The Balcony and the Building: Outdoor Space at Optima

At Optima, outdoor space is built into the architecture. Terraces and rooftop decks are an integral part of the design, which is why the line between inside and outside reads as continuous. How that continuity feels depends on where a community sits, and the difference between the Chicago area and Scottsdale is where it shows most clearly.

The Private Terrace

The private terrace is the starting point. Across the communities, residences open onto balconies deep enough to hold furniture and to work as an extension of the living space. The effect is that the outdoors begins at the glass and continues outward, giving each home a usable room in the open air.

The Rooftop Deck

Above the residences, the rooftop decks hold the shared outdoor life of each building. These sky decks bring together pools, lounges, and open seating with the long views that come from being at the top of the structure, and they offer residents a setting for time outside beyond that of a private terrace. They are designed to be used all day, and they anchor the social side of each community.

Chicago and the North Shore

In Chicago and on the North Shore, the relationship between interior and exterior follows the seasons. At Optima Signature in Streeterville and at Optima Lakeview, the warmer months open the balconies and rooftop decks fully, while the colder months move some of outdoor life behind glass. The indoor pool at Optima Signature stays in use year-round, which keeps water and daylight part of the experience even when the outdoor pool is closed for the season. At Optima Lakeview, the rooftop pool is heated and stays open year-round, so residents can spend time outside at the top of the building even through the coldest months. At Optima Verdana in Wilmette, retractable glass walls open or close around the pool inside, so the space stays usable through every season and opens to the air when the weather allows. The design accounts for both warm and cold conditions, so the connection to the outdoors holds in either one.

Scottsdale

In Scottsdale, the same spaces work on a longer calendar. At Optima Sonoran Village, Optima Kierland Apartments, and Optima McDowell Mountain, the climate keeps the terraces and rooftop decks in use through most of the year, and the design builds in shade for the hottest part of the day. At Optima Sonoran Village, the residences in Tower 15 include private yards, giving those homes a ground-level connection to the outdoors alongside the balconies above. The result is a setting where outdoor living is closer to a daily habit than a seasonal one.

One Intent Across Both Regions

What stays constant across both regions is the intent. Whether the outdoor space is open for part of the year or most of it, it is planned as part of the home and part of the building, with the same attention given to a private balcony as to the interior it adjoins. That is what lets the relationship between the balcony and the building feel deliberate in every Optima community.

Explore our communities to see how the outdoor spaces take shape across Chicago, the North Shore, and Scottsdale.