How to Build an Apartment-Sized Beach

Forget the commute to the shore to get your summertime beach fix: try walking down the hall.

If Canadian entrepreneur Eric Pflanzer of Soleira Sun gets his way, small-scale indoor beaches could become mainstream in apartment buildings and other locations. He's already proven it by installing a virtual beach inside an empty apartment in a senior housing facility in Montreal. (Oh, those lucky old-timers!)

And we're talking all the elements, too: sand, beach chairs, palm trees, and a bar. Up to five senior-aged beach visitors can enjoy the virtual beach and it's panoramic views of either Greece or Thailand. Yes, the faux beach even includes the sounds of surf and seagulls, too.