There’s no denying Auckland’s apartment scene is on the up. With a number of fresh, glossy developments capturing the imaginations of progressive urbanites, we’ve sorted the wheat from the chaff to bring you the best of Auckland’s new-generation of elevated urban living.

1. The International 
Best for: privacy & absolute luxury
Scheduled to open in late 2018, this pioneering development, designed by renowned architectural firm Jasmax with interiors by mastermind Rufus Knight, boasts the finest amenities on offer when it comes to apartment living. With a series of inimitable penthouses that sprawl across an impressively spacious 266-318sqm on the upper floors as well as a range of residences that boast an average three-metre internal ceiling, The International’s facilities are akin to those you’d find at a six-star hotel. For tenants wishing to entertain or socialise, the 17-storey architectural feat houses an outdoor pool, cafe and restaurant run by Savor group (Ebisu, Ostro, Seafarers), a state-of-the-art gym, private dining room, library, exquisite Japanese garden, communal wine cellar and private cinema.

2. SKHY
Best for: a connection to the outdoors
Conceived by Pip Cheshire of Cheshire Architects, the beauty of SKHY is that it is more of a precinct than it is a singular building development. With an enticing variety of apartments to choose from, it is those that afford ample access to the outdoors that we have come to covet the most. Tapping into the carefree benefits of a ‘lock-up and leave’, the Garden residences, located on the lower floors, boast an almost unprecedented scale of exterior living in the city, with expansive open-plan living and dining areas that deliver the all-important seamless, indoor-outdoor flow. Meanwhile, apartments in the Pavilion complex feature ceilings that extend up to 3.5 metres in height, allowing for the luxury of high-level north and east-facing clerestory windows that let the outdoors in. Effortless indoor-outdoor living spaces are characterised by private, sheltered terraces that sprawl up to seven metres in length across the northern façades too.

3. The Pacifica
Best for: inner-city living at its most connected
Not only will The Pacifica be one seriously tall building at 57-storeys, the location of the stunning high-rise on the CBD’s Commerce Street will give its future residents direct access to an unparalleled global city lifestyle being located a mere stone’s throw from Britomart, The Cloud, Viaduct Harbour, Queen Street, public transport (bus, ferry, train), universities and various cultural institutions on Commerce Street. Of the 138 different floor plans available — one, two and three bedroom homes, as well as a limited number of penthouses — many boast gorgeous, conservatory-like winter gardens and balconies on some of the lower levels. And with the interior space around 20 percent larger than typical apartment layouts, there’s an immediate level of luxury created by the rare combination of inner-city living and having room to move. Large-scale windows add to the sense of scale, while natural interior details such as marble, wood and steel, add to the high-end feel.