Introduction – What is a NewVistas physical campus?  

A NewVistas physical campus is an integrated community designed to support approximately 100,000 residents within a coherent system of housing, education, commerce, recreation, food production, governance, transportation, and community life. The campus is based upon the pattern first revealed in the Plat of the City of Zion and is adapted using contemporary engineering, automation, environmental systems, and organizational structures.

The objective is not merely to construct buildings. It is to create a physical environment in which the various systems of civilization reinforce one another. Housing supports education. Education supports productive enterprise. Productive enterprise supports stewardship. Stewardship supports community life. Community life supports human flourishing.

The original plat provided a framework consisting of villages, districts, and a central civic core. NewVistas retains these organizing principles while adapting them to modern requirements. The result is a highly walkable community where most daily activities occur within convenient proximity of where people live.

At the center of the community are civic, educational, administrative, recreational, and assembly facilities. Surrounding them are residential and commercial districts organized around apartment buildings, parks, orchards, gardens, educational spaces, workshops, and community amenities. Food production, logistics, manufacturing, and other productive activities remain closely integrated with community life while benefiting from modern technologies such as advanced greenhouses, vertical agriculture, automation, and distributed production systems.

The physical campus therefore functions not merely as a place where people reside, but as the physical foundation of an integrated civilization.

Apartment building

The apartment building is the primary residential structure within a NewVistas community.

Rather than functioning as an isolated housing block, each apartment building serves as a node within a larger system that integrates commerce, education, recreation, transportation, food systems, and community life. The first floor contains commercial and service activities that support everyday living. Above are residential floors organized around adaptable apartment suites designed to maximize privacy, flexibility, comfort, and efficient use of space.

The building is not designed around maximizing square footage. Instead, it is designed around maximizing usefulness. Through transforming spaces, adaptable furniture systems, localized environmental controls, and multifunctional architecture, residents gain access to a level of comfort traditionally associated with much larger homes.

Each building is integrated into pedestrian pathways, parks, orchards, gardens, educational facilities, recreational spaces, and community services. Residents therefore enjoy access to far more usable space than exists within the walls of their individual apartments.

Constitutional Basis of Privacy in Community Living

NewVistas recognizes privacy as a fundamental component of human dignity.

A person should possess meaningful access to personal space that they control exclusively, where entry, interaction, and observation occur only by consent or lawful process. Privacy is therefore not treated as a luxury available only to those who can afford large homes. It is treated as an essential requirement of civilized living.

This principle influences every aspect of apartment design.

Private sanitation, individualized environmental controls, sound isolation, configurable room boundaries, adaptable suite arrangements, and consent-based sharing mechanisms are all intended to preserve personal autonomy while still allowing meaningful participation in community life.

The apartment therefore seeks to provide residents with both privacy and community rather than forcing them to choose between the two.

Details of an apartment suite 

Every participant in the community rents, either directly or through their dependents, one apartment suite. Each apartment suite is 4 feet wide by 32 feet long. Of the 32 feet in length, 16 feet are for a family room, shared by all occupants of the apartment.  

The suite’s compact dimensions are made practical through layers of multifunctionality. These include retractable partitions, adaptable furniture (apps), and ceiling storage so that the same physical footprint can support multiple modes of living throughout the day. 

Use of mules and apps  

The MULE platform is one of the most important enabling technologies within the NewVistas apartment. A MULE can be thought of as a mobility and functionality platform, much like a smartphone serves as a platform for software applications. Different physical “apps” can be attached to the platform, allowing it to perform a wide range of functions.

Figure 3: As seen in the illustration from MULE.work, the mule is a platform on which various “apps” can be mounted. 

Within apartment buildings, MULEs may support mobility, seating, sleeping, transportation of goods, workspace functions, food preparation, cleaning, maintenance, and countless future applications that have not yet been developed.

This flexibility allows apartment spaces to remain compact while still providing residents with access to many capabilities that would otherwise require separate rooms and dedicated equipment.

Because the MULE performs both mobility and furnishing functions, its systems are designed around safety, reliability, standardized docking, automated charging, and simple maintenance. Even when a MULE is temporarily unavailable, many apps remain usable in stationary configurations.

The MULE therefore functions not merely as a transportation device, but as a core component of the apartment’s adaptive architecture.

Partitions 

Each apartment is separated from the next by walls composed of 1.5-inch cement tiles. Every section of the wall is made of two of these tiles, separated by ½ inch airspace, making the wall soundproof. The ties are mounted on a stainless-steel frame.  

