Is Latitude Med Center the apartment building of the future? If a pivot toward minimalism, eschewing excess, smart-home technology, and car-charging stations sound like the future, well, then, yes.

The new 35-story complex in the heart of the Med Center is the first of its kind in Houston to offer micro-units, tiny and efficient living spaces that start at 330 square feet (though most average 445). Roughly a quarter of the units offered at Latitude are micro, aimed at travelers and medical professionals—people who require close proximity to the sprawling TMC but need less in the way of expansive residential dwellings. (Remember how many people lived in Meredith's house in season one of Grey's Anatomy?)

But don't conflate "small space" with "rat trap." Latitude still brands itself as luxury living, and all units—micro plus one-, two-, and three-bedrooms and penthouses—are outfitted with designer and contemporary features. Plus, all residents have access to the building's upscale amenities, like a clubroom with a pool table, bar, and lounge; a fitness studio (and its yoga, spin, and Pilates classes and free weights and cardio machines); a business center with individual offices and co-working spaces; and an outdoor terrace for dog-walking, grilling, and lounging.

Then there's the rooftop, with its infinity-edge pool, sun-ledge tanning areas, cabanas, outdoor kitchen, and "Sky Club" with a bar, dining space, and catering kitchen. Add complimentary valet parking, 24-hour concierge, package acceptance, and—eventually—a lobby connection to the future InterContinental Houston Medical Center, and you may well forget you're living in an apartment that could fit into this house 80 times.

A huge selling point, of course, is proximity, as Latitude is a stone's throw away from not just top-notch hospitals but restaurants, shops, and what little public transportation Houston has to offer. Still, convenience comes at a cost—most 349-square-foot micro-units available now are upwards of $1,400 a month.