Villae International Issue 9

09 For connoisseurs of the good things in life...

INTERNATIONAL

WITH COMPLIMENTS

EREN’S NEW ROUTES TO THE FAR EAST

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2014 YEAR OF THE HORSE

An age of learning and adaptability Dear Reader, We are told that the only constant in the universe is change: this is just a question of speed.

Today’s increasing pace of innovation and change makes this concept far more tangible than it was in the past. Though whole generations and indeed civilisations were required to adapt, speed has been a part of the human landscape for a very long time.

José Ribes Bas

EREN Director

We therefore live in a world where old certainties are being replaced by new realities, creating new possibilities in the process. And since humans are such a successful species exactly because of their innate powers of adaptation, we should see this period of flux as a golden age of opportunity – as we saw during the 2013 Annual Conference of the European Real Estate Network (EREN) held in Lugano (pages 14-15).

Rather than holding on to what we know already, we want to embrace new knowledge and expertise, learning today what prepares us for the living and working environment of tomorrow. This is the idea expressed by Jack Welch when he said: “An organisation’s ability to learn, and translate that learning into action rapidly, is the ultimate competitive advantage.”

A chemical engineer with a sound nose for business, Jack Welch helped General Electric flourish under his tenure, so we think he knows a thing or two about learning, adaptation and innovation. Without people with this kind of driving ambition to always know, explore and create more, how could we have such things as underwater hotels, luxurious floating palaces travelling the world (pages 42-51) and advanced skyscrapers touching the clouds? (pages 8-13) These are just some of the topics we focus on in this, our ninth edition of Villae International Magazine. The desire to explore and improve reflects itself in novelty, innovation and also in the desire to constantly perfect and improve; and it is what also drives us to bring you the finest offerings from around the world: both in the sense of the magnificent properties (pages 66-91) presented through our colleagues and fellow members at the European Real Estate Network (EREN) (pages 96-97), and such venerable institutions as Ascot and the Grand Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, for instance (pages 36-41).

Of course, the drive for excellence tells us not only to look forward but also to preserve that which is noble and valuable. This includes values and principles as well as things of a beautiful nature, such as those you’ll find at the Museo Automovilístico de Málaga – a veritable temple of design (pages 30-35). Bringing past and present together is a feature on the Return of the Gentleman, (pages 54-59) a personage whose philosophy we very much embrace as we wish you a pleasant reading and hope to inspire you with our latest offering.

Enjoy your reading

José Ribes Bas Publisher

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INTERNATIONAL

09

VILLÆ INTERNATIONAL is a publication of:

European Real Estate Network, Ltd., 33, St. James’s Square, London SW1Y 4JS. T. +44 0203 178 6154 F. +44 0203 178 6155 www.europeanrealestate.org info@europeanrealestate.org EREN Board of Directors Ueli Schnorf Giancarlo Bracco José Ribes Bas bod@europeanrealestate.org Original Concept by Benedetta Viganò, Diana Morales & José Ribes Bas Editor and writer Michel Cruz MANIFESTO DESIGN s.l., Marbella info@manifestodesign.com (+34) 952 880 923 Art director and Design Modesto Granados ESTUDIO MODESTO, Valencia modesto@estudiomodesto.com (+34) 667 208 071 Photo credits Shutterstock, Chang An Club I-Blue fotografia, Lorenzo Hernandez, Museo del Coche de Málaga Advertising ads@europeanrealestate.org Publisher José Ribes Bas Printing and distribution controlled by PGD D.L.: V-757-2006

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16 ON THE COVER If you thought lofts were exclusive to New York, or perhaps London or Paris, think again. This stylish abode is actually located in the beating heart of lively, exotic, pulsating Istanbul – a metropolis that straddles two continents in more ways than one.

Image courtesy of www.welcomebeyond.com, purveyors of fascinatingly stylish and unique travel options the world over.

CONTENTS 42

60 08 LIFE IN THE SKY Man’s ambition to touch the clouds

14 EREN Annual General Meeting in Lugano A luxury real estate conference on the Swiss Riviera 16 PLACES WORTH ESCAPING TO…

A flight of fancy made reality 30 ART ON WHEELS Málaga Car Museum 36 A DAY AT THE RACES Pomp, ceremony, tradition and adrenaline 42 TAKE A DIFFERENT ROUTE

Getting away, a whole new meaning 54 THE RETURN OF THE GENTLEMAN

Good news for ladies all over the world 60 RIVA

At home on the lakes 66 PROPERTY SECTION

Luxury homes selection 92 SUCCESSFUL INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION The fruits of working together

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VIENNA’S MOST EXCLUSIVE PENTHOUSE

WELCOME TO T H E TO P This architectural gem is located in one of the most exclusive shopping streets that the capital has to offer, surrounded by historic sights and gourmet restaurants. A residence of the highest standards.

M A R S C H A L L R E A L E S TAT E T +43 1 533 20 30 / M +43 664 44 353 22 / www.mar schall.at VILLÆ 6

T H E P E N TO U S E AM HOF Redefining quality of life at the highest possible level – state-of-the-art fixtures and finishings, exclusive interiors, 620 sqm of living space and 200 sqm of terraces – as well as all of the services offered by the five-star Park Hyatt Vienna.

F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N www.goldenesquar tier.com/ph

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LIFE IN THE SKY

BY MICHEL CRUZ

For most of its time on earth mankind has been a flightless creature, with no more contact with the heavens than to ponder it and send daydreams floating among the clouds. We became a more multidimensional species the day we conquered flight, a presence in the skies begun by the Montgolfier brothers and completed by the brothers Wright. Since then we have made the air our home, in more ways than one, for not only do we cleave its vapours to traverse continents and skip oceans at great speed, these days we also live, work and exist amid the rarefied air of great altitude.

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“ We can gaze down upon a world that once confined and indeed defined us, marvelling at how miniscule we still are and our habitat once was.”

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ll of this gives modern man a perspective that separates him from all those ancestors that came before. We can gaze down upon a world that once confined and indeed defined us, marvelling at how miniscule we still are and our habitat once was. The comparison with ants comes to mind, though increasingly they are joined by worker bees busily buzzing around in mid-air. We can now gaze across bays, mountain ranges and city landscapes, new neighbours of birds and other airborne creatures. With ourselves the ones behind glass perhaps it is the humans that are on this occasion caught within the fishbowl, yet neither this nor the novel alien environment we have created for ourselves does anything to dampen the raging enthusiasm for that most desired exponent of power and wealth: the skyscraper.

TOWERING AMBITION Although there are many temples, palaces, church towers, minarets and even classical apartment blocks to contradict me, for most of our history mankind has lived close to the ground. It would be no exaggeration to suggest that this is our natural habitat, but enterprising little creature that he is, man desired to reach the top one way or another, and when the first discernible skyscraper was born in 1885 he had already thrown up dozens of prototypes along the way. This first official skyscraper, the Home Insurance Building, was just ten storeys high, but it formed the prologue to a veritable explosion of vertical needles sticking proudly out of the earth.

With the help of inventions such as the modern lift and efficient steel-frame construction the sky literally became the limit and the skyscraper the enduring symbol of American capitalism, dynamism, ingenuity, progress and prosperity.

Even today, when so many cosset it, it is something akin to a ‘Manhattan Syndrome’ that drives them, much like Freud’s penis envy but on a gigantic scale. It is perhaps not surprising to find that these structures have indeed been likened to phallic symbols, as visible instruments of power that are subconsciously designed to impress, impose and intimidate.

Once the domain of the USA, the skyscraper now belongs to all the world and more than ever is a symbol of national – or personal – power and pride. Though its real spiritual home is Chicago we associate these upright boxes with New York’s Manhattan, and it must be this image that would-be world conquerors see in their mind’s eye when they commission yet another mega tower. Such has been the building spree in the past two decades that where the early American scrapers could hold the title of world’s tallest building for decades, today’s Race for the Skies means a new one is crowned every few years.

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WHO BUILDS A SKYSCRAPER? An interesting detail about today’s skyscraper is that most no longer go up in the ‘vertical’ cities of the US, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan or Argentina, but instead in the likes of Mumbai, Shanghai, Bangkok, Caracas, Bogota, Panama City, Dubai, Manila and even Lagos – places with huge housing shortages and poverty. So are towers being used as an efficient way to solve housing problems, overcrowding and slums, as Le Corbusier proposed?

