Unique Issue 7

U N I Q U E

BLACKADORE CAYE

IT WAS A VERY GOOD YEAR WHITE LIGHT, WHITE HEAT

THE BELL 525

HOT IN THE CITY - MADRID

Editor-in-Chief

Operations

Creative

Contributors:

Cover

COMPENDIUM

THE LONG LOST OCEAN

A primitive ocean on Mars held more water than our own Arctic Ocean, according to NASA scientists who, using ground-based observatories, measured water signatures in the Red Planet’s atmosphere.

“Our study provides a solid estimate of how much water Mars once had, by determining how much water was lost to space,” said Geronimo Villanueva, a scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Even though modern Mars is essentially a desert, 4.3 billion years ago, Mars could have had enough water to cover its entire surface in a liquid layer about 137 metres deep. More likely, the water would have formed an ocean occupying almost half of Mars’ northern hemisphere, in some regions reaching depths greater than 1.6 kilometres.

Based on the surface of Mars today, a likely location for this water would be in the Northern Plains, considered a good candidate because of the low-lying ground. An ancient ocean there would have covered 19 percent of the planet’s surface. By comparison, the Atlantic Ocean occupies 17 percent of Earth’s surface.

“With Mars losing that much water, the planet was very likely wet for a longer period of time than was previously thought, suggesting it might have been habitable for longer,” said Michael Mumma, a senior scientist at Goddard and the second author on the paper.

FABERGÉ IN QATAR

The story of the series of opulent Easter eggs created by Fabergé for the Russian Imperial family, is something we’ve touched on in a previous issue of UNIQUE. Against an extraordinary historical backdrop, the story began when Tsar Alexander III decided to give a jewelled Easter egg to his wife, the Empress Marie Feodorovna, in 1885, possibly to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their betrothal. The Tsar is thought to have been involved in the design of the egg with Fabergé as the project went along, and thus the first Imperial Easter egg was born.

In February, almost a century after production was scrapped at the outbreak of the Russian Revolution, the first new Fabergé Imperial egg was unveiled in Qatar. The ‘Faberge Pearl Egg’ valued at $2 million, featured 139 fine white pearls, and more than 3,300 diamonds as well as other precious gemstones. It was expected to be sold immediately after it went on display at a five-day jewellery exhibition in Doha, though it was rumoured to have already been snapped up by a member of the Qatari royal family.

Faberge made only 50 eggs before the revolution in 1917, and only 42 eggs are known to have survived. The Kremlin retains 10, while the British royal family owns three among a huge collection of Faberge jewellery. The largest private collector is Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg, who bought nine of the eggs from the Forbes publishing family in the US a decade ago.

BY ROYAL APPOINTMENT

Limited to only five units, an $820,000 gun inspired by falconry traditions of the Arabian world, is now the world’s most expensive hunting rifle.

Manufactured in VO Vapen of Sweden, this extremely highly detailed weapon features the world’s finest walnut root, embellished by the exquisite drawings of Peregrine and Saker falcons. It’s octagon barrels illustrating the VO Falcon are made of Damascus steel.

VO Vapen of Sweden deliver exclusive collections and tailor-made rifles to royalty and celebrities all over the world. The company, by royal appointment to H.M. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, uses a patented take-down system allowing the shooter to use several different calibers on the same rifle. The list of VO enthusiasts also includes H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi’s Royal Family.

SMILE FOR THE CAMERA

A South Korean family loves photography so much that they built a life-sized replica of a Rolleiflex twin lens camera next-door to their family home and called it the ‘Dreaming Camera Cafe.’

The two-storey building is the brainchild of Park Sung-hwan, a former helicopter pilot with the South Korean airforce, and his wife Kwak Myunghee, herself a retired army pilot. Doubling as a fully-functioning coffee shop and miniature camera museum, the walk-in Rolleiflex is located about 40 miles east of Seoul.

Park’s interest in photography began 12 years ago and collecting cameras became a natural progression. The couple had originally imagined a building shaped like a Leica rangefinder, but subsequently opted for the Rolleiflex design for technical reasons. In 2009, Kwak had sketched the concept for the cafe on a piece of cardboard and it was only a matter of time before the two ex-pilots turned their dream into a reality. Construction began in 2012 and the cafe finally opened in 2014.

