This Apartment Building Is Mario Kart-Inspired--If You Squint Hard Enough

"The complex takes its name from a famously chaotic, candy-colored racetrack known for sending players plummeting into the void, Rainbow Road. Obviously, you won't see any characters or trademarked symbols on the exterior--a strategic choice, given a certain company's well-known legal enthusiasm--but the references are there if you know where to look and if you look hard enough. "One of them is that it's a 12-sided building, which represents the twists and turns of the track," he explained."

""The windows are obviously very dramatic; they are angled in different ways to provide sort of a twisting motion," Cohen said. "When you're looking at the building from downstairs, it almost appears to move." That sense of motion extends to the ground level, where public art elements like bike racks and benches trace the flowing geometry of Rainbow Road. A patterned sidewalk wrap will continue the motif around the block, creating a walkable ribbon of color that locals could recognize even without any game logos."

A new twelve-sided tower in Phoenix's Arts District draws direct inspiration from Rainbow Road, the candy-colored Mario Kart racetrack, without using trademarked characters or symbols. The building's 12-sided form and angled, color-flashing window insets create a twisting, level-up effect as the structure rises. Ground-level public art — including bike racks, benches, and a patterned sidewalk wrap — continues the flowing geometry and provides a walkable ribbon of color. The mixed-use complex includes a public fitness area, an indoor-outdoor restaurant, and 36 apartment units, emphasizing distinctive downtown architecture that encourages visual curiosity and pedestrian engagement.

Read at GameSpot