Not really. In fact, not at all. Europe’s post war dabble with high-rise social housing hasn’t quite been a successful experiment, resulting as it did in the depressing ‘modern’ estates of Peckham (London), Bijlmermeer (Amsterdam) and the banlieues around Paris. What looked good in theory has not worked in practice, and though it did help to clear out age-old city slums any sense of cohesion that held these communities together was lost, replaced by an urban jungle complete with gangs, vandalism and social disaffection.

Far from being an efficient means of housing the masses, the superstructure is actually a type of real estate best suited to luxury apartments, city hotels and corporate headquarters.

It is not a coincidence then that these steel and glass towers have since become temples of commercial might that have made the reputations of architects from Ludwig Mies van der Rohe to Norman Foster. Some, like Oscar Niemeyer and Richard Rodgers, have proposed alternative arrangements of the skyscraper, but on the whole the preferred format is simply glassy, tubular and tall, very tall.

In fact, when it comes to skyscrapers, size most definitely does impress, and with Taipei, Shanghai, Mumbai, Kuala Lumpur and Dubai locked in a ferocious battle for supremacy of the skies, actual altitude seems to outweigh even functionality and design.

Modern building materials and techniques are throwing up ever more outlandish shapes, as seized upon by architects like Zaha Hadid, but these are only amalgamated into the overall equation if they do not stand in the way of soaring ambitions.

In an age that is trying to redefine itself as post-industrial, the skyscraper remains an oddly out-of-sync product of the industrial revolution, yet it is also undeniably modern and high-tech. Today’s super towers are increasingly strong, flexible and safe, not to mention energy-efficient and even carbonneutral, but as they spread across the earth they also represent the cold alienation between man and nature, have and have-not.

Though in danger of thus becoming ivory towers, the skyscraper continues to fuel a modern-day fascination that revolves around technology, power, glamour and urban sophistication, as envisaged in luxury urban hotels, the HQs of global corporations and dream penthouses that throw open a window to the world and allow us to live among the clouds – something our ancestors could only ever dream of.

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By Michel Cruz

EREN Annual General Meeting in Lugano

“The years ahead promise a revival of the world economy, with strong growth resumed in developing countries, but also a changing landscape in relation to how one does business and promotes products and services. This provides both challenges and exciting opportunities”.

José Ribes Bas. CEO of Rimontgó and member of the EREN board of directors.

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“In representing the pinnacle of the luxury property market in their respective regions, the assembled professionals and principals represented a formidable body of knowledge.”

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n 2013 the Annual General Meeting of the European Real Estate Network (EREN) returned to Switzerland, hosted this time by Wetag. Since its foundation in 1973, this specialist company has become a leading reference for luxury real estate in Ticino. With its head office in Lugano and offices in Locarno and Ascona it covers this exclusive region that also formed the backdrop for the 2013 General Meeting.

While experiences were compared in relation to the effectiveness of the selection, presentation and promotion of fine quality properties, as well as on regionalised market trends and buyer preferences, a lot of attention also went out to new technologies and how they have been changing consumer habits. “To embrace change you need to understand it and its implications,” added Wetag CEO Ueli Schorff.

Fellow members and colleagues from EREN-affiliated agencies came from Italy, Austria, Spain, France, Germany and other parts of Switzerland to participate in a twoday conference during which the latest trends, tendencies and technologies were discussed and participants had the opportunity to exchange information, knowledge and ideas within a trusted environment built on longstanding working relationships.

Technology and consumer trends were therefore a central theme during the conference held on the shores of Lake Lugano from 13 to 14 September, but also on the agenda were topics such as the latest developments in terms of buyer requirements, the continued internationalisation of the market and the gradual return to recovery of the world economy.

In representing the pinnacle of the luxury property market in their respective regions, the assembled professionals and principals represented a formidable body of knowledge. “But this knowledge must continue to grow and develop,” says José Ribes Bas, CEO of Valencia and Jávea-based Inmobilaria Rimontgó, reminding us that it is never wise to rest on your laurels. “In changing times you have to learn fast and adapt well.”

The meetings and discussions also included time for a press conference and a property tour in an area that is drawing a top international clientele to its shores. Naturally time was also left to reflect on the joys of this beautiful location and exactly what makes it stand out so, culminating in a traditional Ticino meal during which members could let their hair down a little before returning to their home markets.

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Vineyard Retreat, Martha’s Vineyard VILLÆ 16

PLACES WORTH ESCAPING TO...

In a world of luxury hotels, designer destinations and opulent resorts there are places that still conjure up the sense of perfect escape. The collection of Welcome Beyond offers a series of seductive options that redefine the concept of destination.

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Vineyard Retreat, Martha’s Vineyard Those who appreciate understated style in suave surroundings will love this hotel-with-a-difference in Martha’s Vineyard. Just a short stroll from its famous sandy beaches, it offers a boutique experience built around a tastefully renovated church. However well travelled you may be, very few people can say they have stayed at a church – much less a picture-perfect colonial New England style one.

The setting is equally iconic, set in the heart of classic countryside that includes beaches, dunes, lagoons, lakes, golf and, of course, sailing. Owner Lisa, who created this stylish retreat, says her favourite times are spring and fall, when it’s still warm, there are fewer tourists around and the world around you takes on beautiful hues of rich colour.

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One Eleven, Bali VILLÆ 20

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One Eleven, Bali For Bali with a difference, One Eleven offers a distinctly modern twist that blends the sophistication of advanced architectural styling with the special ambience of this Indonesian island paradise. Wood, water and Zen still feature prominently, but here in combination with clean, rightangled spaces that are also perfectly made for inner peace, luxurious relaxation and even reflection.

One Eleven provides the kind of villa experience that comes with complete concierge services and makes you want to take the property – and friendly staff – back home afterwards.

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Istanbul Lofts VILLÆ 24

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Istanbul Lofts Lofts are maybe more closely associated with New York, but in Istanbul they take on a further dimension that mirrors the melange of modern and ancient that characterises this fascinating metropolis on the shores of the Bosporus. More refined and urban than a hotel room, a shabby chic loft apartment like this has all the ingredients to please the style conscious, while also making you feel more ‘at home’.

What’s more, you’re surrounded by the real Istanbul – and even have a stylish pad to invite others to. Istanbul Lofts offers a modern way to get close to the true fabric of a city where East meets West.

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Tenuta Potenti, Italy It may look like a desert outpost of the French Foreign Legion, but don’t worry, there will be no reveille to awake you from your slumbers first thing in the morning. Instead, expect the kind of earthy refinement that speaks of advanced tastes whilst also connecting you to the surroundings. This being Southern Italy, these consist of peaceful beaches, olive groves and sleepy little villages offering the very definition of simplebut-gorgeous cuisine.

With the clear blue waters of a cove nearby punctuated by light tan earth and blue skies, this is pure Mediterranea – here presented in a stylishly authentic and low-key manner that recalls the best of Mediterranean Italy.

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By Michel Cruz

ART ON WHEELS MÁLAGA CAR MUSEUM The Museo Automovilístico de Málaga, opened in 2010, is one of the latest in a series of new cultural offerings in the city. Indeed, cultural, because this tastefully presented collection is not so much a petrol head’s paradise as a museum dedicated to art on wheels.

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hy, in a city that also counts the Picasso and Carmen Thyssen museums, would you visit a car museum?

Firstly, because it contains one of the finest car collections in all of Europe, and second, because this truly is a place of art and beauty. Indeed, the impressive collection of sumptuous cars spanning many decades and types is enough to make any car lover’s heart beat faster, but Málaga’s Museo Automovilístico offers an experience that lovers of art, design and simply beautiful things will appreciate equally. In practice, and without wanting to stereotype, it means that you can avoid the usual male-female tug of war and approach it with equal anticipation.

Quite fittingly, then, the museum is housed within the elegant contours of the Tabacalera, a grand old tobacco factory that, renovated to its former glory, looks so much more like a city palace than a factory. It is, in fact, hard to imagine where the factory would have fitted into this elegant late 19th-century building yet is easy to picture horse-drawn carriages and early landaulettes and limousines pulling up before its imposing entrance. You can just picture how classic cars would adorn this scene, and indeed, they are brought out for special occasions and important events, but day visitors head past the exhibition of art made from car lamps and chrome work, and into the rooms that bring to life the past 100-plus years as much as they pay homage to the beauty and mechanical genius that mark motoring’s short but eventful history.