Influenced by several Korean artists who create visualisations of people’s dreams, the couple realised that their love for photography could play an integral role in achieving their goal. Kwak and her husband are both committed to the “dream visualisation” route they’ve taken, actively looking for new ways to motivate the customers to join the movement while managing the day-to-day operations.

“Our success isn’t defined by how much money we make. If someone walks through the door and talks about their dream, that would make our day. That’s what the Dreamy Camera Cafe is for.”

image © park sung hwan

COMPENDIUM

THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO

Designer Oscar Viñals’ recently unveiled renders of his AWWA Progress Eagle concept plane, a commercial super eco-jet of the future.

The triple-decked, eco-friendly, hybrid jet airliner with 800 seats would utilise six hydrogen fuel engines to take-off and rear electric wind generators to sustain flight using self-generated electrical power, whilst up in the clouds.

The ‘Progress Eagle’ visualises efficient air travel in 2030 with hybrid quantum solar cells positioned on the roof in a hexagonal pattern, and an air intake diffuser controlling the aerodynamics and drag reduction.

It’s use of economical and environmentally friendly technologies, would ensure zero contaminant emissions and 75% less noise than current planes.

The futuristic design introduces a new travel grade called ‘pilot’s class’, where customers would be situated at the front of the plane, experiencing panoramic views and a host of advanced entertainment technologies. The traditional cockpit has been relocated to the unusual front extrusion of the plane’s second deck.

The ‘Progress Eagle’, would be constructed with carbon fibre, graphene, ceramic, aluminum, titanium and shape-memory alloy materials. It’s ultra-slim, tip-to-top 96 metre wings, would be able to fold into sections to reduce the plane’s width at airports.

BANKSY TURNS UP IN GAZA

In late February the mysterious British street artist, Banksy, turned to the war-torn streets of the Gaza strip to create his latest work: A saccharin white kitten wearing a pink bow; a guard tower doubling as an amusement park ride; and a painting on a wooden door of the Greek goddess Niobe, weeping for her dead offspring.

“A local man came up and said ‘please – what does this mean?’” Banksy said. “I explained I wanted to highlight the destruction in Gaza by posting photos on my website, but on the internet, people only look at pictures of kittens.”

Police in Gaza have since confiscated the door bearing the graffiti, after its original owner said he was tricked into selling it for $175. They acted after a complaint was filed by Rabie Darduna against a local artist who bought the door from him. The artist, Bilal Khaled, insisted that the purchase was legal.

BIRDS FOR A SONG

The Rochat brothers were said to have manufactured singing bird automata for more than 200 years, and many of their complex and exquisite pieces were extremely successful at auctions.

Established in La Vallée de Joux, the Frères Rochat company has designed and manufactured a singing bird automata of exceptional quality, one that is faithfully inspired by the Rochat Brothers’ 19th century traditions and movement architecture.

Bringing these traditions back to life was a real challenge. They are fitted with the Grand complications such as the mechanical FR2903 movement, designed and built by the brand in Switzerland.

All 1,227 components of the mechanism are individually finished by hand according to the highest standards of Swiss watchmaking, creating a true work of art with 20 complications, 74 jewels, 14 cams, 12 semitones, four tunes, 74 rubies and a fusée barrel with a 404-link microchain.

BEATLES FOR SALE

In November last year, an iconic guitar that John Lennon had gifted his cousin in 1967, went up for auction. TracksAuction, the company selling the Gretsch 6120 Chet Atkins hollow body electric, called it “the most significant of John’s guitars to come onto the market in the last 30 years,” and hailed it as the guitar that John had played on the Beatles classic 1966 hit, ‘Paperback Writer,’ ironic since it was a song written by Paul McCartney.

The Gretsch was eventually bought by representatives of Jim Irsay, guitar collector and owner of the Indianapolis Colts for $530,000, adding to an already impressive 175 guitar collection that includes Black Beauty, Les Paul’s 1954 black Custom guitar that became the prototype of it’s kind.

Irsay paid $275,000 for the Black Beauty, far less than the $850,000 he paid for Jerry Garcia’s main guitar, or the $965,000 he paid for Bob Dylan’s Fender Stratocaster (the famed ‘Dylan goes electric” guitar’).

