Villa Medici offers a spacious living area to house the Fendi Casa collection. Image: Fendi Casa.
With the help of the Mobilier National, Fendi and the French Academy in Rome — Villa Medici announce their most recent partnership to renovate six welcome Salons at Villa Medici, including the magnificent Grand Salon, with a new aesthetic that will foster innovation and modern design.
The creative vision of Silvia Venturini Fendi, Artistic Director of Accessories and Menswear at Fendi, and Kim Jones, Artistic Director of Couture and Womenswear at Fendi, has resulted in a transformation that highlights the fusion of modern design and tradition, transforming Villa Medici into a location that preserves exceptional know-how while fostering tomorrow’s heritage.
Virgola dining chairs designed by Chiara Andreatti for Fendi Casa. Image: Fendi Casa.
READ MORE: A Look at Fendi’s First Home Décor and Lifestyle Accessories Collection Since the 17th century, the French organisation known as the Mobilier National has funded the arts and crafts. Its goal is to maintain and transmit the extraordinary craftsmanship of its 130,000 pieces, including tapestries, carpets, furniture, clocks, chandeliers, pottery, historical textiles, etc., while also ensuring their conservation and repair.
The Villa Medici is the result of a historical stratification that gives it a distinct architectural and decorative identity. This historical stratification began with the Renaissance and continued through the centuries, right up to the work of the artist Balthus in the 1960s and 1970s and the designer and scenographer Richard Peduzzi in the early 2000s, both of whom took on the task of managing the institution.
With the assistance of the Fendi Architecture department, Kim Jones and Silvia Venturini Fendi designed their proposal for Villa Medici with a focus on colour as its main component. The new interpretation of the Salons combines a variety of design, interior fitting, and conservation-restoration skills. The original tones of the wall painting served as a starting point for choosing the palette for each room, which is especially evident in three specially designed hand-knotted carpets with graduated shading and wholly made from recycled French wool.
The “Welcome!” sofa system with armchairs designed by Chiara Andreatti for Fendi Casa. Image: Fendi Casa.
The concept was also influenced by the intention to establish a relationship between the past and the present through recent creations bearing the Fendi Casa and artistic directors’ signatures as well as those produced in unique collaborations with designers. The salons get a new look from a collection of pieces by French, Italian, and Italian-French designers, including Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance, Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec, and Toan Nguyen. The distinctive shapes and materials of Rome served as a source of inspiration for Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance. His Borghese table, which he modified for the Salon des Pensionnaires, features the outline of umbrella pines, and the tables he made specifically for the Salon de Lecture and the Salon Bleu were inspired by the Via Appia Antica’s paving.
The Salon Bleu and Salon de Lecture both include Chiara Andreatti’s Virgola chairs, and the Salon des Pensionnaires feature her Welcome sofa and armchairs for Fendi Casa. The Sandia couch, created by Toan Nguyen and made by Fendi Casa, is the focal point of the Petit Salon and is coloured in a warm orange-rusty tone to match the wall painting. The Belleville Armchairs, created by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec and manufactured by Vitra, are displayed prominently in the Villa Medici’s Grand Salon.
A bit of old and a bit of new — modern furniture from Fendi Casa blends with beautiful Roman figurines. Image: Fendi Casa.
This selection of contemporary pieces of furniture will interact with antique furniture that Balthus has chosen or altered, Richard Peduzzi’s geometric lighting designs, and prints by past Academy Fellows of classical sculptures from the 18th century.
The connection between traditional and modern art is continued on the walls, where Villa Medici is now home to several tapestries, largely created by women artists, in a remarkable collaboration with the Mobilier National. The rooms also feature tapestries from the Academy’s collections, including works by Louise Bourgeois, Sheila Hicks, Aurelie Nemours, Alicia Penalba, and Sonia Delaunay, as well as Raoul Ubac, Edoardo Chillida, and Patrick Corillon. These tapestries are from the so-called “Indes” series and the cycle of the Quattro Stagioni on preparatory cartoons by The Grand Salon, where historical and black and white tapestries coexist, is the culmination of the intelligent mixing of tapestries. This room has the air of a modern gallery.
The Virgola dining chairs in a different fabric, dot the dining hall of Villa Medici. Image: Fendi Casa.
The Quattro Stagioni cycle tapestries were restored by the Bobin Tradition workshop over a two-year period, and the decorations in the Grand Salon at Villa Medici were restored under the supervision of Pierre-Antoine Gatier, Chief Architect of historic monuments, during this remarkable introduction of contemporary design to the historic Salons of Villa Medici, which had not undergone any significant changes for 20 years.
Groove & Groovy armchairs and ottoman designed by Toan Nguyen. Image: Fendi Casa.Colourful and expressive artworks decorate the walls at Villa Medici. Image: Fendi Casa.
Last but not least, this renovation provided an opportunity to improve the sound of the Villa Medici’s Salons. Devialet, a partner in the project, used its knowledge of cutting-edge acoustic engineering to design custom acoustic panels installed behind the tapestries of the Grand Salon to improve the space’s sound experience without changing it.
Through this unique cooperation and patronage, Fendi affirms its dedication to preserving the creative inheritance, igniting the Maison’s enduring relationship with the Eternal City, which serves as a key source of inspiration for the entire endeavour.
Bernard Arnault, the famed entrepreneur and owner of the ultra-luxury group LVMH, has added a new property under his name. The billionaire is the new owner of Casa degli Atellani, the former residence of Leonardo Da Vinci, a polymath and master painter. Located in the city centre of Milan, the property’s previous occupants include the descendants of the Conti and Portaluppi families.
At press time, the transaction and purpose of this acquisition were not disclosed.
The majestic estate was built in the late 1400s and donated to Da Vinci by Ludovico “Il Moro” Duke of Milan in 1498 when the painter was in town to paint his magnum opus — The Last Supper. Through the years, Casa degli Atellani saw multiple changes of hands and ownership and in 1919, it was acquired by the senator and entrepreneur Ettore Conti.
Located on Corso Magenta, the estate underwent restoration works under the direction of Piero Portaluppi, who is a famous architect and son-in-law of Conti. Within the grand country house’s verdant courtyard is a hidden vineyard that once belonged to Da Vinci. It was the only wine-producing landholding in the centre of Milan and spans around two acres or 16 rows. Restored in 2014, after years of neglect, it was restored to its former glory in 2015 during the international Expo held in the capital city. The public could once again indulge in the wines made in Milan.