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“...an experience that lovers of art, design and simply beautiful things will appreciate equally... ”

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“the museum chronicles a changing world in which design and technology evolve before your very eyes”.

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TRAVELLING THROUGH TIME Drawn from the stable of lifelong Portuguese collector João Manuel Magalhães, the museum’s 90-odd cars cover the period from the emergence of the motorcar to the present day. In this way it chronicles a changing world in which design and technology evolve before your very eyes until the old-fashioned carriages-with-engines of the Belle Époque no longer bear much resemblance to the sleek, teardrop designs of the 1930s and 50s.

One of the great charms of this museum is the historical and stylistic sensitivity with which the collection has been displayed. As a result, you are not just admiring cars but also get a sense of the times they lived in, for the collections are set in scene, starting with the late 1800s when the horseless carriage first made its appearance and on to the grim days of the First World War. This is a time of the elaborate Rolls Royce, De Dion Bouton or Panhard Levasseur, but also of makeshift ambulances and the famous Paris taxis that ferried tens of thousands of troops to the hellhole of Verdun. The mood brightens with the onset of the roaring twenties, and the poster art, fashion and contemporary accessories used to dress the era become lighter and more playful.

It is an approach that will make even those without petrol in their veins enjoy this museum, for it displays more than cars alone, taking in also art, furniture and fashion, including an impressive display of classic designer dresses and hats.

And yet, at the heart of it all are those sumptuous mechanical beasts that are an art form in their own right. Picture Al Capone in his Packard, an American president in a stately Cadillac, and Lord and Lady so-and-so alighting from their Daimler. An Italian playboy tearing through Monte Carlo in a Ferrari or the European aristocracy taking to the road in Bugattis, Hispano Suizas or Isotta Fraschinis.

All this opulence makes the head spin, but there is time for a little Austin or two before you come to the svelte perfection of the pre-war years, when powerful Auto Unions, magnificent Mercedes limousines and teardrop-styled Delages and Delahayes add to the list of now legendary carmakers.

My personal favourite is the 1950s and 1960s, and it takes an effort to remain calm as you admire the Aston Martins, Jaguars, Lancias, Alfa Romeos, Porsches and of course the long, crazy American cars of the Rock ‘n Roll era.

Encompassing a flower power Roller inspired by John Lennon’s famous hand painted limo right up to presentday dream cars and the racing and drag cars made by the museum’s team itself, this bewildering collection takes you right up to the present moment. A lighter note is added by unusual but equally stunning concept and demo cars, and an exhibition of powerful engine blocks painted by local and international artists.

A COUP FOR MÁLAGA With all of these elements in place, Málaga’s Museo Automovilístico is an experience to be savoured by those who love cars, design, craftsmanship and technology, and even those who ordinarily don’t. Its style and setting make it more a museum dedicated to an art form as opposed to a motoring museum alone, and this broadens the appeal considerably.

Sr. Magalhães offered his collection to various cities in Portugal, then Spain, before Málaga realised the potential and offered a suitably sophisticated home for it. In so doing, and building upon its programme of beautification and cultural expansion, the city has been able to attract one of the most important private collections in Europe, winning out over larger centres and bolstering its growing reputation as a centre of art, culture and design. www.museoautomovilmalaga.com VILLÆ 35

By Michel Cruz

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A DAY AT THE RACES

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questrian pursuits have always had a regal air about them, from dressage and show jumping to horse racing.

Perhaps it is the association with cavalry and knightly horsemanship, perhaps the sheer cost of maintaining these fine animals and their noble bloodlines, but even the lively distraction of gambling does nothing to diminish the tradition, intensity and sense of occasion that horse racing carries with it.

It is a world of thoroughbreds reared and trained to exacting levels of athleticism, where trainers and their pupils steal the show and stand a chance of immortality. The pupils here are as much the horses as the jockeys, for dedicated and brilliant as the latter need to be to reach the top, the animal is a muscle-bound machine of speed and power that simply needs a brilliant hand to steer and cajole it to victory.

Much like an organic racing car, and not surprisingly horse racing evokes the same sense of excitement and exhilaration among its throngs of spectators, sport-loving purists and fashionable society.

An ‘access all areas’ pass is almost as hotly desired as at a Grand Prix, while the hospitality is even better. No top hippodrome is complete without luxurious restaurants, bars and VIP lounges reminiscent of a five-star hotel.

THE CLASSICS Of today’s main forms of competition it is harness racing that is most reminiscent of the chariots that were driven around the classical arenas of Greece, Babylonia, Egypt, Persia and Rome.

These days it is the preferred style in the Nordic countries, Central Europe and Russia, whilst also being prominent in North America and Australia. The tightly controlled trot maintained throughout the race is considered unnatural-looking by some, but requires great skill and training. The greatest classic in this genre is the Prix d’Amerique, held at the Vincennes course near Paris.

The latter is one of the society hotbeds of the French capital, where beautifully dressed women step out of limousines and would-be playboys roll up in low-slung sports cars, happy to smile for the paparazzi. Champagne, designer wear and small-talk are fixed ingredients of one of the season’s big events, though one of the biggest of all is the glamorously named Grand Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe. Held at the equally glamorous Hippodrome de Longchamp, this grand race first held in 1920 is currently the third richest race in the sport. More importantly, it ranks among the finest classics too.

“It is a world of thoroughbreds reared and trained to exacting levels of athleticism, where beautifully dressed women step out of limousines and wouldbe playboys roll up in low-lung sports cars, happy to smile for the paparazzi.”

Situated close to the Seine in the Bois de Boulogne, this spot has been drawing royalty, aristocracy and society since the mid19th century, when the likes of Manet and Degas captured the atmosphere on canvas. Described by some as ‘Not a course but a monument’, Longchamp and the Prix it hosts represent the classic of classics on the European continent, big enough to compete with the world-famous classics in Britain, the home of modern horse racing.

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POMP AND CEREMONY Most typical of these is the Grand National held at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool. Its steeplechase format replicates the cross-country style associated with the hunt, and while it can’t compete with the more conventional flat racing format on a commercial level, the Grand National retains an equestrian purity and link to its origins that is unique.

The grand flat racing classics include the Epsom Derby, the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Royal Ascot, which traces its roots to 1711. Although also home to National Hunt Racing (steeplechase), it is with the Royal Ascot that this famous course is most closely associated, conjuring images of monarchs arriving by coach en route to the royal enclosure, elegant ladies sporting elaborate head wear and gentlemen standing around in frock coats and top hats swilling champagne and looking dapper.

“the Grand National retains an equestrian purity and link to its origins that is unique” Tradition, pomp and ceremony still rule supreme at Ascot, and though Newmarket is officially considered the home of British racing – and breeding – it is this stately hippodrome not far from Windsor Castle that captures the world’s attention with its rich pageantry.

Every bit as iconic within the equestrian world is the Kentucky Derby, held every first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Set right in the heart of America’s horse breeding country, it like Ascot Week is the highpoint of an ongoing festival that in this case runs for up to two weeks. Where Longchamp features slick contemporary architecture and Ascot has undergone an impressive modernisation and expansion of its facilities, part of the magic of the Kentucky Derby is the magnificent classic styling of its Churchill Downs course.

First inaugurated shortly after the Civil War, this is about as olde-worlde as America gets, complete with ladies and gents sipping mint julep and dressed to suit their classic surroundings. At Churchill Downs the two-kilometre track is covered not in mossy grass but in finely kept sand that provides the backdrop for what the Americans call “The most exciting two minutes in sport.” Tradition is once again at the heart of things, with the elegance and chivalry of the Old South briefly coming back to life during the Kentucky Derby, proving that like all events entwined with tradition, horse racing is as much a social event as it is a sport.

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By Michel Cruz VILLÆ 43

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or so long now we have associated travel with sea, sun, sightseeing, pampering and generally making a nuisance of ourselves that it’s hardly a wonder that tourists are not the most beloved of people around the world. Instead of the conventional seaside hotel, country getaway or city tour we sought to find modern-day travel inspiration along a different route – one that approached the tourist experience from a novel perspective.

Where many have sought it in extreme luxury, out of the way locations or action-packed hairraising exploits, this selection of travel experiences gets close to Mother Nature and minimises the traveller’s impact without compromising on comfort. What’s more, we look at how the tourist may actually make a contribution to the environment he or she visits, something that is becoming more and more popular among seasoned travellers.