In 2001 Irsay purchased the original manuscript of Jack Kerouac’s ‘On The Road,’ a 120ft scroll of continuous tracing paper sheets, cut to size and taped together. The price … $2.43 million.

Passion for excellence is our trademark In everything we do, our goal is to meet and surpass your expectations Our highly trained staff is always on hand to ensure your complete satisfaction, both on the ground and in the air. And our unrivalled facilities guarantee your comfort and convenience every time you fly

MONEY, JUST MAKE IT!

Floyd Mayweather vs Manny Pacquiao

When Muhammad Ali and Smokin’ Joe Frazier fought at Madison Square Garden for the heavyweight championship in New York City on March 8 1971, boxing writers were already prebilling it as ‘The Fight Of The Century.’

The fact that these two heavyweight titans had never been defeated made it the most highly anticipated fight of all time. Ali had won the title when he defeated Sonny Liston in 1964, successfully defending his belt until he had it stripped from him by the boxing authorities in 1967 for refusing induction into the armed forces. During Ali’s absence from the ring, Joe Frazier had won two heavyweight championship belts and the world wanted an undisputed champion.

On the night of the fight, the atmosphere inside the arena was said to resemble a circus, with scores of policemen brought in to control the crowd. Tickets were extremely hard to come by and when Frank Sinatra failed to procure a ringside seat, he booked himself a press pass and took photographs for Life magazine from the front row.

Fans who couldn’t get tickets or couldn’t afford them, could watch the fight live on closed circuit ‘big screen’ television in halls, theatres and arena’s around the world; a precursor of what was to follow. Although Ali and Frazier were guaranteed $2.5 million each for their first epic encounter ($14.5 million each if we account for inflation), by today’s standards the purse was a

drop in the ocean. The old 70’s business model took a dive in the fourth and didn’t get up for the count.

MOVE ON UP

By comparison, the 21st Century has it’s own ‘Fight of the Century’ coming in May, when Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao meet at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas. By the time the dust has settled, it will have been the highest grossing fight in boxing history.

The biggest change to that business model was the advent of pay-per-view TV. When Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran fought in 1980, the cost to the consumer was $10 for the fight; whereas the 1999 fight between Oscar De La Hoya and Felix Trinidad ran to $49.99 per home. The Mayweather vs Pacquiao fight is expected to fetch a record $99.95 fee.

Sugar Ray Robinson (above), thought by The Ring magazine and many pundits, to be the greatest fighter of all-time, made $4 million (gauged to inflation) during his entire career. By the time Mayweather beat Canelo Alvarez in 2013, his career earnings were already beyond $400 million mark. Mayweather and the well -earned hype around him is, without any doubt, the greatest marketing machine in the history of sport. His biggest personal pay days en route to the May showdown with Pacquiao are mind boggling. He breaks records, then breaks them again.

$11 million - Ricky Hatton in 2007.

$22.5 million - Shane Mosley in 2010.

$25 million - Victor Ortiz in 2011.

$32 million - Miguel Cotto in 2011.

$32 Million - Robert Guererro in 2013.

$41.5 million - Canelo Alvarez in 2013.

Last year, Mayweather picked up a total of $64 million for two fights against Marcos Maidana. The breakdown for just one of those fights panned out at $14,800 per second, $888,000 per minute, and $2.5 million per round. It’s a hard knock life, but someone’s got to live it. And all of those numbers are just the guarantees. After the Alvarez fight, when all peripherals had been taken into account, that $41 million revenue had turned into $80 million.

Over the last decade, Mayweather gradually became more than just a boxing icon, he became an industry. When he formed his own company in 2007 it changed everything.

“That move right there gave Floyd the ability to retire with nine-figures in the bank -- before he made this fight with Pacquiao.” said Leonard Ellerbe, the CEO of Mayweather promotions.

The super fight between Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao on May 2, breaks all established records. In guaranteed money alone, Mayweather will earn roughly $120 million, while Pacquiao, in a supporting role status, will receive something near $80 million.

Not only the top dog in the ring, Mayweather continues to sit at the top of the totem pole on Forbes’ list of richest athletes. No one in any sport has ever monetised his brand the way that the welterweight champion has. In the world of advertising and endorsement deals, Floyd Mayweather, according to Business Insider, ruled the roost in 2014, earning $102 million. He was trailed by mere mortals like Cristiano Ronaldo ($21 million), LeBron James ($42 million) and Roger Federer ($65 million).

