lobbies before their front doors.