“this selection of travel experiences gets close to Mother Nature and minimises the traveller’s impact without compromising on comfort.”

Indeed, both people with a strong sense of moral rectitude and those who’ve seen large parts of the world in first class and experienced much pampering are now keen to turn their travel experience into something more meaningful than the rather voyeuristic ritual it has become in past decades. Holidays that include an active contribution are therefore as trendy as sipping cocktails on deck or discovering new perspectives of our wonderful planet.

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A WINDOW ON THE OCEAN

Now we’re familiar with those luxurious minimalist resorts that appear to float on the crystalline waters of the Maldives or some Pacific island against a backdrop of white sands and tall palm trees. Per Aquum resorts take this concept a step further, merging resort and ocean into one amazing visual spectacle that brings all those long-loved Bond movies to life.

Like a hidden paradise from that franchise its retreats in the UAE and the Maldives offer a seductive integration of land and water in which the view from your hotel room is not of the sea, but looks straight into it. Built on the edge of beach and ocean, Huvafen Fushi is a sumptuous luxury resort that allows you to immerse yourself in immaculate style on the white sandy beach, seek shelter amid tropical foliage, lounge on decks that merge with the sea, or return to your room under the waterline.

These luxurious cabin suites feature the elegance and style of a fine yacht or cruiser, yet with the unmistakable proximity to an underwater world that is normally associated with wetsuits, goggles, oxygen tanks and flippers. Not so here, where you can contemplate another world with drink in hand, like some suave Captain Nemo aboard a five-star Nautilus decked out with a spa and a fine dining restaurant.

www.peraquum.com

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What the finest ocean liners lack is privacy, while all but the most fantastical yachts cannot compete with cruise ships when it comes to the sheer range and scale of amenities. The ultimate, therefore, would be a private ship with the size and infrastructure of a liner, but such a thing remains in the realms of fantasy (for now). The nearest thing in existence today is the MS The World, a beautifully sculpted cruise ship that started life as the World of Residensea and is now owned and operated by a residential community of no more than 300 ‘tenants’.

port for water sports, and it becomes clear that this is nothing short of a floating paradise where even adults can feel like a kid in a candy store. What’s more, you’re not stuck in one location, but travel around the world in an everchanging itinerary agreed upon in advance. With automatic membership of the best yacht clubs, golf clubs and exclusive members clubs in most of the ports of call, it has everything to make you feel like royalty.

Fitted with everything you would desire of a large ocean liner, the 43,500-ton ship is geared not towards the usual complement of 2000-3000 staff and passengers, but instead 250 staff providing a six-star bespoke service for on average 100-200 owners and their guests. Instead of cabins or even suites the accommodation is made up of luxurious apartments of varying sizes and configurations that come complete with their own balconies and ocean-view jacuzzis.

A FLOATING PALACE INDEED

www.aboardtheworld.com

Add a small ‘hotel’ for visiting guests, a regal choice of restaurants and cafés, swimming pools, spa, lounges, hairdressers, cinema, library, business centre, museum, gentleman’s bar, sports facilities (including a driving range), pool decks, fitness centres and a state-of-the-art docking

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HEADING INLAND

Natural Retreats offers the kind of settings and experiences that are very much of the land. Combining rustic luxury with the beauty and impact of authentic wildernesses, it brings you close to nature without having to forsake comfort. The destinations are wide and varied, but include such remote paradises as Tulloch, in Scotland’s Highlands, where towering white peaks surrounded by heath and indented by lochs that see the skies reflected in their icy waters form the gateway to a fairytale world of castles, ruins and mossy solitude.

The accommodation is in luxuriously appointed cottages where authentic local charm is elevated to a very comfortable home base from which to explore the surrounding national parks. Almost as moody and every bit as beautiful is the North American alternative. The Greystone Inn is a luxury natural retreat on Lake Toxaway in North Carolina’s stunning Blue Ridge Mountains. Here you can enjoy the refined pleasures of golf, tennis, croquet, sailing, fine dining and spa treatments, as well as the hiking, mountaineering and fishing offered by the gorgeous surroundings. Sundowners are enjoyed aboard a large mahogany launch, where guests sip champagne and contemplate the scenery in the grand style of the Bell Époque.

www.naturalretreats.com

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For those with an active inclination there is a new kind of action experience that is fast taking root. Conservation holidays allow you to travel to far and wonderful lands where you can get up close to the culture, the natural environment and the people involved in helping to preserve fragile ecosystems and habitats. Rather than just being that tourist voyeur always looking from the outside in, volunteer holidays of this kind allow visitors to travel and see new things whilst also feeling that they have experienced something real and made a difference.

Making a contribution to the world rather than simply admiring it is what the hands-on holidays of GVI (Global Vision International) are all about, and they offer a wide choice of options ranging from environmental and community projects in Africa, Asia and the Americas to the conservation of endangered species such as the jaguar in beautiful Costa Rica. The hotel experience, consisting mostly of tropical huts and simple but honest meals, may be somewhat lacking in the luxury department, but the sense of involvement more than makes up for it, enabling volunteer visitors to work alongside conservationists and interns hard at work to study and protect these wonderful creatures.

The efforts of visiting contributors may seem like a short moment in time, but they form part of a coordinated

conservation programme that maps out a protected habitat for an animal whose numbers have dropped from 400,000 in the 1950s to the 14,000 that remain in the Americas today.

The setting is the stunning tropical Tortugero National Park, set along Costa Rica’s wild Caribbean coast. While learning about the surrounding ecosystem and helping with conservation activities, visitors are encouraged to enjoy themselves, let their hair down and sightsee, though the sightings of the jaguars themselves and the bonds of camaraderie that develop are generally cited as the most rewarding of all. For an experience that will stay with you for the rest of your life, this is holidaying seen from a completely different perspective.

www.gvi.co.uk

MAKING A CONTRIBUTION

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BY MICHEL CRUZ

The return of the Gentleman

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There was a time when a gentleman was the ultimate form of male humanity. If such a personage was also a bit of a dab hand at war, sports and the seducing of ladies, well so much the better. But it was the more serious characteristics of a gentleman that earned the greatest respect, making qualities such as good manners, refinement in look and intellect, a strong moral code and steadfast reliability the marks that made the man. You could rely on a real gentleman, and as the refined form of a ‘real man’ he was not confused about his gender role, but strong, resolute and also gentle and respectful towards women.

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“The very concept of a gentleman was engrained in a past world...”

The death of the gentleman

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f course, such a representation is more of an ideal than a day-to-day reality, but it gave people – especially young men – something rather lofty to aim for. In the end it was not so much the shaking up of the ancient class system that undid the gentleman, but the coming of the social revolution of the 1960s. This about-turn in society’s norms meant the rules regarding sexual and social conduct suddenly changed, altering in the process the roles which men and women had played for so long.

And so it was the arrival of youth culture that sounded the death knell for the gentleman. Before long, the word stopped having a positive connotation and eventually it practically disappeared from the vocabulary altogether. The very concept of a gentleman was engrained in a past world that was no longer relevant or desirable in an environment where female emancipation, male gender confusion, homosexual rights and other forms of social change surged forward with a force that would not be denied. Each hurdle cleared led rapidly to the next. Rightly or wrongly, it has resulted in a society where a significant proportion of boys seem to have devolved into scruffy, weak-willed pleasure seekers with little or no goal in life but to indulge their immediate urges.

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“As a result of this trend, tailors and shoemakers are experiencing a revival ”

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The appeal of the gentleman Naturally not everyone fits this description, but it isn’t too farfetched to say that manhood is in a sorry state these days.

Given this it isn’t really so surprising that a new generation of young gents is slowly rising out of the ashes of the original gentleman. Perhaps tired of spending so much time, money and preening to in the end appear scruffy and listless, the new gentleman is rediscovering style, manners and good taste.

Drawing inspiration from the past, he is enjoying the novel concept of fitted clothes, rather than those that are too tight or too loose, as well as the idea of looking smart and feeling rather dapper. Childish sportswear is replaced with quality shoes and jackets, bands and beads with good watches, and painstakingly crafted ‘messed up’ hair with cuts that are stylish yet manly. Dressed this way, his spine appears to straighten of its own accord, and as there is much more to a gentleman than appearances alone, his newly acquired self-respect begins to translate into greater respect and courteousness towards others, most notably the women in his life.