The revitalisation of Casa degli Atellani saw it become a top destination for fashion shows, presentations and cocktail receptions. Tourists and visitors often earmark the estate as one of the places to visit. There are also six for-rent apartments that could be utilised.
The multi-billionaire’s portfolio includes some of the world’s most luxurious brands like Louis Vuitton, Dior, Tiffany & Co., Bvlgari and others. He also owns several wines and spirits firms, namely Ruinart, Dom Perignon, Moet & Chandon and Veuve Clicquot. Being one of the richest in the world, Arnault is always at the top of the list and often competes with Tesla and Twitter owner Elon Musk for the crown. As of December 2022, Forbes estimates Arnault to have a net worth of US$181.8 billion.
If you have watched the Netflix documentary series featuring the former Duke and Duchess of Sussex, you would have noticed the property in which the series was filmed. The Montecito mansion where various interviews were recorded is listed for US$33.5 million with Ryan Malmsten of Santa Barbara Brokers.
Situated in Montecito, California, the Mediterranean-style house was built in 2006 and has six bedrooms. Boasting ocean and mountain views, the property’s multiple terraces and arched windows add to the grandiosity of the place. Furthermore, in the grand room, a chandelier hangs atop.
Other than the stunning layout of the mansion, It also includes a pool, hot tub, gym, game room and a theatre. For those who are fond of the South California weather, this 13,599 square feet property makes a great addition to one’s portfolio and an exceptional location to spend the holidays surrounded by nature.
As both the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are nature lovers, the house’s exterior features two acres of lush grounds with romantic walkways, year-round flowers, a vegetable garden, a citrus garden and even a chicken coop. Audiences who had seen the Oprah with Meghan and Harry special would be familiar with these highlights. Furthermore, there is a five-car garage and energy-saving components like generators, solar power systems and a greywater irrigation system.
The couple moved to Montecito in 2020 after deciding not to continue as part of the British royal family. This six-part documentary series chronicles the couple’s courtship days up to the well-publicised resignation from the royal family. Harry and Meghan left England and started their new life in the US. The couple stayed at Tyler Perry’s home for a period before purchasing the mansion for US$14.7 million.
The area of Montecito is popular among Hollywood celebrities and the wealthy. These include Oprah Winfrey, Kim Kardashian, Gwyneth Paltrow and Ariana Grande.
17th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Finale winners. Image: www.SNAPP.media
At the 17th PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Finale, an award-winning pool of accomplished developers across the region convened in Bangkok to witness the prestigious event.
Held at The Athenee Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Bangkok, the grand finale was presented by Kohler and supported by Leading Real Estate Companies of the World. The host and presenter being PropertyGuru Group — Southeast Asia’s leading property technology company, the awards ceremony presented 48 categories in total. The 2022 Grand Final was streamed live on AsiaPropertyAwards.com as well as the programme’s official Facebook and YouTube channels. It also marked the full return of the black-tie gala dinner and awards presentation, following a successful virtual gala edition in 2021. The winners were selected by an independent jury consisting of head judges in participating markets across the region.
KL Wellness City Sdn Bhd receiving the awards. Image: www.SNAPP.media
New World Development Company Limited snagged the award of Best Developer (Asia), representing China (Hong Kong and Macau). Along with the design practice Lead8, the company also received the Best Mega Mixed-Use Development (Asia) award for the 11 SKIES project.
Representing Mainland China, Lead8 additionally won the Best Retail Architectural Design (Asia) award for Shougang Park Urban Weaving District. Benoy Limited won Best Mixed-Use Architectural Design (Asia) for CRL MixC Qianhai in another regional win for Mainland China.
The Philippines garnered seven regional wins, led by the Best Industrial Developer (Asia) title for Aboitiz InfraCapital Economic Estates and the Best Lifestyle Developer (Asia) title for Global-Estate Resorts, Inc. (GERI). Aboitiz InfraCapital Economic Estates also took the honours of Best Industrial Development (Asia) and Best Green Development (Asia) for LIMA Estate. AppleOne Mactan, Inc. also won Best Branded Residential Development (Asia) for The Residences at Sheraton Cebu Mactan Resort while Cebu Landmasters, Inc. won Best Hospitality Architectural Design (Asia) for Sofitel Cebu City. Arquitectonica was honoured with the Best Office Architectural Design (Asia) award for Mega Tower.
Magnolia Quality Development Corporation Limited accepting the awards. Image: www.SNAPP.media
Thailand also clinched seven regional wins, including the Best Landmark Mixed-Use Development (Asia) award for One Bangkok by Frasers Property Holdings (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (FPHT). Magnolia Quality Development Corporation Limited won both the Best Condo Development (Asia) and Best Health and Wellness Development (Asia) awards for The Aspen Tree at The Forestias. PMT Property Co., Ltd. earned the titles of Best Condo Interior Design (Asia) and Best Condo Landscape Architectural Design (Asia) for 125 Sathorn. Lake Legend Bangna-Suvarnabhumi by Hongkong Land and Property Perfect PCL was named Best Waterfront Housing/Landed Development (Asia) while Jaytiya 2 Private Pool Villas Residence by Jaytiya Property Co., Ltd. won Best Housing/Landed Landscape Architectural Design (Asia).
Singapore picked up six regional wins at the Grand Final. GuocoLand was named Best Luxury Developer (Asia) and Best Sustainable Developer (Asia) while UOL Group Limited was named Best Hospitality Developer (Asia). UOL Group Limited also won Best Hotel Development (Asia) for Pan Pacific Orchard.
Guocoland accepting the awards. Image: www.SNAPP.media
Park Nova by Shun Tak Holdings won the Best Condo Architectural Design (Asia) title while Artyzen Singapore by Artyzen Hospitality Group won Best Hospitality Interior Design (Asia).
Cambodia and Malaysia bagged two regional wins. The Best Breakthrough Developer (Asia) award went to Kambujaya Development Co., Ltd, with the Best Waterfront Condo Development (Asia) title going to Vue Aston by The Peninsula Capital Co., Ltd. KL Wellness City by KL Wellness City Sdn Bhd was conferred Best Mixed-Use Development (Asia), with Infinity8 Reserve JBCC by Infinity Group winning Best Co-Working Space (Asia).