This wall is erected by the property manager managing that apartment, as per the wishes of the renting occupants. However, community bylaws require that every participant must have their own suite, and that every apartment must include an extra suite.  

Apartment suites are separated by mass-loaded vinyl (MLV) partitions. A partition consists of three parts, each of which is a pair of MLV parts. The partition uses a telescopic mechanism to roll into itself, so that at its smallest extent, when it is all retracted it is 6 feet long, only covering the bath module. When fully extended, it covers 16 feet, which is the entirety of the bed/bath modules. The telescopic mechanism itself is powered by motorized roller wheels.   

Figure 4: Partitions detail 

At the end, they have magnetic strips, which are connected to the shades that act as doors, the floor, and the ceiling. These components create a highly isolated compartment, which is virtually soundproof, while preventing any noticeable light and odor leakage. All this is achieved while remaining lightweight and retractable. The shades are also made of MLV. They retreat and come down from the ceiling.  

A partition, therefore, is a combination of mass-loaded vinyl, magnetic edge seals, and guided tracks, working with pressure-managed airflow and isolated utilities’ routing to create highly private, yet compact, urban housing. The entire architecture of an apartment suite relies on precise alignment. Therefore, partitions rely heavily on sensors, obstruction detection, and emergency overrides to ensure everything operates smoothly.  

Apartments as Part of a Larger Community

The apartment is only one component of the living environment available to residents.

Education, recreation, commerce, food production, workshops, parks, orchards, community gathering spaces, healthcare facilities, and productive enterprises are distributed throughout the community and remain accessible on foot.

Children are able to move independently between many activities. Lifelong learning occurs throughout the community rather than being confined to classrooms. Productive enterprises operate close to where people live. Recreational and cultural activities remain integrated into daily life.

As a result, residents are not dependent upon their apartment alone to satisfy all of their needs. Instead, the apartment functions as a private personal domain within a much larger and highly accessible community environment.

Air conditioning 

The air supply and conditioning system are modular and partially independent for each apartment suite. Every bed-bath module operates its own air supply, with autonomous airflow, filtration, temperature regulation, humidity control, and air exhaust systems. This allows occupants to customize air conditioning that may differ from the shared family space and other bed modules in an apartment.  

Air is supplied through an energy recovery ventilation system (ERV). Fresh air is drawn from outside as stale air is evacuated from inside the suite. At the same time, heat and moisture are exchanged between the two air streams, allowing the apartment to maintain high air quality while recovering much of the energy that would otherwise be lost. 

Under normal operation, interior air is refreshed approximately 4–5 times per hour. Air is supplied through built-in utility ducting that also contributes to sound isolation and environmental separation between modules. Return air is drawn back through filtered return paths, passing through carbon filtration and environmental control systems before exiting through the ERV network. 

Unlike conventional apartments, windows do not open. This allows the apartment building to maintain controlled airflow, sound and odor isolation, and pressure balancing throughout the apartment. 

The bathroom and kitchenette within each bed-bath module share a dedicated exhaust pathway. This localized exhaust system rapidly removes humidity, heat, and cooking odors directly from their source before they can migrate into sleeping or family areas. Airflow is pressure-managed so that air moves inward toward exhaust paths rather than outward into adjacent spaces. 

Bathrooms use high-speed humidity extraction during and after shower use. Humidity sensors continuously monitor wet areas and can temporarily increase ventilation rates whenever elevated moisture conditions are detected. This helps reduce condensation, standing humidity, and long-term moisture accumulation within compact living spaces. 

Heating and cooling are supported through water-based heat pumps and radiant ceiling panels. Temperature-regulated water flows through finned ceiling assemblies, providing quiet and even heating or cooling without strong drafts or large exposed mechanical systems. 

Because the apartment relies on movable architecture and compact environmental separation, air conditioning, filtration, exhaust, and humidity control are coordinated through layered sensing systems, including occupancy awareness, airflow monitoring, humidity sensing, and AI-assisted environmental controls. Most of this regulation occurs quietly in the background, allowing residents to experience the apartment as calm and comfortable rather than mechanically complex 

Water supply and drainage 

Apartments are equipped with a pressurized, conditioned water system serving sinks, showers, toilet flushing, heat pump operation, radiant temperature regulation, and fire suppression. The shared water infrastructure is integrated with the building’s environmental systems, improving energy efficiency while simplifying maintenance and utility distribution throughout the structure. 