As a result of this trend, tailors and shoemakers are experiencing a revival, their customers now able to look beyond brand labels and appreciate the quality of fine materials, craftsmanship and the pleasures of made-to-

measure clothes that carry a discreet personalised monogram.

In combining old-fashioned bespoke quality with modern cuts and designs, tailored clothes, shoes and accessories such as leather driving gloves provide the means not so much to express monetary success as a desire to revive the look, behaviour and values of the gentleman – and in so doing give the men who have chosen this path a sense of purpose and direction.

It might sound like our chappie has won the lottery or suddenly joined the upper classes, but in the end it costs little more to look smarter, speak better and have a more useful attitude towards your life and the world in general. At the end of the day being a gentleman is more about what is within than without, and the ultimate mark of a gent is his character.

While there is no place for macho chauvinism, snobbery or even snivelling or insincere courtesies in today’s world, there is most definitely a need for strong-willed, respectful and ambitious young men with the conviction to chase their own happiness. As for ladies, they and gents alike can only exist one by virtue of the other, and the revival of gentlemanly behaviour will no doubt be welcomed by women of all ages.

As Modern Gentleman magazine says: “Style, manners and taste never go out of fashion”.

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By Michel Cruz

at home on the lakes Born on the shores of the Lago d’Iseo in northern Italy, Riva is today renowned for its sleek and powerful motor yachts. To have one of these impressive floating palaces at harbour in San Remo, Monaco, Puerto Banús, Ibiza or Porto Cervo remains a dream for oil sheiks and business tycoons alike, but the origins – and true spirit – of Riva lie not in the Mediterranean but in the paradisiacal lakes on the doorstep of the Alps.

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“Royals, film stars, business magnets and sheiks all lost their heart to this little jewel”

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o it is not fibre glass and carbon compounds but wood that is at the heart of this revered brand, for the company made its name through the majestic carpentry of its founder, Pietro Riva, producing yachts that were veritable wooden works of art. Before long these creations became a regular sight, adding to the beauty of emerald lakes, picturesque villages, grand estates and forested mountain ranges.

Always at the very forefront of the speedboat as it grew in power, beauty and finesse, Riva will forever be associated with the timeless glamour of its motorboats, the image of an Aquarama floating over the waters of Lakes d’Iseo or Maggiore as an inerasable expression of elegance and sophistication at its very best. Originally from Como himself, Pietro Riva links all these crystalline pools through the legendary creations he inspired.

Aquarama to Aquariva The Riva Aquarama was the culmination of an evolution that had begun over a century before and reached a high point in a vessel of a design so pure and desired that it ranks amongst the finest Ferraris, Rolls Royces, jewellery and handcrafted antiques created. Launched in 1962, the Aquarama was grace personified, its gently curved wooden hull singing on the water amid the tasteful opulence of leather, chrome and wood decking.

Royals, film stars, business magnets and sheiks all lost their heart to this little jewel, keeping it in production for 34 years not because it was so large, extravagant and boastful, but by the sheer force of its beauty and charm. Appearing wherever allure and sophistication were needed, the Aquarama featured in movies and adverts from James Bond and Oceans Twelve to Martini.

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Such a creation simply could not die, and in the early 2000s Riva built upon the tradition with the equally graceful Aquariva, which has added an updated aesthetic to the craft that long embellished the beauty of places like Stresa, Ascona, Lugano, Como and Locarno. Slower and more luxurious, it is now above all cherished as a floating objet d’art and statement of style that continues to bewitch the eye.

The enduring fascination with these Rivas lies not only in their exquisite design and craftsmanship, but also in the romantic ideal they represent, recalling an era of Dolce Vita in which the rich, famous and beautiful of the time feature prominently. The lakes were a perfect backdrop for it all, adding beauty to beauty as both nature and the architecture of pretty little lakeside towns provided the true spiritual home of the Riva.

Like a match made in heaven, setting and manmade creation are here in perfect harmony, showing each other off at their best. But then again, when even the boat’s creator is called Riva – shoreside – I guess it was always going to be so.

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Property section

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Architectural Highlight, Graz / AUSTRIA Penthouses from 88 m² to 138 m², Terraces, Garages Price from € 960,000. Ref. MI 1053

Unique Penthouse, Park Hyatt, Vienna / AUSTRIA Concierge service, Living area 616 m², terraces 189 m², Garage Price provided upon request. Ref. MI 1006

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Modern urban living, Vienna / AUSTRIA Modern apartments from 176 m² to 252 m², Terraces & Garages Price from € 1.290.000. Ref. MI 1012

Property section. Austria

Magnificent palace, Vienna / AUSTRIA Prestige residential area, Total area 1.584 m², Plot 2.486 m² Price provided upon request. Ref. MI 1047

Designer penthouse apartments, Vienna/AUSTRIA Living area from 160 m² to 192 m², Terraces, Garages Price from € 1,320,000. Ref. MI 1041

“Vienna Hills“ – Contemporary Luxury Living, Vienna / AUSTRIA Penthouse 308 m², pool terrace, garage Price: € 4.300.000. Ref. MI 1000

Outstanding Chalet, Kitzbühel/AUSTRIA Top location with amazing view, Total area 700 m², Plot 1.052 m² Price upon request. Ref. MI 1046

Marschall Immobilen GmbH +43 1 533 20 30 office@marschall.at www.marschall.at

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Paris 16th. FRANCE 10 rooms, 4 bedrs, 5 bathrs. Townhouse: 550 m², garden : 255 m² Price: € 6,500,000. Contact : + 33(1) 53 53 01 01. Ref: 9075021

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Property section. France

Paris 3rd. FRANCE 6 rooms, 3 bedrs, 2 bathrs. Duplex apartment: 132 m² Price: € 1,200,000. Contact : + 33(1) 44 54 15 30. Ref: 7967273

Paris 10th. FRANCE 5 rooms, 3 bedrs, 2 bathrs. Apartment: 110 m² Price: € 950,000. Contact: + 33 (1) 55 31 94 70. Ref: 9201574

Paris 7th. FRANCE 6 rooms, 4 bedrs, 4 bathrs. Apartment: 205 m² Price: € 3,950,000. Contact: + 33 (1) 47 05 50 36. Ref: 9411211

Paris 8th. FRANCE 6 rooms, 4 bedrs, 4 bathrs. Apartment: 250 m² Price: € 3,250,000. Contact: + 33 (1) 42 27 85 00. Ref: 9393651

Belles demeures de France +33 (0)1 53 23 81 81 bellesdemeuresdefrance@bdfrance.fr www.paris-fineresidences.com

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Modern City Palace Designed by architect David Chipperfield Berlin-Mitte, GERMANY. This new, luxurious penthouse is located in a forthcoming modern city palace mere steps away from Berlin’s important political and lifestyle centers, one of the last most central addresses in the German capital. Complete with library, salon, sauna and an overarching dining hall, this unit of over 400 m2 boasts ceiling heights of more than 3 meters, easily allowing for large social gatherings and receptions. Enjoy the top-class concierge service from the house lobby to the apartment, and take in the detailed architecture reminiscent of 1920s Berlin, designed by internationally-renowned architect David Chipperfield.

7 rooms, 3 bathrs, 415 m².

Price: € 5,350,000.

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Property section. Germany

Modern penthouse in the heart of Berlin, GERMANY. 3 bedrs. 3 bathrs. 383m², roof terrace, wrap around balcony Price: € 2,147,000.

Designer penthouse in top location, Berlin, GERMANY. 3 bedrs., 2 bathrs. 131 m², 3 terraces Price: € 1,660,000.

Berlin Capital Investments +49 (0) 30 52 00 97 00 request@berlin-capital.com www.berlin-capital.com VILLÆ 73

Elegant villa Frankfurt, Hesse, GERMANY. Located in the historic Mumm’schen Park on the desirable south side of Frankfurt, this villa fuses state-of-the-art architecture with the natural beauty of its materials. In contrast to the understated exterior, the interior features elegant design flourishes, including a main entrance that showcases a magnificent wooden staircase and handmade Murano glass chandelier.

The upper floors comprise the luxurious bedrooms and baths, as well as a sauna and fitness room.

Downstairs, residents can entertain guests in the large reception room and enjoy the peace of the library and study. All these rooms benefit from French doors, which lead to the patios overlooking the beautiful garden and Italian mosaic swimming pool. A modern bulthaup kitchen completes the main level. Ideally situated next to Frankfurt Forest, the property is also close to the city center, for the perfect mix of nature and culture.