Hari V Krishnan, CEO and managing director of PropertyGuru Group said: “The Awards remain among our widest-reaching enterprise solutions and have expanded over the years to represent some of the world’s most dynamic property markets from Southeast Asia to Australia. With these award-winning developers and designers as benchmarks, we hope to guide property seekers toward finding, financing, and owning the right properties. In this, the 17th edition of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final, we elevate not only the region’s dream homes but also its finest, most sustainable live-work-play developments, workspaces, retail hubs, hotels, resorts, and industrial parks, among others, to an international platform. Whether you’re seeking, selling, or building property, we will see you home.”
CapitaLand Development accepting the awards. Image: www.SNAPP.media
Indonesia
Best Township Development (Asia) award for Kota Baru Parahyangan — PT. Belaputera Intiland Best Township Masterplan Design (Asia) award for PIK2 Sedayu Indo City — Agung Sedayu Group & Salim Group. Best Office Development (Asia) award for Autograph Tower at Thamrin Nine Complex — PT Putragaya Wahana, a member of Galeon Group Best Connectivity Condo Development (Asia) award for LRT City Jatibening — KSO PT Adhi Commuter Properti Tbk. & PT Urban Jakarta Propertindo Tbk. Best Connectivity Housing/Landed Development (Asia) award for Metland Cibitung — PT Fajarputera Dinasti, a subsidiary of PT Metropolitan Land Tbk Best Green Industrial Development (Asia) award for LOGOS Cikarang Logistics Park by LOGOS Indonesia
Frasers Property Holdings (Thailand) accepting the award for One Bangkok. Image: www.SNAPP.media
Australia
Best Boutique Developer (Asia) title — Spacious Group. Best Smart Building Development (Asia) award for Paradiso Place — SPG Land Best Smart Building Development (Asia) award for Paradiso Place — SPG Land Best Eco-Friendly Commercial Development (Asia) award for Zero Gipps — Dare Property Group Best Housing/Landed Architectural Design (Asia) for The Archwood Residences — Mayrin Group
Vietnam
Best Mixed-Use Developer (Asia) — Keppel Land Best Housing/Landed Development (Asia) award for Sycamore — CapitaLand Development Best Eco-Friendly Housing/Landed Development (Asia) award for Sycamore — CapitaLand Development Best Retail Development (Asia) for Artisan Park — Gamuda Land
Greater Niseko
Best Completed Housing/Landed Development (Asia) award for Andaru Collection Niseko — Blue Waves Group Best Housing/Landed Interior Design (Asia) award for Andaru Collection Niseko — Blue Waves Group Best Completed Condo Development (Asia) award for HakuVillas — H2 Group
The Zurich home designed by Huggenbergfries ensured it kept most of the building’s shipbuilding features instead of tearing everything down. Image: Huggenbergfries
The design industry — furniture, lighting, interior, and architecture — needs to adopt a truly circular economy to weather the times and changing customer preferences. Giving back to the environment isn’t just about using less, it’s also about the consumption process; that is, the longer lasting the product, the better it is. The circular economy is also about making repairable, recyclable products that can be consumed by a more appreciative user who values the item longer so less waste is generated.
Design plays a vital responsibility in the production and creation of products that have to adhere to the principles of sustainability as far as possible. It’s also about convincing people to use the product and value them.
While the circular economy is an aspiration rather than a guideline, it’s open for interpretation since it can be applied in many design industries. But if we were to go into detail about the term “circular economy”, it should be coming from the right approach of thinking, that is, suggesting a perpetual moment of a product lifecycle which means recycling or returning the materials to the original state, or it can also mean a cycle of usage, upgrade or repair.
Designers and architects need to understand that circularity needs a good set of expertise and skills. It’s about evaluating and analysing material sourcing at the base level. A designer who is well-informed about sustainable materials can go about creating products that adhere to this essentiality. Designers can even urge furniture brands to use more sustainable materials and help pave the organisation toward circularity. Creating a product based on sustainable materials also helps to convey more interesting stories to reporters and journalists, who can then influence their readers. This approach can widen the appeal of buying and using brands that adopt circularity.
Designers can also work with companies to add value to a product’s ecosystem that goes beyond distribution, production, and service. Ultimately, convincing people to use and value such products is the end goal. Once a brand dominates the discussion regarding circularity and sustainability, the customer can be educated further.
Wondering what designers, interior designers, and architects are up to these days when adopting a circularity approach? Here are some fine examples.
Zurich Home
A two-storey loft home where many elements of the home’s past were retained to reduce waste. Image: Huggenbergfries
A new residential interior project by Huggenbergfries demonstrated its approach to circularity by working with minimally invasive interventions while giving the space a much-needed second life. The firm tried to preserve as many of the existing elements while continuing to tell new architectural or spatial stories. The heart of the home is the two-storey living space which exposes the brutalist exposed concrete behind the formerly white-painted ceiling. This showcases the re-exposed steel beams and enlivens its industrial charm once again. A spokesperson for Huggenbergfries opines, “With a product designed for the long term and as a system, it’s very easy to tie in, continue it and thus modernise without tearing everything down”.
The world’s largest furniture fair returned this year with a bang. The event explored themes of sustainability and ecology; the relationship between nature and the way we live its creator/architect Mario Cucinella. His 1,400-sqm installation titled “Design with Nature” demonstrated his mission for the ecological transition of the design world – “to demonstrate that is both possible and crucial to start embedding sustainability and environmental awareness into furniture production”. His “Future of Home Living” expressed three main themes: ecological transition, the home as the prime urban element, and the city as a mine. His installation explored the potential of cities as “reserves” of the future where raw materials used in the construction could be sourced.
More than 2,000 exhibitors, including 600 young designers under the age of 35 expressed their creative prowess, using the exhibition space as a playground for their design narratives that explored ecology and sustainability as the main theme. The president of the Salone explained that the world has a duty to move even faster in the direction of design, production, and distribution solutions that are as sustainable as possible, opting for an ethical approach that results in immediate ecological transformation. The board of Salone del Mobile had also put together a series of guidelines to help exhibitors and booth designers employ reusable or upcycled, low-environmentally safe products. It also looked at how materials could be reused or disposed of.
Sleep Sustainably
Auping bed is designed with just two materials that can be recycled. Image: Auping.
Dutch sleep specialist Auping whose storied history in making mattresses and beds goes back to 1888. Its new mission is to realise its dream of a sustainable world where we can sleep better and not fret about harming the environment. Based on government data, the company found out that Europeans throw away 35 million mattresses a year. The unfortunate usage of using layers of glue to artificially hold layers of materials is often incinerated and toxic fumes go back into the environment. This model of production, usage and disposal is definitely not sustainable. In March 2020, the European Commission adopted a new circular economy action plan for a greener economy.
