Forget the days when a rooftop pool or a fitness center defined luxury. In today’s chapter of high-end residential design, active recreation has become a core expression of modern living.  According to Zillow’s 2026 Home Trends report, sports-related amenities like golf simulators and pickleball courts are among the fastest-growing search terms nationwide.

.

For brokers like Samantha Curry, one of Palm Beach’s top luxury agents with more than $1 billion in career sales, this evolution reflects how buyers now define luxury through experience and community.

.

“The most successful projects are creating ecosystems where residents can live, play, and recharge all in one place,” says Curry of Douglas Elliman. “Today’s buyers want resort-style living where everything you need to stay active and recharge is at their fingertips. That’s the new standard for luxury.”

.

In South Florida, developers are leaning into that shift, reimagining towers as lifestyle destinations where movement, wellness, and social connection are built into the architecture.

.

Anchoring the link between Midtown, Wynwood and the Design District, Midtown Park is a five-acre, $2 billion mixed-use master plan where leisure and living are interwoven. Its first residential tower, branded by Proper Hospitality, features 40,000 sq ft of amenities including a high-tech golf simulator and a private pickleball court for residents. The project will also introduce a permanent eight-court, world-class padel and racquet club operated by ULTRA Padel. Ahead of its completion, a pop-up will debut as one of the biggest of its kind in the US, offering a preview of what’s to come.

At the first-ever Standard Residences in Midtown, the building features “The Stadium,” a disco-meets-pickleball court at the heart of the amenities, underscoring how sport and social life are merging. Beyond that, it offers sauna and steam rooms, lounges, and flexible spaces designed for both energy and restoration.

“As more professionals and families prioritize balance and wellbeing, we are seeing a permanent shift in what luxury living looks like,” says Aaron Buchbinder, a top broker in Boca Raton with Compass. “Developments that weave activity and wellness into daily life have become the most in-demand.”

.

In Edgewater, Edge House offers a take on high-rise urban living infused with resort-style amenities. Among its standout recreational features is an exclusive putting green and children’s playground, surrounded by lush landscaping by Witkin Hults & Partners, a nod to the intersection of leisure, sport and everyday life. With its wellness tech supported by Clear™, the building caters to residents who crave balance, movement and high design, all within a forward-thinking tower.

.

.

“The conversation around wellness has evolved from one-off spa days to daily living,” says Curry. “Homes that keep us healthy, both mentally and physically, are quietly redefining what it means to live well.”

.

Across these developments and beyond, a pattern is emerging: active recreation has become a defining pillar of next-generation luxury. Whether through integrated sports clubs, brand-led amenity spaces, or in-home simulation tech, developers are responding to buyers who expect movement and connection to be part of everyday life.

.

“Buyers want spaces that support an active lifestyle, social connection, and balance without compromise. It’s a complete redefinition of what home means today,” said Jaclyn Bild with the top-producing J&S Group at Douglas Elliman. “There is a clear trend where people are spending less time inside their actual homes, and instead gravitating toward amenity spaces on the property. With the significant rise of remote work, residents are increasingly using these shared areas as extensions of their living space.”

.

With South Florida’s appeal continuing to grow among wellness-oriented professionals and families looking for connection, these lifestyle-forward developments are likely to shape not only where people live, but how they live.