5 bedrs., 5 bathrs., house: ca. 424 m², land: ca. 1,154 m² Price: € 3,490,000

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Property section. Germany

Charming estate Frankfurt, Hesse, GERMANY. This exceptional villa is situated in a quiet location only a few kilometers away from the city center of Frankfurt. It was built in 2006 and completely renovated in 2010 and offers generous rooms in a modern style. The estate is arranged over two levels and includes 10 rooms with high ceilings, state-of-the-art technology, large windows and an open fireplace. From the spacious and open living-dining area you can reach the generous terrace with approximately 80 m² area as well as the wonderfully arranged and secluded garden with a heated outdoor pool. On the ground floor relaxation is assured with a magnificent wellness area including a sauna, a fitness room as well as access to a second terrace. This delightful home is the perfect mix of luxury and location.

4 bedrs., 4 bathrs., house: ca. 450 m², land: ca. 2,690 m² Price: € 1,980,000

VON POLL IMMOBILIEN +49 (0) 069 – 26 91 57 0 frankfurt@von-poll.com www.von-poll.com

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Cà Loredan Foscari Beautiful piano nobile in XVI century palace Cannaregio, Venice, ITALY. The home, only 5 min to Rialto, is divided into two units, 323 sqm in total, and consisting of: entrance with internal courtyard with colonnade; the main house has large windows on the courtyard and canals, a very elegant and wide living room with a balcony which features a “quadrifora” (four-light windows), high beamed ceilings, terrace and “marmorino” painting, a second living room, large kitchen, 3 spacious bedrooms and 3 elegant bathrooms in travertine and mosaic. The home is very bright with excellent interior finishes and an amazing and peaceful position.

The independent apartment of about 122sqm consists of: entry hall, living room, kitchenette, bedroom and bathroom. The home also has a 24smq storage room and entrance for the boat.

Price provided upon request. Ref. CF 579.

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Property section. Italy

Piazza Erbe, Verona, ITALY. 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms apartment 270 sqm, wonderful views Price provided upon request. Ref CF 580.

Floreal Art nouveau villa, Verona, ITALY. Totally restored named “Villa Decima”, house 1000 sqm; apartments 800 sqm; park 17000 sqm Price provided upon request. Ref 557.

Cofim Immobiliare +39 045 800 11 99 info@cofimimmobiliare.it www.cofimimmobiliare.it

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Panoramic Estate, “Stazzu Matteu” Porto Cervo, Costa Smeralda, Sardinia, ITALY. Mediterranean retreat, in a stunning location overlooking Corsica and the Archipelago de La Maddalena, this 3-hectares estate nestled amid trees, shrubs and is immersed in one of the oldest and most important vineyards in Sardinia. Just a moment from the sea, beautiful beaches and the characterful towns of Porto Cervo and Cannigione. Recently built and finished to the highest standard with handmade details and sought-after materials.

Unmatched natural setting. Land 3 hectares, swimming pool, solarium.

Price: € 2,300,000. Ref: IMSCS348

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Property section. Italy

Villa Angel, Costa Smeralda, Pantogia, Sardinia, ITALY Stunning location on the hills of Pantogia, view of the islands of Nibani, Pevero Golf and Tavolara. Large garden, pool with monoliths and waterfall.

6 bedrs, 6 bathrs, house 300 sqmt., land 1.400 sqmt.

Price upon request. Ref. IMSCS305

Villa Terry, Terravecchia, Santa Teresa, Sardinia, ITALY Power spot. Dolphins, birds, Mediterranean macchia and granite rocks as neighbours. Villa pieds dans l’eau, built on 8,000 m2 of land on the coast, stunning views on Bonifacio.

Price: € 3,000,000. Ref. IMSTV002

Immobilsarda Srl + 39 0789 909000 portocervo@immobilsarda.com www.immobilsarda.com

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Luxury Penthouse. Rome, ITALY Big formal rooms, 2 main suites, 5 bathrs. House: 350 m2, terraces: 270 m2 Price provided upon request. Ref. LC158

Splendid Penthouse. Rome, ITALY Formal rooms, 3 bedrs. Office, 5 bathrs. House: 270 m2, veranda, terrace: 44 m2.

Price provided upon request. Ref. LC159

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Property section. Italy

Frescoed Historical Property. Rome, ITALY Different formal rooms, High decorated ceilings.

Surface: 926 m2, Courtyard: 50 m2 Price provided upon request. Ref. LC38

Exclusive Loft. Rome, ITALY Big Formal Room, Veranda, Relaxing area, 1 Main suite, 2 bedrs, 5 bathrs.

House: 500 m2, terrace: 120 m2 Price provided upon request. Ref. LC160

Historic Castle. Vicovaro (Rome), Latium, ITALY Cenci- Bolognetti Palace; House: 6,500 m2, Land: 3,000 m2 Price provided upon request. Ref. LC227

Luxury Villa. Rome, ITALY Formal rooms, 5 bedrs, 5 bathrs. Fitness Area, House: 430 m2, Land: 2,100 m2 Price provided upon request. Ref. LC45

La Commerciale Srl (+39) 06 3200 613 lacommerciale@lacommerciale.org www.italiannetworkrealty.com

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Stunning Contemporary Jewel. Camojรกn, Marbella, SPAIN 8 bedrs., 8 bathrs. House: 1.844m2. Land: 2.150m2 Price provided upon request. Ref: DM3365

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Property section. Spain

Sierra Blanca, Marbella, SPAIN 7 bedrs. 7 bathrs. House: 1.477m2. Land: 3.284m2.

Price provided upon request. Ref: DM3356

Sierra Blanca area, Marbella, SPAIN 4 bedrs., 3 bathrs. House: 492m2. Land: 812m2 Price : € 1,950,000. Ref: DM3332

Marbella Hill Club, Marbella, SPAIN 4 bedrs., 3 bathrs. Interior: 179m2. Terraces: 196m2 Price: € 870,000. Ref: DM3239

Next to Puerto Banus. Golden Mile, Marbella, SPAIN 3 bedrs. 3 bathrs. Interior: 215m2. Terraces: 148m2 Price : € 2,300,000. Ref: DM2934

Diana Morales Properties +34 952 76 51 38 enquiries@dmproperties.com www.dmproperties.com

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Open door to the Mediterranean Sea Modern style villa in privileged location JĂĄvea, Costa Blanca, SPAIN. This very private villa is considered to be one of the most exclusive properties of the area, constructed using materials of the highest quality and offers direct access to the Mediterranean Sea, as well as open sea views. This exclusive villa has a very modern design and features large panoramic windows, offering an abundance of light throughout the house.

5 bedrs, 4 bathrs, house: 600 m2, land: 1.500 m2 Price provided upon request. Ref: RMG 4088

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Property section. Spain

Exclusive duplex in the heart of Valencia Prime location, impressive views Valencia, SPAIN. This duplex attic apartment has a unique grand terrace and is right in the heart of Valencia. The clever design takes advantage of the fantastic views and ensures that all the rooms receive plenty of natural light.