Although major infrastructure is shared at the building level, each bed-bath module functions as a semi-independent service zone. Valves, pumps, filters, drainage assemblies, sensors, and environmental control components are concentrated within accessible utility easements so they can be inspected or serviced without dismantling apartment interiors. 

The shower and bathroom floors gently slope toward a central drain using tapered floor geometry that encourages passive water movement and rapid drainage. Water flows into a standpipe and trap system that prevents odors from reemerging before joining the apartment building’s larger drainage network. 

Bathrooms are designed as isolated wet zones using waterproof materials, pressure-managed ventilation, moisture-resistant movable systems, and dedicated drainage paths intended to minimize water migration into adjacent dry spaces. 

The toilet uses a compact macerator system with a pressurized outlet. Waste is processed and pumped through narrow utility piping, reducing the need for large vertical plumbing stacks within apartment interiors. A vacuum-assisted waste chamber helps prevent odor escape while also supporting the bathroom exhaust system. 

Humidity, leak, drainage, and environmental sensors continuously monitor bath operation. Under abnormal conditions, ventilation rates may increase automatically, while some movable systems may temporarily remain disabled until safe operating conditions are restored. 

Because the apartment relies on compact multifunctional spaces, maintenance access, cleaning pathways, moisture management, and safe failure behavior are integrated directly into the environmental and plumbing design rather than added separately afterward. 

Apartment modules  

An apartment suite is a combination of several modules that together give the occupant access to a luxurious, self-contained, and easily operable family space, and in some instances, working space as well.  

The entrance to an apartment is a door module fixed to the outer wall, enabling access into the apartment from the hallway. The door module is installed by the property manager, and its location can be adjusted as the size of an apartment changes. An apartment’s door is usually at the far right; this enables maximum optimization of space. 

The bed and bath modules are intended to operate semi-independently, allowing ventilation, drainage, lighting, and partitions to remain largely isolated from other parts for easier maintenance, cleaning, and long-term adaptability. 

Family space 

On entering an apartment, the first module is the family space. This space is not partitioned, meaning that the family spaces of different apartment suites within an apartment are combined. The family space is 16 feet long and four feet wide per occupant. It is in this area that living room furniture and appliances are placed – including television, music systems, coffee tables, and seats. An apartment’s occupants can remodel their space by adding décor to personalize their space.  

Bed module  

After the family space, there is a 10-foot-long bed module. This space is private, with each occupant having one, and an extra one which serves as a guest suite. The bed module includes 7 feet of bed space; a bed app, which is installed on a mule, is 3 feet wide. This leaves 1 foot of space when it is in use.  

After the bed app, there is a 3-foot changing area. Besides changing, the space can accommodate a chair when in use as a working area. Above the bed module, there is a 7x24x42-inch closet. This closet, which is powered by remote-controlled lifters, comes down in an upright position, enabling use in the changing area. 

Ceiling-mounted storage systems use controlled lifters designed to hold position safely during operation or power interruption. When the bed app is installed, there is space in the headboard and the foot stand that, beyond their ordinary functions, can be used as additional storage for beddings.  

The bed module is separated from the family space by MLV shades, which use magnetic strips to seal the room completely when in use. When not in use, the partitions can be retracted, while the shades are brought up to the ceiling, enlarging the family space from its original 16 feet to 26 feet. It is therefore likely to be standard practice to have the family space at 26 feet long unless the bed module is in use.  

Bed movement, wall retraction, and storage deployment are coordinated through layered verification systems intended to prevent collisions or unsafe transitions. 

When an occupant wants to prepare a simple meal, such as coffee and a snack, or heat prepared food, they have a kitchenette which is placed at the foot of the bed module. The kitchenette occupies 2 feet in this area, and can use the sink that is also used in the bathroom.  

The partitions separating bed modules can be retracted so that the kitchenette is accessible from more than one bed module. The kitchenette includes basic heating elements, but can also include a small washer/ dryer, as well as other kitchen gadgets such as a coffee maker, an air fryer, and a microwave.  

Two bed modules can be combined when desired. In the first instance, they can be combined by two partners in adjoining suites, combining their bed modules, while the bath modules remain separate, with the wall retracting to cover the last 6 feet of the suite. In the second instance, the entire wall can be removed, including the last part, which is normally permanently fixed to the outer wall. In addition, the toilet can be removed, creating a larger room. This is especially useful for people who need nursing care and therefore need more space.  