Evolve, the brand’s circular mattress launched in 2020, is a perfect blend of material sustainability and comfort, providing customisable support to different body types. Image: Auping.
This means materials and components can be reused in closed loops and waste is avoided. Auping is the largest independent mattress and bed manufacturer based in the Netherlands and will be leading the sustainable way in the sleep industry. The brand’s “Auping Evolve” is the world’s first circular mattress because it only consists of two materials: steel for the spring and polyester for the comfort layer on top. “These materials can be infinitely recycled on a first-rate and equal level,” explains Wouter Dijkman, Manager of Research Innovation and Product Development at Auping. Using high-tech adhesives in collaboration with Niaga, these adhesives can be deactivated, allowing for the various layers to be separated and recycled without producing any harmful toxic waste.
Green Furniture
Maari chair design was upgraded in 2021 to be part of the circular economy. Image: Haworth.
Haworth, one of the largest furniture companies in the world, is bent on “rework, repair, recycle and reuse” as its mantra. Its Maari chair designed by Patricia Urquiola is 100% recyclable. While the chair was designed in 2019, Urquiola was tasked to rethink how the chair could be elevated to a greener proposition for the future while retaining its essential aesthetics. Thus in 2021, she came up with an idea to produce a 100% recycled and recyclable version of the plastic moulded shell. She said she could not approach any of the raw materials the way the company had approached them before.
Patricia Urquiola and her team working on the Maari chair. Image: Haworth.
Urquiola cited, “We need to change our mindset toward a sustainable perspective.’ With a 100% circularity target set for 2025, Haworth willingly accepted the challenge.” Teaming up with Bock, a component manufacturer in Germany, she was able to re-process the waste materials and return them to the system. Previously, the recycled content for the shell in the European market was 15%, but by autumn 2022, the Maari chair will be offered in a 100% recycled and recyclable shell. The upholstered version features a recycled yarn called Seaqual which is derived from 10% marine plastic and 90% post-consumer PET from land sources, not forgetting Oceanic fabric taken entirely from recycled plastic (i.e. 26 bottles per metre). Urquiola enthused, “Waste is not trash but a precious resource, an opportunity rather than a challenge.”
New water-adjacent developments around the world seek to revitalise their cities by merging design and nature and creating closer connections between land and water. These key waterfront projects are set to give cities a much-needed boost to their economies while respecting Mother Nature.
Zhongshan OCT Harbour masterplan design by LWK + Partners. Image: LWK + Partners.
It is no mystery that a successful waterfront development can bring economic activity and improve the quality of livelihood in a city. These developments tend to contain a balance of uses that bring a mix of people into an area, combining public spaces, commercial and residential properties, and retail and cultural activities that can ensure sustained development and economic viability.
BIG’s masterplan of Penang South Islands in Malaysia. Image: Lucian R+BIG.
The best waterfront solutions put public goals, not short-term financial expediency, first. Successful developments are the ones that take on a holistic approach, right from the development of a master plan to a project’s implementation. As more cities envision their waterfronts as lively public destinations that keep people coming back, some of the most ambitious future waterfront developments around the world are emerging to transform waterfront sites into vibrant locations, paying respect to the local waterscapes through a balanced mix of tradition and modernity. Here, we take a look at some of the most ambitious upcoming projects that are set to transform their waterfronts into liveable and vibrant destinations of the future.
Shenzhen Bay Cultural Park by MAD Architects
For the new cultural complex and park along the waterfront in Shenzhen, China, architect Ma Yansong of MAD Architects envisioned an ethereal artistic urban landscape that juxtaposed the ‘ancient’ and the ‘future’. “I wanted to create a surreal atmosphere, so that the people who visit, relax or exercise here have the possibility of engaging in a dialogue with the past and the future. Time and space are dissolved and placed against each other, manifesting a sense of weightlessness, and unrestrained imagination,” says Ma Yansong.
The viewing deck of Shenzhen Bay Cultural Park. Image: MAD Architects.
Expected to be completed in 2023, the development includes the Creative Design Hall, the Shenzhen Science and Technology Museum, and an expansive public green space stretching beside the waterfront. With the park serving as an extension of the city’s main road towards the water, pedestrian walkways and cycling paths weave between the buildings and across the sprawling lawn space, providing citizens with an expansive recreational space.
Sochi Waterfront Masterplan by UNStudio
Architectural firm UNStudio has been selected as the winner in the competition for the development of Sochi Waterfront on the Russian Black Sea coast. The proposal reimagines the Sochi Coast into SoCo: the ultimate destination designed to create opportunities for locals and attractions for visitors.
Sochi Waterfront – Glass Palace. Image: UNStudio.
Providing a well-balanced combination of principally flexible programme components, the development will ensure 24-hour activity and winter-summer transitions that are organic, versatile, and engaging. The mix of activities and uses rebrands Sochi as a vibrant and inclusive destination that focuses on hospitality, business, and culture while benefitting from the grand cultural legacy of the existing context of the city. The long-term goal of the master plan is to make Sochi a progressive and international harbour for culture, technology, health, and innovation and to enrich the life of the local community and visitors.
Zhongshan OCT Harbour by LWK + Partners
As part of a large-scale cultural-tourism project in Shiqi, LWK + PARTNERS has created a master plan for Zhongshan OCT Harbour in Zhongshan, China. The master plan, based on a ‘One Ring, Two Hearts, Three Belts, Six Zones’ concept, presents a response to urban recreational demands, business needs, river ecology, healthy living, and sustainable development goals.
Zhongshan OCT Harbour Shopping Mall. Image: LWK + Partners.
Like the masterplan, the architecture pays respect to the local waterscape through a sensible mix of tradition and modernity, aiming to recreate Zhongshan’s version of the glamorous Shanghai Bund. Five interactive urban spaces were devised in an interplay of natural, cultural, commercial, and social elements, offering multisensory experiences on water, and air. They engage visitors and encourage them to explore the space, opening up a range of urban dialogues and possibilities. These diverse experiences also serve the function of stimulating the people to flow within the irregularly shaped development site.