“It’s a natural part of himself. Floyd has an ability to understand the marketplace, from a consumer perspective,” said Ellerbe to CBS. “He executes his own vision and turns it into a reality. Most entertainers and athletes talk about a lifestyle, but he’s actually living it.”

SHUFFLE UP AND DEAL

After years in negotiation, the fight between eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao and the undefeated, five-division world champion Floyd Mayweather Jr. was finally announced on social media by Mayweather in February this year.

As early as 2009, the boxing world was predicting that Mayweather vs Pacquiao would be the highest grossing fight in history, but tension, antagonism and discord between the two camps on the terms and conditions of the fight, prevented the bout from coming to fruition until this year.

Manny Pacquiao

In early December 2009, the first series of negotiations seemed to be going well when Golden Boy Productions sent out an eight-page agreement on behalf of Mayweather to Top Rank, representing Pacquiao.

The contract proposed a 50-50 financial split and a date for the fight, March 13, 2010. The terms were so detailed that they indicated which of the two fighters would step onto the scale first at the weigh-in (Pacquiao), who would walk to the ring first (Pacquiao), who would be introduced first (Mayweather) and who had first choice of the locker room (Mayweather). It even revealed that the bout would be presented by HBO Pay-PerView at a cost of $59.95. The contract also called

Floyd Mayweather

for both fighters to submit to Olympic-style drug testing and on December 5, 2009, ESPN reported that Pacquiao had signed up to the fight.

Possible venues included Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, the Superdome in New Orleans, and the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Media experts concluded that the fight would sell between 2.5 million and 3 million pay-per-views in the U.S. alone and that total revenues could reach the $300 million mark.

And then Pacquiao denied ever signing the contract, telling AOL’s sports website, FanHouse, “There are still some things that need to be negotiated.”

LET’S CALL THE WHOLE THING OFF

Recriminations and counter claims abounded as both camps jabbed at each other throughout December, with the Team Mayweather request for Olympic-style drug testing seemingly at the centre of the war of words. By the 22nd December the fight was called off and by the 30th Pacquiao was filing suit in the U.S. District Court in Nevada against the entire Floyd Mayweather camp and Golden Boy Promotions executives Oscar De La Hoya and Richard Schaefer, alleging that they made ‘false and defamatory statements accusing him of taking performance-enhancing drugs.’

A week later, on January 7, under the guidance of retired federal judge Daniel Weinstein, both sides agreed to enter into mediation, in the hope of coming to an agreement on the blood testing issue. In the red corner, were Pacquiao and Top Rank, whilst in the blue were Mayweather and Golden Boy Promotions. After two days, Bob Arum, Top Rank founder and CEO declared that the fight was officially off after Mayweather refused to agree to a 24-day cut-off date. Mayweather later revealed that he offered a 14day cut-off date to Team Pacquiao, but that was rejected.

Arum expanded “Mayweather pressed for blood testing even up to the weigh-in. He knew that Manny gets freaked out when his blood gets taken and feels that it weakens him.”

“Let’s be very clear on the real issues we differ on. It’s not about being tested....It’s about who does the testing and the scheduling of the procedures....The major issue related to the testing rests with which independent agency will administer these tests. The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) cannot do it because they will not amend its procedures to accommodate the blood testing schedule we have outlined. USADA, under its guidelines, would have the right to administer random blood tests as many times as they want up to weigh-in day and that is ludicrous,” Arum explained.

After the failed negotiations, both boxers moved on to other fights: Pacquiao defeating Ghanaian welterweight Joshua Clottey, and Mayweather beating Sugar Shane Mosley.

Over the next two years, re-negotiations were announced and denied on a regular basis in a stop-start ‘will-they-won’t-they’ series of events that sometime bordered on a ‘you couldn’t make this up’ series of insults and name calling.

Fast forward to January, 2012, when ESPN reported that Mayweather had called Pacquiao on the telephone and spoke to him directly in the Philippines. “He asked about a 50/50 split and I told him no, that can’t happen,” said Mayweather, “but what can happen is you can make more money fighting me then you have made in your career.” Mayweather offered to pay Pacquiao a $40 million fee but would not allow him to share in the revenue generated. Pacquiao said, “I spoke to Floyd and he offered me an amount, but he didn’t talk about the pay-per-views and I can’t agree with that. I told him I agree with 55 and 45.”