In the case of two partners wanting to join their spaces, the bed module partitions can only be withdrawn with the joint action of both occupants. Each occupant has a switch that needs to be activated to remove the partition. The other person must match this by also pushing the switch. This removes any likelihood of a non-consensual combination of suites, for instance, by estranged couples. Emergency overrides allow partitions to be disengaged when required for medical access, evacuation, or maintenance. 

Bath module  

The next module in an apartment suite is the bed module. This module is six feet long and 4 feet wide. The first part of the module, which is 3 feet long, is used as a bathroom, and has a shower module, and a sink which is also a module that can be retracted to the suite’s partition. The bath module is a self-contained wet zone. It achieves this distinction by having waterproof surfaces, isolated drainage paths, pressure-managed ventilation, and moisture-resistant movable components. 

When in use, the bath module is separated from the bed module and the rest of the apartment by mass-loaded vinyl shades. It is separated from other bath modules by the final part of the apartment suite’s partitions. The drainage for the module runs through the center of the floor. Floors use tapered, slightly sloped tiles to encourage passive water movement toward central drains, reducing standing water accumulation. 

When needed, for instance, when a bathroom is needed for a disabled person, two bath modules can be combined and one toilet removed, creating an 8-foot-wide space that can accommodate the user alone or with a caregiver. This space is enough for both people, and a wheelchair or trolley to maneuver comfortably.  

When the toilet is not in use, a bench can be brought down on the toilet seat, while the sink can be covered by a tabletop, creating a small private study room. Both the bench and the tabletop are made of water-resistant material. The walls and shades provide total privacy by preventing any sounds from coming from or into the bed/bath chamber.  

Each apartment suite has a 4X6-foot window. In addition to providing great views of the community, this also provides ample natural light. The toilet and the sink are protected from the shower’s splash by a 3-foot shade that can be lowered by rails into the floor. The shade is also pulled up when the toilet is not in use, and people have a view of the gardens through the windows; the toilet module is still out of view.  

The shower is built into the ceiling and is lowered or put back into its pocket as needed, such that when the walls and shades have been rolled up and back, the head is not visible. Shower controls are built into the wall. They are electronic so that they can control the valves in the ceiling that regulate water flow.  

This is the same case with the sink fixture, which, when not in use, is flat with the sink plank, and only comes up with a command. These attributes mean that no fixture or plumbing is seen when the partitions are retracted, and the module is visible from the family room. 

Mechanical systems remain accessible through removable utility panels and service easements so that plumbing, sensors, valves, and actuators can be inspected or replaced. Humidity, leak, and drainage sensors continuously monitor bath operation. Under abnormal conditions, ventilation rates may increase automatically, while certain movable systems can remain temporarily disabled until safe operating conditions are restored. 

Typical apartment with all modules 

For the purposes of illustration, the apartment has two parents (the two suites to the right). They can combine their suites when they want to, creating a larger space and a king-size bed when they combine their mule-powered bed apps. If they have an infirm grandparent, that person can use two suites to ease nursing care and movement. Next are suites for the children.  

The apartment’s modular arrangement allows living configurations to evolve over time without requiring residents to relocate whenever family size, caregiving responsibilities, or accessibility needs change. 

Although the apartment relies on sophisticated environmental and mechanical systems, daily use is intended to feel calm and intuitive. Most systems operate quietly in the background through automation, voice interaction, and contextual sensing, allowing residents to focus on ordinary living rather than managing technology directly. 

Figure 5: Floor plan for a typical apartment. 

How are they different from other apartments? 

Ample space  

Because each participant has one suite, they have 128 square feet of family space, of which half is private. In addition, there is more shared space – the rooftop, which has 2 pickleball courts, a grove at the front of the apartment building, which is 24 feet wide, and a playground at the back, 56 feet wide.  

In contrast, in big cities across the US today, apartments allow each participant around 300 square feet, all or most of which is shared by other people. In practice, therefore, a person has less than 10% of the space as their own personal space.  

Privacy  

The partitions that separate modules are unique in that they offer the occupant full privacy. They are made of an eighth-inch-thick vinyl shade, with electromagnets at the edges. These allow the partitions to seal completely when desired. Each compartment is therefore sound, odor, and light-proof.  

Potentially, two or more bed-bath modules can be combined. This is suitable for couples who can combine their two-bed modules, each with a 3-foot bed, to make a twin-size or king-size bed. When they have a child, the child, with a suite of her own, can have their bed module combined with the mother for nursing, or be combined with the father to give the mother time to rest.  

Each participant has access to a private bed and bath area. They also have a private kitchenette as described above, in addition to a study. These features further improve privacy and considering that a NewVistas apartment is priced at market levels, this level of luxury and privacy would be very expensive to secure in modern designs.  