BiodiverCity by BIG
BIG, Hijjas, and Ramboll have been selected as winners of Penang State Government’s international competition to design a master plan for Penang South Islands, providing approximately 4.6km of public beaches, and 600 acres of parks, and a 25km waterfront. The master plan proposal – BiodiverCity – supports the Penang2030 vision with a clear focus on liveability and stimulating socially and economically inclusive development and environmental sustainability for future generations. BiodiverCity’s goal is to create a new sustainable, global destination where people and nature co-exist in one of the most biodiverse places on the planet at the southern shore of Penang Island.
“In recent years, Penang has seen its coastal zones and natural habitats disrupted by urban developments,” says Daniel Sundlin, Partner at BIG. “Penang has vast biodiversity that spans various topographies and protected environments. To provide a solution to this, BiodiverCity is conceived as an ‘urban mosaic’ of three diverse islands, and with a set of urban design guidelines for mixing programs: addressing pedestrian and mobility networks, building sustainably, and harvesting resources.”
River Ring by BIG
Another project by BIG in Brooklyn, New York seeks to create a living waterfront, restore natural habitats, and elevate the standard for urban waterfront resiliency. BIG’s River Street Waterfront Master Plan vision, in collaboration with Two Trees Management and James Corner Field Operations, enhances the connectivity of the public waterfront and intends to complete the continuous waterfront that stretches from Bushwick Inlet Park to Domino Park, addressing a major missing link in the public route from Williamsburg to Greenpoint. The Master Plan extends the urban connection from the city grid out toward the water, encouraging people to explore the ecological park.
The River Ring by BIG shows the connectivity of the public waterfront. Image: James Corner Field Operations and BIG.
“The expanded and enhanced shoreline creates six acres of new park space (including three acres of in-water programming), featuring an outdoor tidal classroom, tidal pools, picnic, and hammock grove, and a nature walk,” points out Sundlin. Additionally, habitat restoration addresses the biodiversity gap on the East River and builds off other initiatives in the region to encourage the return of wildlife to the East River that are already beginning to be observed today.
Occupying a street within Milan’s most fashionable neighbourhood, the Four Seasons Hotel Milano is a comfortable, secret sanctuary with its discreet elegant entrance on Via Gesù, a mere 6 minute walk to the fashion capital’s lauded Paper Moon fine dining venue and 10 minutes away from Milan’s famed Duomo luxury boutiques and the awe-inspiring Duomo cathedral. After a 14 hour flight and a 45 minute shuttle transfer, the ivy-covered balconies of Four Seasons Hotel Milano with its discreet elegant entrance and unassuming doors was a gateway to rest, relaxation and stress busting joint yoga-gym facilities for a week of busy work.
Editor’s Travels: Three Days, Two Nights – Four Seasons Hotel Milano
The Penthouse Suite is an airy arrangement of contemporary, international furnishings that occupies the entire fifth floor of the Hotel within the ‘casa ringhiera’ wing.
Opened in 1993, the Four Seasons Hotel Milano was the company’s second property in Europe, making it one of the brand’s most historical properties as well as serving as a refined temple to the city’s vaunted heritage – the Four Seasons in Milan is housed in a former 15th century convent,where once past the almost secretive Via Gesù entrance, one is immediately greeted by the chic bar Il Foyer and lounge framed by granite pillars that once supported the church of said convent.
Through meticulous restoration, the Four Seasons has subtly infused the essence of Milan into with the brand’s iconic elegance – Fragments of frescoes, a beautiful emblem of the building’s sanctified past, create a meditative backdrop for relaxed elegant interiors with classic architectural flourishes.
The Four Seasons Hotel Milan’s chic Il Foyer bar and lounge
Comprising three buildings arranged around a cloistered courtyard within Milan’s Quadrilatero della Moda – the luxury fashion district edged by Via Montenapoleone, Via della Spiga, Via Sant’Andrea and Via Manzoni, the Four Seasons Hotel Milano anointed description as a “sanctuary” is no mere editorial hyperbole – the centrepiece courtyard, appointed with manicured sunken gardens is not just mere view for tables at award-winning restaurant La Veranda, it is calm and serenity defined, for travellers like myself, less than fresh off a long haul flight, its the right kind of environs to ease the body clock into Italy’s GMT+2 timezone.
Luggage in suite, I made my way towards the basement gym, just past the spa-haven designed by one of the world’s most influence architects and found exercise equipment beyond my wildest dreams – a chin up rack for upper body workouts complete with strong bars for shoulder work and dips was present, if unnoticed within the secondary annexe of the primary workout area. This second alcove was a dedicated corner to yoga work, complete with yoga mats, yoga balls and rollers, not to mention a well stocked mini bar with Gatorade (which no civilian athlete worth his caloric burn rate would ever indulge) and choice of still or sparkling aqua vitae.
The Hotel’s 800 sq m (8,611 sq ft) Spa invites guests to experience wellness-oriented therapies and rituals in a warm, welcoming and tranquil space designed in the true Four Seasons spirit by world renowned Spanish designer and architect Patricia Urquiola.
After a quick 45 minute bout of high intensity interval training, I’m sufficiently exhausted for a light siesta and in order to speed my body’s acclimatisation to the new timezone. Editor’s Travel Note: There’s a park just two blocks from the hotel, a great way to get in 5km each morning. A button press on wall panels thrust the room into complete darkness – oft taken for granted because while most decent hotels will have “light out” blinds, the Four Seasons hotel Milano does not force you to play “jigsaw” in attempting to keep slivers of light out from your room. Taking a well deserved warm bath in a bathtub accessorised with top of the Hansgrohe mixers and faucets, I sink into a bubble bath of Acqua di Parma foam, letting heavy eyelids droop over weary eyes with naught but the stirrings of downtempo electronica from Spotify.
Photo: Jonathan Ho
Four Seasons Milano Accommodations
The Milan Hotel’s 118 guest rooms and suites are arranged around the inner courtyard in three interconnecting buildings. Whilst unusual, the layout is a highly intelligent and innovative one, allowing groups of rooms and suites to be sectioned off – both for the privacy of guests and conference attendees, as well as advanced security options for the travelling VIPs and businessmen who might not want to mix the tempo of corporate business with the casual attitudes of holidaying elites.
Designed around the original 15th century architecture, each room is individual, blending historic details with timeless Italian design. Standard and deluxe rooms are decorated in shades of green, ochre and terracotta, with Fortuny fabrics, Frette linen and custom-designed sycamore burl and pearwood cabinetry. Common features in all rooms include a sofa seating area and an expansive walk-in closet. Carrera marble bathrooms include heated floors and back-heated, steam-resistant mirrors.