On September 25, 2012, Mayweather and Pacquiao reached a confidential settlement in their federal defamation case. In a statement released through the mediator, the Mayweather’s said they “wish to make it clear that they never intended to claim that Manny Pacquiao has used or is using any performance-enhancing drugs, nor are they aware of any evidence that Manny Pacquiao has used performance-enhancing drugs.”

NEVER SAY NEVER

In December, 2013, the Daily Telegraph in the UK, quoted Mayweather, saying that Pacquiao’s association with promoter Bob Arum was the reason why the fight was a non-starter. “We all know the Pacquiao fight, at this particular time, will never happen, and the reason why the fight won’t happen is because I will never do business with Bob Arum again in life, and Pacquiao is Bob Arum’s fighter!”

Then in January, 2014, Fighthype.com published an interview with Mayweather in which he called

Pacquiao a “desperate dog” who is chasing a super fight because of his tax problems. In response, Pacquiao challenged Mayweather to a fight for charity during an interview with the Philippine Daily Inquirer. “I challenge him to include in our fight contract that both of us will not receive anything out of this fight. We will donate all the proceeds from the fight— guaranteed prize, should there be any, gate receipts, pay-per-view and endorsements—to charities around the world.”

In a final taunt, Pacquiao said, “Floyd, if you’re a real man, fight me. Let’s do it for the love of boxing and for the fans. Let’s do it not for the sake of money. Let’s make the boxing fans happy.”

HEY! HO! LET’S GO!

On December 12, last year, Mayweather mentioned a May 2, 2015 fight date for the first time. He then went on to close his comments with, “Let’s make this fight happen for the people and for the fans. Mayweather versus Manny Pacquiao. May 2nd.”

A month later, on January 13, 2015, Pacquiao agreed to terms for the fight, while Bob Arum claimed that now only Mayweather’s camp was holding up an official agreement.

Mayweather and Pacquiao finally came faceto-face for the first time at a Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks NBA game. Pacquiao said they exchanged phone numbers and would communicate with each other. Pacquiao’s advisor, Michael Koncz, said that the two future Hall of Famers later met at Pacquiao’s hotel for about an

hour to discuss the pending superfight and work out the remaining issues.

On February 20, Mayweather announced to the world that the fight was finally going to take place and that the agreement had been signed by all parties.

RUNNING THE NUMBERS

Mayweather will be receiving the bigger slice of a 60-40 money split. His name will appear first on the fight bill and he will be announced and walk to the ring after Pacquiao. He will also have first pick of which ring corner and dressing room he desires.

The bout will be held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas at Welterweight limit of 147 lbs. (66.7 kg.) Both fighters will wear 8oz. gloves with brands of their choosing. Mayweather will wear Grant gloves, and Pacquiao will wear red Cleto Reyes gloves. These are very important details to both fighters who have both experienced controversies in the past over preferred type of glove.

Although neither fighter ever failed a drug test during their professional careers, Mayweather and Pacquiao have both agreed to undergo USADA Olympic-style drug testing.

It’s estimated that the fight will shatter all payper-view records, with some experts predicting a $400 million dollar gross. Fight night tickets are fetching between $3,500 and $250,000 each, for a night that could well live up to all the enduring hype, and become one of the greatest events in boxing history.

Note: Only days after we go to press, the dust will be settling on this Fight Of The Century, and you, dear reader, will have the benefit of hindsight in your corner. Of course, who won and who lost will, in the grand scheme of things, be debatable. With both Mayweather and Pacquiao earning the purse of their incredible careers, will anyone really come out a loser?

By David Lloyd

CELESTIAL FIREWORKS

The Hubble Space Telescope’s 25th Anniversary

On April 23rd, NASA commemorated the Hubble Space Telescope’s quarter century of exploring the solar system and beyond, by unveiling a new and startling image of young stars flaring to life. In what NASA describes as a “brilliant tapestry that resembles a glittering fireworks display,” the Hubble has once again excelled itself.