However, this does not mean that each person is totally separated from others. Besides the shared family space, a person can interact with others in the front and back patios, where there is a grove at the front and a playground in the back. The rooftop also has two pickleball courts. The space can also be used for social gatherings, such as a barbecue or reception.  

Therefore, instead of achieving privacy by having large, enclosed spaces, the NewVistas apartment employed several layers of environmental separation, adaptable partitions, and individualized control over these aspects, creating compartmentalized living systems.  

Stewardship and Cost Effectiveness

NewVistas separates stewardship from ownership.

Residents lease access to housing through long-term stewardship structures rather than purchasing individual apartment units. Housing therefore remains part of a permanent community asset base while still providing residents with secure occupancy, privacy, and control over their living environment.

This approach allows housing to adapt as family circumstances change. Apartment configurations can expand or contract over time without requiring families to purchase and sell homes repeatedly.

By focusing on stewardship rather than speculative ownership, NewVistas seeks to preserve housing affordability while maintaining high standards of quality and long-term maintenance.

Aesthetics  

Every apartment suite has a view of the street ahead through a four-foot-wide window. This also allows for natural lighting, with ordinary barriers being removed.  The street is 66 feet wide across and has fruit groves, parks, and other natural amenities. This is a far cry from many apartments today, which are built with the limitations of the lot size playing on the architect and owner’s mind, and therefore, views and natural light are only a secondary consideration. 

Accessibility 

The apartment is accessed through a 16-foot-wide hallway. To access the four residential floors, every apartment building has an elevator. The size of the elevator is enough to fit mules and their apps. Apartments are therefore accessible to all people, even when they may be physically unable to access normal apartments that come with stairs or unsuitable elevators.  

Storage 

Throughout the community, each building floor is 14 feet high. This allows for there to be ceiling storage, further enabling the nature of these buildings as multifunctional spaces. In apartments, every area – family space, bed module, and bath module – has ample overhead storage space in the form of cabinets. This space is automated, so it can be brought down or returned to the ceiling at the touch of a button.  

This ample storage enables people to store away their clothes and personal effects, for instance, and open up their rooms for increased socialization when desired. Ceiling storage closets are intended to keep floors clear, allowing not only easier movement, but also seamless transitions between different modes. 

Psychological Needs Satisfied by a NewVistas Apartment 

Even before a community’s physical campus is fully constructed, renters will be able to live in NewVistas apartments. These apartments are designed to compete strongly with modern housing by meeting—and in many cases exceeding—the psychological needs that contemporary apartments aim to satisfy. 

Security and Control 

Each NewVistas apartment is accessed through advanced security systems, including facial and eye recognition, voice authentication, and fingerprint scanning. These layered biometric tools create a strong sense of safety and trust. Within each apartment, individual modules are separated by secure partitions designed to block noise and intrusion. The modules are also secured to ensure they are truly private. Doors and partitions for each suite are controlled exclusively by the occupant, except in an emergency. Occupants, therefore, have total authority over access to their space 

Privacy and Autonomy 

Humans have a fundamental psychological need for spaces where they are not observed, evaluated, or interrupted. A NewVistas apartment directly satisfies this need. While shared family or communal areas exist, each occupant retains a clearly defined personal domain that supports solitude and focus. 

Rather than prioritizing large, crowded spaces, NewVistas emphasizes compact but highly private suites that offer greater autonomy and peace of mind. 

Identity and Self-Expression 

Although apartment suites may be identical in structure, each becomes uniquely personal through customization. Residents shape their spaces with décor, memorabilia, and meaningful personal items, transforming the apartment into an extension of the self. 

A private suite enables deeper self-expression than is typically possible in conventional apartments or large shared homes. 

Belonging Through Separation 

Clearly defined personal space strengthens social connections. Residents can engage with others intentionally and withdraw into private space when needed. These enforceable boundaries reduce intrusion and support healthier relationships. 

Predictability and Cognitive Ease 

NewVistas apartments are designed with consistent layouts, intuitive controls, and clear boundaries. This predictability reduces cognitive load, allowing occupants to relax more deeply and focus more effectively. 

Other needs  

It can be argued that the engineering of NewVistas apartments empowers residents to control both space and time, reinforcing competence, confidence, and reduced stress. Private, well-defined suites support emotional recovery, protect dignity and autonomy, and minimize interruption, enabling focused work, rest, and creativity. By offering a refined living environment traditionally reserved for elite residences, NewVistas fulfills aspirational needs while remaining accessible at high density. Together, these qualities establish a new standard for urban living—mansions for all that support personal well‑being, healthy social interaction, and long‑term social and economic resilience. 