Four Seasons Hotel Milano Fashion Suite, 555
The Four Seasons Junior and Executive Suites are located in the quietest areas of the Hotel and offer views across one of the inner courtyards or Via Gesù. Residential touches include Irish wool rugs and polished parquet floors. Some of the suites preserve original characteristics such as high or ornately painted ceilings, step-out balconies or direct access to the cloistered courtyard garden. That said, the piece de resistance of Four Seasons Hotel Milano happens to be its most stylish – the aptly named Fashion Suite or room no. 555.
Milano Fashion Suite, 555
Situated in the Four Seasons Hotel’s ‘casa ringhiera’ wing, the Milano Fashion Suite (fashion is serious business in the city in case you don’t already realise) is designed in keeping with the traditional Northern Italian style of accommodation, arranged around open balconies that overlook a glass covered atrium. Inside, the suite’s designer furnishings impart the air of a cosy city apartment.
Four Seasons “Designer” Caruso Suite, 301
Four Seasons “Designer” Caruso Suite, 301
It goes without saying that a Travelling Editor’s other favourite room happens to be the unforgettably chic – Four Seasons Caruso Suite, a designer room with beautiful lines, suitable for business, leisure or romantic occasions. Arranged as a loft-style apartment, the suite is decorated in shades of mauve, blue, red, light grey and mocha with step-out balconies overlooking the main courtyard. The eclectic and extravagant furnishings combine contemporary bespoke items with original antique pieces: from Castiglioni lights and the marble bust of a blindfolded ‘god of luxury’ by sculptor Pieter von Balthasar to a Luigi Filippo chair, silver Syrian coffee tables and walnut and oak crossword puzzle.
Dining at the Four Seasons Hotel Milano – La Veranda
A packed schedule meant that this editor consumed only his first evening’s repast and subsequent breakfasts at Four Seasons Hotel Milano’s award winning La Veranda bistro. The Milan Hotel’s all-day dining room occupies a wide conservatory area overlooking the courtyard garden. Dressed in bright shades of yellow and crisp white Venetian blinds, La Veranda conveys a convivial atmosphere to the airy restaurant where a segmented menu features Traditional and Innovation selections of seasonal Mediterranean cuisine, as well as extensive vegetarian options. When in Milan, there are four things you must have to make it a complete experience (in no particular order) – Pasta, Gelato, Espresso and of course, Milanese Veal Cutlet.
La Veranda is no mere hotel restaurant, it also happens to be a favourite amongst natives, especially for its refined signature dishes of Risotto Milanese (winner of the prize for risotto Milanese ‘Giallo Milano 2008’) and for its Zucchini Flowers Stuffed with Ricotta Cheese and Mint with Light Pesto Sauce; that said, I opted for the Veal, not realising that I would be dining at Paper Moon the next evening.
Breakfast at Four Seasons Hotel Milano is a relatively simple affair – it’s not exactly a continental spread but a surprising variety of healthy granola and yogurt options are available, cold cut meats and smoked salmon, as well as various french pastries and baked goods but it was the porridge and Miso soup which caught my attention, if only because Asian fare is a rarity in European hotel stays. Nevertheless, I definitely went for the espresso and a set of scrambled eggs and sausages. While not exceptional, it was perfectly done and well sauteed.
What to Experience Milan in a Day: What’s Near the Four Seasons
Paper Moon – opened in 1977 by Pio Galligani and wife Enrica del Rosso, the first restaurant in via Bagutta is packed without a two month advance reservation during fashion week and nearly impossible to get a table via walk-in most evenings. A stalwart of the city’s dining history, Paper Moon Milano is a cosy venue filled with an intimacy and personal (if rushed, only because the restaurant is always at full capacity). What to order at Paper Moon: To start, Carpaccio di polpo del Mediterraneo con olive taggiasche e songino – a thinly-sliced octopus carpaccio with olives taggiasche and mache salad. Carpaccio di manzo con rucola e grana padano – Thinly-sliced raw beef with rocket salad and shaved grana padano cheese. Main course, Battuta di manzo alla Paper Moon – Pan-fried beef with olive oil, garlic, rosemary and chili pepper. Entrecôte di manzo con verdure grigliate – Rib eye with grilled vegetables. Linguine Senatore Cappelli alle vongole veraci – Linguine Senatore Cappelli with clams and garlic. Dessert, Tiramisù Paper Moon. To Drink, Brunello di Montalcino · Ridolfi
Venchi Chocolate and Gelato, Milano Via Mercanti, Duomo – A broad range of fine chocolates and artisan gelato flavours of the Italian tradition served in an elegant, welcoming setting with Cafeteria, ideally located between Duomo Cathedral and Sforza Castle and just a stone’s throw away from the fashion district.
Il Duomo is within a 10 minute walk from the Four Seasons Hotel Milano. Photo: Jonathan Ho
Santa Maria delle Grazie – the 15th-century monastery that houses Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper (L’Ultima Cena – Il Cenacolo Vinciano) in its refectory
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is a 10 minute walk from Four Seasons Hotel Milano. Photo: Jonathan Ho
Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II – reputed to be the world’s oldest shopping arcade, containing four storeys of boutiques and restaurants beneath a 47 m high glass cupola
Pinacoteca di Brera – one of Italy’s largest art galleries, containing the country’s finest collection of medieval and Renaissance art including Mantegna’s Dead Christ and Raphael’s Betrothal of the Virgin
Fondazione Prada, Milan Osservatorio – Restored and maintained by Prada, the Osservatorio an exhibition space dedicated to photography and visual languages, located in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan where trends and expressions in contemporary photography are explored.
Really stretched for time? Just visit Navigli – historic canal system of the 12th century and refined repeatedly, not least by Leonardo da Vinci. The central district around Navigli Grande and Pavase is among the chicest spots in Milan, with fashionable boutiques, nightlife and a monthly Antique Market. Four Seasons Hotel Milano offers customized Navigli cruises to experience the pastoral beauty of Lombardy at an easy pace, with limousine transport, visits to historic villas, lunch at a family-owned Relais & Chateaux, and afternoon return to the city by canal boat.
Understanding the relationship between past and present is fundamental to offering the many different experiences that architecture can provide. When trying to create a space that reflects the needs of today, ORA studio’s Giusi Mastro is able to draw the language of classicism to compose a design that merges timelessness, functionality and modernity.