4 bedrs, 3 bathrs, 237 m2 Price: € 1,850,000. Ref: RMG V052

Rimontgó +34 963 50 44 44 valencia@rimontgo.es www.rimontgo.com

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Chalet in the center of the village of Verbier – Valais, SWISS 4 bedrs, 3 bathrs. Home 100 m², land 914 m² Price provide upon request. Ref. 19458 contact + 41 21 641 66 90

Contemporary Townhouse – left bank of Geneva, SWISS 4 bedrs, 3 bathrs. Home 300 m², land 272 m² Price provided upon request. Ref. 19246 contact +4122 809 08 05

Panoramic view on the Alpes and the lake – Territet, Canton de Vaud, SWISS 3 bedrs, 2 bathrs. Flat 153 m², terrasse 46 m² Price: CHF 1’700’000. Ref. 19209 contact + 41 21 641 66 90

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Property section. Switzerland

New construction in the center of Lausanne – Canton de Vaud, SWISS 15 apartments from 102 m² witn balcony and garage Price starting from CHF 860’000. Ref. 19328 contact + 41 21 641 66 90

Charming individual house – Chêne-Bourg, Geneva, SWISS 4 bedrs, 3 bathrs. Home 183 m², land 1504 m² Price provided upon request. Ref. 18880 contact +4122 809 08 02

Panoramic view on lake – Crans, the Coast vaudoise, SWISS 6 bedrs, 4 bathrs. Home 260 m², land 1250 m² Price provided upon request. Ref. 20386 contact +4122 809 08 15

CGi Immobilier +41 22 809 08 09 ventes@cgi.ch www.cgi.ch

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Villa, Herrliberg, SWITZERLAND 7 1⁄2 rooms. Living area: 525 m2, plot: 951 m2 Price upon request. Ref: VJ 35053

Apartments in Mobimo Tower Zurich, SWITZERLAND 4 1⁄2 to 5 1⁄2 rooms. Living area: 200 m2 to 300 m2 Price starting from CHF 2,980,000. Ref: VJ 30183

Maisonette, Rüschlikon, SWITZERLAND 7 1⁄2 rooms. Living area: 350 m2 Price upon request. Ref: FP 35036

Villa, Zurich (Zurichberg area), SWITZERLAND 9 1⁄2 rooms. Living area: 720 m2, plot: 1.326m2 Price upon request. Ref: FP 35025

Double-Villa, Zurich (Dolder area), SWITZERLAND 15 rooms. Main villa 580 m2, small villa 315 m2, plot: 3.300 m2. Price upon request. Ref: FP 20737

Villa, Meilen, SWITZERLAND 7 rooms. Living area: 540 m2, plot: 1.175 m2 Price upon request. Ref: SK 20833

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Property section. Switzerland

Townhouse, Zurich (old town), SWITZERLAND 7 1⁄2 rooms. Living area: 391 m2 and 64 m2 terraces Price upon request. Ref: PI 35054

Villa, Zollikon, SWITZERLAND 14 rooms. Living area: 620 m2, plot: 2.071 m2 Price upon request. Ref: MW 35046

Villa, Pfäffikon, SWITZERLAND 6 1/2 rooms. Living area: 270 m2, plot: 1.385 m2 Price upon request. LA 35047

Villa, Küsnacht, SWITZERLAND 10 1⁄2 rooms. Living area: 496 m2, plot: 2.170 m2 Price upon request. Ref: LA 35044

Villa, Zurich (Dolder area), SWITZERLAND 11 1/2 rooms. Living area: 545 m2, plot: 2.028 m2 Price upon request. Ref: VJ 35052

Maisonette, Zurich (Dolder area), SWITZERLAND 8 1/2 rooms. Living area: 519 m2, plot: 2.441 m2 Price upon request. Ref: PI 35051

Walde & Partner Immobilien AG +41 44 396 60 66 eren@walde.ch www.walde.ch

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Villalta, Luxurious mansion. Lake Lugano, SWITZERLAND Main villa , 1390 m2, multi-use building, 1500 m2, with 10 working rooms and 12 suites staff house, 600 m2, land 100’722 m2 Price provided upon request. Ref: WE1019 Casa Leone: ravishing luxury estate. Piazzogna, Lake Maggiore, SWITZERLAND 5 bedrs. 5 bathrs. Villa: 400 m2, land 19’589 m2 Price provided upon request. Ref: WE1302

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Property section. Switzerland

Romantic luxurious traditional houses Lake Maggiore, Valle Maggia, SWITZERLAND 4 bedrs, 4 bathrs. House: 180 m2, land: 681 m2 Price: CHF 2’900’000. Ref.: WE2298

Masterpiece with stunning views Brissago, Lake Maggiore, SWITZERLAND 4 bedrs, 4 bathrs. Villa 750 m2, land: 4625 m2 Price upon request. Ref: WE1223

Villa sorgente. Morcote, Lake Lugano, SWITZERLAND 4 bedrs, 4 bathrs. Villa 750 m2, land: 4625 m2 Price upon request. Ref: WE1333

Casa Albertina: Mediterranean pearl Morcote, Lake Lugano, SWITZERLAND 5 bedrs, 4 bathrs. Villa 740 m2, land: 1881 m2 Price upon request. Ref: WE1312

Wetag Consulting +41 (0) 91 751 3106 info@wetag.ch www.wetag.ch

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www.europeanrealestate.org

successful international cooperation “The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more,” Dr. J.E. Salk EREN professional websites promoting luxury real estate in five languages perform ever better, year after year, and consolidate a dominant position within the international market.

The philosophy behind the founding of EREN was to create an organisation that brought together the leading luxury real estate agents in Europe, so that we could work together, exchange knowledge and ideas, and encourage one another to achieve new heights of success as measured in terms of service, professionalism, marketing strength and business results.

As the organisation matured and settled into its role it has begun to show its benefits in all these respects, with communication, trust and shared values at the heart of an increase in business interaction between our various offices, be they in Milan, Vienna or London. We are independent companies, but we work closely together and have created highly streamlined and efficient ways of exchanging information between ourselves and dealing with international enquiries in a way that is increasingly bringing buyers and sellers from highly diverse geographical locations together to conclude a mutually beneficial property transaction.

Some examples that are a direct result of this trend are displayed in the coming pages. We hope you will enjoy this issue’s captivating stories.

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WALDE & PARTNER AND BERLIN CAPITAL INVESTMENTS

”Berlin Capital Investments was able to swiftly source an affluent Chinese family from Hong Kong who wished to purchase a luxury home for their daughter in Berlin.”

A successful international collaboration in caring for property inheritance within the EREN network.

In 2013, a Swiss family contracted EREN member Walde & Partner to assist them in organizing and liquidating some of their various international luxury residencies.

Walde & Partner valuated their ca. CHF 8 Million, 350 m2 lakeside Zürich residence in order to sell it on the international luxury market, and further contacted Berlin-based EREN member Berlin Capital Investments to help sort out their property there.

Their elegantly-fitted flat, at over 200 m2 with concierge and located in Charlottenburg, a high-class borough of the German capital city, was quickly sold

by Berlin Capital Investments for € 1 Million. With the aide of its vast network of international real estate buyers, Berlin Capital Investments was able to swiftly source an affluent Chinese family from Hong Kong who wished to purchase a luxury home for their daughter in Berlin.

During the reorganization of their assets, the family purchased an apartment in the Swiss residential development “Peninsula”, a high-luxury living project executed by the Peach Property Group, one of EREN’s European development partners.

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Rimontgó opens EREN’s doors to Asia EREN is a European luxury real estate network linked to similar organisations around the world. Rimontgó’s directors recently travelled to China to lay the groundwork to establish new contacts and to open a new market for its members.

Meaningful relationships are not built overnight. Indeed, they need to be cultivated carefully, allowing time for both parties to become acquainted and trust to be established. Antonio and José Ribes Bas of Inmobiliaria Rimontgó embarked upon this process in 2011 with an explorative visit to Hong Kong and mainland China.

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A bridge to Europe These first visits proved fruitful, and as a result a bridge of dialogue and exchange of information and ideas was created between East and West. In the process, Rimontgó was developing a greater understanding of China and how the country operates, while in turn providing information about Spain and Europe, and how their real estate markets could be of interest to Chinese investors.

The latter, who are known to be interested in commercial real estate, as well as assets such as wineries and vineyards, saw new doors open to them too. This interaction culminated in a delegation from Rimontgó being invited to the highly exclusive Chang An Club in Beijing wich formed the elegant backdrop for events where Rimontgó was introduced to many of the region’s top businessmen and company owners.

Great interest was expressed in Spain and Europe in general, followed by several fact-finding trips to Spain, where José and Antonio were able to return the hospitality they had enjoyed in China. Amid relationships that continue to grow in depth and intensity, teams from Rimontgó continue to visit the Far East on a regular basis, opening a potentially significant market not just to themselves but also to members of EREN in general.

“a bridge of dialogue and exchange of information and ideas was created between East and West. ”

“Chinese buyers are not likely to replace European ones as the main market for luxury residential city and resort homes,” says José Ribes, “but they are important commercial investors and also feature prominently at the top end of a market that is growing more global all the time. We are very pleased with the people we have met and the contacts we have made, and look forward to a long-standing relationship with our Chinese business partners and friends.”

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MEMBERS OF EREN

2014

AUSTRIA MARSCHALL IMMOBILIEN. Wien A modern, dynamic company that combines its technical know-how and knowledge of the local property market with a customer-orientated service.