Apartment buildings 1830s  

NewVistas apartments, along with the rest of the physical campus, are based on interpretations of the plat of Zion and other revelations revealed in the early 1830s. At this time, only 9% of America’s 12.8 million people lived in cities. The rest were rural folk, who were in many cases likely to be illiterate and with barely any concept of what a city of 100,000 people would look like.  

When the first apartments or tenements were put up in New York City in the 1839s, they were quite different from what is available today. They did not have restrooms – bathrooms and latrines were situated outside the building and were shared among the inhabitants. There was no central heating. Residents had to make do with coal stoves, while cooking was also a difficult and dangerous assignment for most people.  

Hotel rooms were not any different in most respects. They had no water in rooms, no toilets, and most were simply a room with a bed.  

People in cities, however, enjoyed a markedly better standard of living than those in rural areas. They could go to the theatre to watch plays, or attend public lectures, concerts, and other events in social halls. They did not have to walk for miles carrying luggage, with coaches being available to connect different areas in cities, and transporting people and goods from one town to the next.  

Because of variety, their food was also better, and so was their clothing and general social experiences. Therefore, whether living in a townhouse or a tenement, which was only slightly better than a modern slum, people in towns had some advantages over those in rural areas.  

It is in this environment that Joseph Smith and his fellow members of the LDS movement received the plat and other revelations in the early 1830s. These revelations envisaged a city where people would have a high standard of living.  

Manor houses, mansions, and urban planning 

It is also instructive to look further back, to the 1500s; the Book of Mormon, as well as early revelations, were given in Early Modern English (EModE), which was arguably standardized by William Tyndale’s translation of the Bible.  

In the 1500s and in subsequent years, a house was a big residence, housing royalty and nobles. The plat and the design of the House of the Lord specifically talk of a “house,” and if this definition is taken, such a house would be similar to houses such as Sandringham House, constructed in the 17^th century, or the Hampton Court-inspired Vanderbilt residence.  

Figure 7: Sandringham House 

Figure 8: Florham, a Vanderbilt family house in New Jersey. 

Looking at these houses, it is clear that the house described in the plat and in the design of the house of the Lord are not one-family residences, but a mansion where many people live, in close quarters, yet, with the highest levels of privacy.  

When these houses, such as Hampton Court, were constructed and in active use, it was unheard of to have common people have private bathrooms or bedrooms; this is a concept that is still hard to achieve in most modern housing, due to the cost that would be involved. Instead, such privileges were a preserve of the highest classes in society. The NewVistas adaptation of the plat seeks to make possible for all people to have a private bath, study, bedroom, and a window.  

Even today, urban centers in Europe have predominated by low houses, averaging 4 – 5 stories high. This is by design. Cities were planned and built to be easily walkable. At a time when cars were non-existent, it would not have made a lot of sense to have them reliant on horses, coaches, and other modes of transport that were hard to access for the common people. 

Being low also meant that important cultural landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris were not obstructed by skyscrapers. Over time, this has meant that every building has, by comparison to other cities with taller buildings, better views. Buildings owners were strongly encouraged to maintain consistent facades and street walls, resulting in a uniform, culture-aligned feel. 

Despite being low, these settlements are high-density. Buildings are designed to cover most or all of a lot. They house many rooms inside, while still managing to be spacious. Over time, this has meant that, as cities like New York prioritized vertical growth, Paris and others have gone for horizontal, dense growth, with better aesthetics, and resulting in more friendly cities.  

Figure 9: Paris with a view of the Eiffel Tower 

The Plat and Its Modern Adaptation

The NewVistas apartment building remains rooted in principles found within the original Plat of the City of Zion while adapting them to contemporary technologies and modern living requirements.

The plat emphasized walkability, civic order, community integration, and the close relationship between residential, economic, educational, and public life. NewVistas preserves these principles while introducing advanced building systems, transforming spaces, adaptive architecture, environmental controls, automation, and integrated transportation systems.

The objective is not to reproduce nineteenth-century buildings. Rather, it is to preserve the underlying principles while applying modern engineering and organizational knowledge.

In this sense, the NewVistas apartment building represents both continuity and innovation. It draws inspiration from historical patterns while creating a residential environment designed for the realities of the twenty-first century and beyond.