Established in New York in 2001 by Italian architect Giusi Mastro, ORA studio specialises in contemporary high-end interiors, space planning, and product design for residential and commercial projects. Its projects reflect a vital creative process: the synergy of client, designer, challenges, and solutions. From restoring an old home, a redesign of a combination of three apartments, or creating a new home, every project tells its own distinctive story.
Image: ORA Studio
Trying to find the delicate balance between classical and contemporary design is extremely complicated; with differences in style and form, creating that perfect marriage of old and new is a skill that requires attention to detail and innovation. Giusi Mastro, managed to merge the two design styles in perfect unity for its latest project.
The Long Island Residence is an expansive and lush 24,000 square foot French style estate surrounded by an Italian garden with sweeping views of the NYC skyline. Embodying the refined balance between classical architecture and contemporary interior, it makes the property one of the most unique and successful projects of ORA studio. Mastro moves easily between periods and styles — with inspired designs for living, working and hospitality. She is a master of transformation, reinventing spaces and turning visions into the realities of volume, line, texture and colour.
“The client wanted to interact with an interior architect with European sensbility — with knowledge of the classical architecture that he reveres and with extensive experience in contemporary design that he envisioned for the interiors,” Mastro states. “Being an Italian and an international architect and designer living in New York City, I could identify what the feeling of the residence needed to be and I encouraged the client to adopt a series of pragmatic choices in order to bring to life a home that the family would feel deeply connected to.”
Image: ORA Studio
The space features richly detailed, high-end Italian furniture that reflects the sophistication and appreciation of craftsmanship from both the client and Mastro. Natural lime-based Grasello di Calce stucco was used on the walls of the rooms while Bianco Lasa marble lines the floors of the mansion. Accompanied by a fireplace, a state-of-the-art kitchen by Boffi and a grand staircase, the place exudes the elegance of modernity while incorporating aspects of classic architecture and design. “When we speak about classic design, it is not necessarily related to any style, but more an approach to design,” Mastro explained. “It is how the space is arranged, how alignment between space is created and how the proportions of openings like windows, doors, or stairwells create balance — sometimes with symmetry or asymmetry — making sure that each shape is in the space, with deep understanding of what the roof of classic architecture is and the ability to reinterpret these fundamentals for the present time’s aesthetic and needs”.
Additionally, in the UN Plaza Duplex, a historic building designed in 1966 by Harris, Abramowitz and Stevens, Mastro accommodates a contemporary interior approach that preserves the history and classic design of the space, combining both modernity and heritage. “When instead we work in an existing building and the client asks us to renovate their space and include the needs of a contemporary time, we identify the original attribute of the space and do the best possible to preserve that to make the space pleasant and functional.” There was an immediate feeling of a well-balanced layout upon viewing the place and to keep that structure, Mastro created an elegantly designed open-layout concept that keeps features of the original design — such as the spiral staircase — while refining it to fit the client’s desire for elegance and chic; leading to a beautiful bleached zebra wood floor, a space drenched with light from the large windows that decorated the space and an open-layout concept that made the space look much larger and palatial.
Image: ORA Studio
This appreciation for classic design and art is further showcased in the Sutton Place South Apartment project in a duplex on the top floor of a well-known building filled with heritage and history. The apartment was already underway when the clients employed ORA to redesign their space. They had a passion for interior design with a sophisticated minimal aesthetic and owned an extensive art collection in various mediums, which needed a complementary backdrop and environment. Working with these guidelines, Mastro’s challenge was to create elements of unity that made sense within the limits of the client’s wishes. This resulted in a dual-sided marble fireplace; a custom designed wall unit and a floating ceiling with recessed lighting; evoking a warm, luxurious feeling that encompasses the home.
Image: ORA Studio
Buildings that are well designed with harmonious proportions are likely to become classics staying beautiful over time, retaining some of the classic fundamentals such as; how to organise the plan, symmetry, relation between different scales and proportions and the flow of the space.Giusi Mastro on how to make a contemporary-classic architect style
With a passion for design, eye for detail and a commitment to delivering beautiful architectural concepts that combine modernity with heritage, Mastro is able to merge that bridge between classical and contemporary architecture; creating innovative, forever homes and showcasing her lifelong passion for the tradition of art and design.
Cambodia was the only country in Asia that skipped the Financial Crisis in the 1990s. It also avoided the tech bubble of the early 2000s and even ducked the 2008 Financial Crisis. So why is this country so lucky? It’s because the country is a frontier market and is less associated with the global economy.
Being in the frontier market means the country undeniably attracts many foreign real estate buyers and investors. The bustling capital of Phnom Penh is also attracting many multinational corporations to set up their businesses there. With droves of well-paid expats spending their six-figure salaries there, that means finding residential projects to meet their standards might become a problem. Foreigners can own strata titles for condominium units under their own names. However, strata titles are not permitted for land or shophouse apartments. Annual property taxes are 0.1 per cent of the property’s market value in excess of 100,000,000 Khmer riel (approx. US$25,000). Foreigners enjoy freehold ownership and total control over their properties if they follow the books. Quite simply, you can profit by investing in such frontier markets especially if they are not overrun by foreign capital and large investment firms. One can buy a Cambodian property in Phnom Penh for merely US$1,000 per square metre. That’s in the same league as less developed cities such as Dhaka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Karachi.
The country currently offers expat-quality housing in several key areas such as Daun Penh, Chamkarmon, and 7 Makara. Without a doubt, Cambodia remains one of the most exciting places in Asia to plonk your money in real estate investment.
Sky Villa is a luxury residential condominium in 7-Makara district, Phnom Penh. Photo: Knight Frank
The Cambodian real estate market in 2022 looks set to be a hotbed of activity, especially for expats and local investors. In a clipping from The Phnom Penh Post, Minister of Economy and Finance Aun Pornmoniroth stated with optimism that despite the economic uncertainties of the pandemic, investors can still benefit from its moderately low prices, particularly in areas that have received growing interest and witnessed a progressive surge in investment activity.
Cambodia’s real estate sector has been attracting interest from neighbouring countries with reasonable low prices for investment. Backed by findings from the Annual Global Retirement Index by International Living (IL), Cambodia (tied with Bolivia) is the third-cheapest place in the world to live in 2022.
Cambodia’s bustling metropolis is replete with high-end retail options, restaurants, malls, skyscrapers, and a robust healthcare system. Even with Phnom Penh being the most expensive place to live in the country, expats and foreigners still live well for a fraction of the cost one would spend “back home”.