“Hubble has completely transformed our view of the universe, revealing the true beauty and richness of the cosmos” said John Grunsfeld, astronaut and associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. “This vista of starry fireworks and glowing gas is a fitting image for our celebration of 25 years of amazing Hubble science.”

At the centre of Hubble’s anniversary fireworks is a giant cluster of about 3,000 stars called Westerlund 2, named for Swedish astronomer Bengt Westerlund who discovered the grouping in the 1960s. The cluster resides in a raucous stellar breeding ground known as Gum 29, located some 20,000 light-years away from Earth in the constellation Carina.

To capture this image, Hubble’s near-infrared Wide Field Camera 3 pierced through the dusty veil shrouding the stellar nursery, giving astronomers a clear view of the nebula and the dense concentration of stars in the central cluster. The cluster measures between 6 and 13 light-years across.

The giant Westerlund 2 is about two million years old and contains some of our galaxy’s hottest, brightest and most massive stars. Some of its heftiest stars unleash torrents of ultraviolet light and hurricane-force winds of charged particles etching into the enveloping hydrogen gas cloud. The nebula (Latin for ‘cloud’) reveals an astonishing landscape of pillars, ridges and valleys. The pillars, composed of dense gas and thought to be incubators for new stars, are a few light-years tall and point to the central star cluster.

In astronomical terms, the cluster is very young, and it hasn’t had time to disperse its stars deep into interstellar space. This provides astronomers with a great opportunity to gather information on how the cluster actually formed by studying it within its star-birthing environment.

The red dots scattered throughout the landscape are newly-forming stars still wrapped in their gasand-dust cocoons. These tiny, relatively young, faint stars are between 1 million and 2 million years old that haven’t yet ignited the hydrogen in their cores. The brilliant blue stars seen throughout the image are mostly foreground stars. Shades of red represent hydrogen and bluish-green hues are predominantly oxygen.

The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency).

ABOUT UNION PROPERTIES

ABOUT UNION PROPERTIES

Union Properties PJSC (UP), one of the United Arab Emirates’ leading property investors and developers, started as Union Property Private Limited in 1987 and floated as a public limited company in 1993. With more than 28 years of growth, innovation, motivation and attention to detail. UP has an outstanding reputation for professionalism and integrity throughout the UAE, serving public institutions, multinational corporations, the business community and the private sector.

UP’s comprehensive range of services include property investments and developments and property management solutions provided through its subsidiaries, which includes Edara, a project management company; ServeU, the specialist facilities management service provider; Thermo, a mechanical, electrical and plumbing contractor; The Fitout, an interior and fitout company; EMICOOL, a district cooling company; GMAMCO, the ducting manufacturing company; and Dubai Autodrome, the region’s first fully integrated motorsports facility.

With over 24 projects, the company has created a portfolio of iconic landmarks in commercial, residential and leisure developments, from highrise towers to multi-use complexes and hotels such as: The Control Tower, Green Community®, UPTOWN Mirdiff®, INDEX™, Limestone House™ and MotorCity®. The success of UP is reflected

in the company’s steady growth accomplished by the commitment and loyal support of over 17,000 employees in all fields. This success is built upon six basic principles forming the company’s ethical code; quality, service, innovation, care, trust and diversity.

UP’s success is based on six basic principles that form the foundation of its ethical code. Quality, service, innovation, care, trust and diversity are embedded in every venture it undertakes. Irrefutably, what distinguishes Union Properties is its attention to detail, dedication to perfection, and its ability to offer unsurpassed creative, technical and managerial expertise, ensuring an enhanced quality of working, living, or leisure for all those who interact with Union Properties.

Union Properties began the Green Community expansion project in May in the Dubai Investments Park, while also developing The Vertx Towers, a high-rise group of five residential towers at MotorCity, and the Oia Residence. The Oia project is inspired by the white-painted houses of a small town, famous for its architecture, on the island of Santorini, Greece. The project will include 271 low rise residential units including three and four bedroom duplex apartments with private gardens, terraces and direct access to the swimming pools, as well as amenities such as squash court, gym, kids play areas, and luscious landscaping.