Providing a key brokerage and surveying service to private buyers and investors, embassies, trusts and foundations, the firm offers a portfolio of upmarket residential properties, commercial real estate and industrial premises.

Palais Kinsky, Freyung 4 1010 Wien - Austria Tel: +43 – 1 – 533 20 30 Fax : +43 – 1- 533 20 30 30 office@marschall.at www.marschall.at

FRANCE BELLES DEMEURES DE FRANCE. Paris Located at the heart of Paris’s most prestigious neighborhood, Belles demeures de France is the meeting point for the finest real estate and the most demanding international customers. Belles demeures de France, in partnership with Daniel Féau, accounts for over 30% of the market over 1.5 million euros in the best districts of Paris.

30 avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie 75008 Paris - France Tel: + 33 (0)1 53 23 81 82 Fax: + 33 (0)1 53 23 81 89 bellesdemeuresdefrance@bdfrance.fr www.paris-fineresidences.com

GERMANY BERLIN CAPITAL INVESTMENTS. Berlin A leading property firm in the heart of the German capital, Berlin Capital Investments deals with clients from all corners of the globe in the selling of high-end residential projects exclusively in central Berlin. Berlin Capital Investments is a reputed property consultancy for developers, and is deeply involved in the project planning, individual marketing and sales strategies of its development projects.

Leipziger Platz 15 10117 Berlin, Germany +49 (0) 30 52 00 97 00 request@berlin-capital.com www.berlin-capital.com

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VON POLL IMMOBILIEN. Frankfurt Specialised in preferred residential and business areas, Von Poll offers a whole variety of services concerning real estate.

Their headquarters are located in Frankfurt/ Main.

EschersheimerLandstr. 537D 60431 Frankfurt am Main - Germany Tel: +49 69 9511790 Fax: +49 69 95117911 frankfurt@von-poll.de www.von-poll.de

ITALY COFIM. Verona Founded in 1978, Cofim is a leading property firm in the Veneto region that specialises in both sales and rentals. A reputation for exhaustive due diligence gives their clients the assurance that the properties offered have been objectively and critically assessed.

Stradone Porta Palio, 16/A. 37122 Verona - Italy Tel: +39 – 045 – 800 11 99 Fax: +39 – 045 – 800 26 96 argentieri@cofim-immobiliare.it www.cofim-immobiliare.it GIORGIO VIGANÒ. Milan The firm has grown substantially from its early foundations in 1960 as a traditional family business specialised in residential real estate. Today, the company is one of the leading property agencies in Milan and surrounding areas, combining high quality residential and commercial brokerage with long-term rentals, project management and valuations.

Via Maggiolini 2. 20122 Milan-Italy Tel: +39–02–76 36 151 Fax: +39–02–78 36 18 bvigano@giorgio-vigano.it www.giorgio-vigano.it LA COMMERCIALE. Rome This property specialist for Rome and the surrounding province of Lazio is a leading brokerage, accredited by the Chamber of Commerce to operate with the Real Estate Stock Exchange of Rome, and entrusted with the sale of luxury city properties, large historical country estates and commercial real estate.

Lungotevere dei Mellini 44.

00193 Rome - Italy Tel: +39–06– 200613.

Fax: +39–06 –3218100 lacommerciale@lacommerciale.org www.italian-network.it

IMMOBILSARDA. Sardinia - Porto Cervo.

Leading high-end real estate specialist in Sardinia – Costa Smeralda for over 35 years. Providing brokerage and surveying services as well as project management and valuations. Immobilsarda guarantees an invaluable local knowledge and an extensive portfolio of high quality properties for sale and rent, seafront villas and estates, luxury golf resort projects, championing sustainable developments.

Via Nazionale 28.

07028 Santa Teresa di Gallura - Italy Tel: +39-0789-754500 Fax: +39-0789-754371 Piazzetta degli Archi, 2 07020 Porto Cervo - (OT) - Italy Tel. +39-0789-909000 Fax. + 39-0789-909022 immobilsarda@immobilsarda.com www.immobilsarda.com

PORTUGAL LUXIMO LUXURY REAL ESTATE. Porto Covering Oporto, the Costa Verde, Gerés and the Douro Valley as well as other sought after areas. LUXIMO’S, is dedicated to the purchase and selling of prestigious real estate such as quintas or vineyards in the Douro Valley, luxury apartments and villas of prestige.

Avenida Brasil, nr 227 Porto, PR 4150-152. Portugal Tel: +351 224 057 008 Fax: +351 224 027 052 info@luximos.pt www.luximos.pt

SPAIN DM PROPERTIES. Marbella As one of the longest-established and most highly respected real estate agencies in Marbella, DM Properties attracts a highly selective clientele of vendors and buyers. Specialising in luxury homes, the firm has built up a name for integrity, professionalism and know-how that is sought by those in the high end of the market.

Los Portales. Avda. Ricardo Soriano 72-B, 1º P.O. Box 390. 29600 Marbella - Spain Tel: +34 952 822 853 Fax: +34 952 771 871 enquiries@dmproperties.com www.dmproperties.com

RIMONTGÓ. Valencia, Jávea Specialising in Valencia and northern Costa Blanca regions, Rimontgó is a wellestablished family business that has been building, marketing and selling quality villas and apartments since 1959. Rimontgó’s multilingual team offers a full range of residential and commercial property services, ensuring the company’s success in a vibrant region of Spain.

Avda. Cristo del Mar, 21 03730 Jávea (Alicante) - Spain Tel. +34 965 791 035 Fax. +34 965 795 129 Po. Amanecer, bl 9, local 10 03730 Jávea (Alicante) - Spain Tel. +34 966 470 983 Fax. + 34 966 470 983 Gran Vía Marqués del Turia, 62 46005 Valencia - Spain Tel.+34 963 504 444 Fax. +34 963 504 445

WETAG. Locarno, Ascona, Lugano A leading specialist in high-end real estate in the Ticino region of Switzerland since the 1970s, Wetag is also the exclusive representative of leading international real estate organisations such as EREN and The Leading Real Estate Companies of the World.

Via della Pace 1 a 6601 Locarno - Switzerland Tel: +41-91-751 31 06 Fax: +41-91-751 96 38 Via Beato Berno, 10 6612 Ascona - Switzerland Tel: +41-91-791 29 20 Fax: +41-91-791 77 66 Riva Antonio Caccia, 3 6900 Lugano - Switzerland Tel: +41-91-994 68 51 Fax: +41-91 -994 68 52 info@wetag.ch www.wetag.ch

rimontgo@rimontgo.es www.rimontgo.com

UK SWITZERLAND CGi IMMOBILIER, Genève, Lausanne.

With almost sixty years’ experience and boasting around seventy-five employees, CGi offers a wide range of property services, with a down-to-earth approach ensuring a contact tailored to clients’ needs.

With offices in Geneva and Lausanne, CGi covers all the Lake Geneva area and neighbouring Swiss Alps.

EREN HEADQUARTERS London 33, St. James’s Square London SW1Y 4JS - United Kingdom T. +44 0203 178 6154 F. +44 0203 178 6155 bod@europeanrealestate.org www.europeanrealestate.org

Rue des Bains, 35 CP 242 - 1211 Genève 8 - Switzerland Tel. +41 22 809 08 09 vente@cgi.ch • www cgi.ch WALDE & PARTNER IMMOBILIEN AG Zurich, Lucerne.

Walde & Partner Immobilien are the leading independent real estate agents for prime, exclusive properties in the Germanspeaking region of Switzerland. Founded in 1985, Walde & Partner operates with a staff of 50 at its four offices in and around Lake Zurich and Lucerne. The Brand Walde & Partner Immobilien stands for quality, professionalism and the highest level of customer satisfaction.

Alte Landstrasse 107 8702 Zollikon - Switzerland Tel. +41 44 396 60 60 Fax. +41 44 396 60 90 eren@walde.ch • www.walde.ch

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An organisation’s ability to learn, and rapidly translate this into action, is the ultimate competitive advantage.

Jack Welch

www.europeanrealestate.org VILLÆ 98

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LONDON GENEVA BERLIN ROME VALENCIA MARBELLA BARCELONA ZÜRICH FRANKFURT TUSCANY PARIS PORTO JAVEA VENICE MADRID LUGANO VERONA MILAN SARDINIA VIENNA

EREN Head Office 33, St. James’s Square, London SW1Y 4JS.

www.europeanrealestate.org