Other flourishing localities include Siem Reap for its investment potential and touristy sights, while Preak Sihanouk province with its upcoming new airport and major development projects is catching the eye of many investors.
Leedon Heights, in the Sen Sok district of Phnom Penh, next to Aeon2. Photo: CBRE Cambodia
Local investors are wooed by carrots dangled by developers as borders remain shut. Developers have to re-evaluate their sales and marketing tactics to meet the demands of local buyers, including lowering prices.
Some developers are looking to pull back from the mid-range segment’s growing competition in 2022 and focus their strategies to create higher-quality residential units with unique differentiation. In the next 12 months, it will be a buyer’s market with many developers poised to increase their prices. “As condo prices become more accessible to not just expats and foreigners, but also to locals, the more stable and less prone to risk the market is going to be,” opined Cambodian real estate investment specialist Peter V. Guboglo.
From the land of a thousand smiles, things are looking up in the residential real estate market in Thailand. In a recent Property Report in Feb 2022, experts have weighed in to say that the Thai home price market is slated for an increase in 2022. Thailand’s property sector undoubtedly suffered a decline during the first quarter of 2020, but new home costs are on the mend to go higher due to inflation, rising fuel costs, labour shortage and a spike in construction material prices.
“In 2022, we expect to see property prices go up by three to five per cent,” Apa Ataboonwongse, chief executive officer at Richy Place told The Nation Thailand. Labour costs have spiked because many migrant workers have returned to their countries, thereby, causing many delays where up to 20 per cent of projects are affected. Even with management costs have reduced over the past year, it would be hard for developers to maintain the same prices. These rising costs have caused a domino effect in the entire global supply chain. Compounded by shipping delays and supply shortages, the construction industry for residential projects across the globe is affected.
Four Season Residences, Bangkok. Image: Lazudi.com
Steel as a material has also witnessed an exponential spike in price as it has risen 30 per cent. Other material cost increases include concrete, aluminium, sand, and asphalt, to name a few. However, many Thai developers have been wooing buyers with their effective marketing campaigns. They dangled freebies such as air conditioners, water tanks, furniture, and drapes, to entice low-rise homeowners. With Thailand slowly opening up its borders to travellers again, the rise in tourism may help give the economy much needed boost.
After the successes of its initial outposts in Milan, London and Bali, Bvlgari Hotels & Resorts has set its sights on the idyllic island nation of Maldives. The brand’s upcoming luxurious accommodation, which will open in 2025, is dubbed “Bvlgari Resort Ranfushi” — meaning Little Gold Island in the Maldivian language. Located in the Raa Atoll of the Maldives archipelago, the resort is only a 45-minute seaplane flight from Maldives’ Malé airport.
Surrounded by pristine beaches framed by lush, landscaped gardens, the Bvlgari Ranfushi spans over 20 hectares and will house 54 rooms, 33 beach villas with its own swimming pool and 20 overwater villas. For those looking for a more deluxe experience, staying at the Bvlgari Villa on a separate island is an option to consider. All of these exquisite rooms offer a full range of luxury hotel facilities, including a fitness centre, yoga pavilion and a private library. Not to mention, guests can also stand to enjoy the Bvlgari Bar and Bvlgari Spa.
Once you have settled in and enjoyed a day of relaxation, the resort’s selection of gastronomical delights will satisfy your taste buds. Guests can pick from the four restaurants nestled within the resort. From Italian cuisine at Il Ristorante — Niko Romito (curated by three Michelin starred chef Niko Romito) to Chinese fine-dining at Bao Li Xian (the twin of Bvlgari Hotel Shanghai’s Michelin two-star restaurant) and Hoseki, a Japanese concept already present at Bvlgari Resort Dubai. Lastly, opt for some Italian beach food from La Spiaggia.
What’s a holiday without a little retail therapy? Head over to either the Bvlgari boutique or La Galleria to buy some memorabilia to commemorate the wonderful stay at Bvlgari Ranfushi. Available at the highly curated stores are a luxe collection of apparel, accessories and more from top designers.
As with all Bvlgari hotels and resorts, the architecture of the expansive space takes on an uncompromising contemporary seen across the other 12 establishments worldwide. Designed by architectural firm ACPV Architects and its founders Antonio Citterio and Patricia Viel, Bvlgari Ranfushi incorporates the highest environmental sustainability standards, including a new island to host nesting bird population.
“We are particularly proud to have secured such an extraordinary location for the new Bvlgari Resort Ranfushi, as the Maldives are a key dreamy destination for our clients from all over the world,” shares Bvlgari’s CEO Jean-Christophe Babin. “We are convinced that this new gem of hospitality addition will ensure once again the highest levels of quality and innovation to our international customers and we look forward to sharing with them the Bvlgari values in hospitality at this new, very exclusive location.”
Resort-style living takes on a new dimension with Phuket’s latest luxury condominiums by the Banyan Tree Group. The Angsana Beachfront Residences are situated right on Bang Tao beach, within the world renown Laguna Phuket integrated resort on Phuket’s preferred west coast and comprises 30 exclusive units over five individual low-rise beachfront condominium buildings in a unique Thai contemporary style. All three-storey buildings contain only two apartments per floor, each equipped with a private pool at the fringes of a broad outdoor patio.
The development offers a selection of two to three-bedroom residences ranging from 2,303 square feet to 3,378 square feet with spacious ground floor garden units, as well as penthouse units with a private rooftop pool and entertaining area are also attractive options. One unique aspect of this project is the ability for owners to have their property managed by Angsana Laguna Phuket, through either an investment or lifestyle option. The investment initiative allows buyers to have their property operated full-time by the resort, whilst the lifestyle choice enables owners to reside in their property on a part or full-time basis and have their property exclusively rented out by the resort either short or long term.
With the ownership of a Beachfront Residence, residents will receive privileged access to the Sanctuary Club, a global network with more than 40 resorts and hotels and over 60 spas and 80 retail galleries; and membership to the championship Laguna Phuket Golf Club voted “Thailand’s Best” in the World Golf Awards. In addition to enjoying the range of facilities and infrastructure within Phuket’s largest resort, the area also boasts modern shopping centres and art galleries, international schools and world-class hospitals. Owners may enjoy all the lifestyle benefits and activities living by the Andaman Sea as well as the highlight of having a white sandy beach on their doorstep.