The Vertx Towers

The Oia Residence

UNION PROPERTIES TO START GREEN COMMUNITY EXPANSION

Union Properties has broken ground on Phase 3 of the Green Community expansion in Dubai Investments Park (DIP). The AED 684 million projects will add a further 227 villas and apartments which will cover an area of 1.48 million square feet adjacent to the existing Green Community West. The Green Community is currently being expanded with this new phase looking to accommodate a large number of endusers and investors.

This project is in close proximity to the World Expo 2020 site and it forms part of an already well-established upscale residential cluster. The approved plan for the Dubai Metro’s Route 2020 to link the Expo site to the Dubai Metro network will go further to serve the Dubai Investments Park area and the neighbourhood communities. Construction work on Green Community phase three is scheduled to start in May 2015 and completion of the project planned for the end of 2017.

Phase 3 Duplex Apartments Units

The new phase of the project will offer a variety of health and leisure facilities such as a gymnasium, swimming pools, jacuzzis, cycling trails, tennis courts, a squash court and an event hall for social activities. There will be shaded pedestrian connectors and sidewalks to facilitate pedestrian accessibility throughout the neighbourhood.

Green Community is a high quality development by Properties Investment LLC, a joint venture company between Union Properties PJSC and Dubai Investments PJSC. Green Community aims to provide a high standard of living within a secure community, containing landscaped gardens, stone streets and a relatively traffic free environment. The overall development includes 67 hectares of residential, leisure, retail, and commercial properties within a gated community. Beautiful landscaping offers peace and tranquility to its residents, and a unique way of living outside the city.

Green Community

Green Community in Dubai Investments Park (DIP) consists of two existing phases – East and West, featuring a mix of townhouses, apartments, bungalows, family villas and luxury villas. Phase 1 of the Green Community was executed in two stages and featured about 719 units, while Phase 2 have included construction of 836 units in total.

The development offers luxury living, tranquil views and leisure facilities to ensure a convenience for all residents. The existing community includes facilities such as schools, nurseries, and medical centres as well as The Market, a shopping centre that offers a range of retail outlets and restaurants.

If you are looking for a high quality residence, convenience and a suburban feel, look no further than the Green Community. For more information, visit the Green Community website on: www.greencommunity.ae.

BRIEF ENCOUNTERS

The Cannes Film Festival 2015

By 1938, Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini had turned the Venice Film Festival into a vehicle for Nazi and Fascist propaganda, dictating the choices of films and who were to win the awards. Outraged by these events, French diplomats set about organising an alternative film festival to rival Venice, with no outside pressure and no political constraints.

After receiving approval from the French Ministry of Education, the first Cannes Film Festival was scheduled to open on 1st September 1939, with one of the resort town’s casinos agreeing to host the event. After films were selected, the filmmakers and stars began arriving in the middle of August. Selections included ‘The Wizard of Oz’ from America, ‘The Nigerian’ from France, and the prophetically titled ‘Tomorrow, It’s War,’ from the USSR.

On the opening day of the festival, Germany invaded Poland, and in Paris, the French government ordered a general mobilisation. Consequently, the inaugural Cannes film festival was called off after the screening of just one film: German American director William Dieterle’s ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’ starring Charles Laughton and Maureen O’Hara. Two days later, France and Britain declared war on Germany. Not the best of starts for the Cannes festival.

In 1946, after six long years of war, France’s provincial government approved the revival of the Festival de Cannes as a means of luring tourists back to the French Riviera. Eighteen countries were represented; the schedule included Billy Wilder’s ‘The Lost Weekend,’ Rossellini’s ‘Open City,’ and David Lean’s classic romance ‘Brief Encounter.’ At the time, organisers placed more emphasis on creative stimulation between national productions than on competition, and honoured nine films with the top award: Grand Prix du Festival.

“The aim of the Festival is to encourage the development of the art of filmmaking in all its forms, while fostering and maintaining a sprit of collaboration among all filmmaking countries.”

Extract from the Festival Policy, 1948

The Cannes Film Festival had teething trouble in its early years; the 1948 and 1950 festivals both being cancelled for economic reasons, but in 1952, the Palais des Festivals was dedicated as a permanent home, and by 1955, the Palme d’Or award for best film of the festival was introduced

The Hunchback of Notre Dame - 1939

The Cannes Festival Poster - 1946

(in reference to the palm-planted Promenade de la Croisette that runs along the city’s celebrated beach).

Eventually, the festival came to be regarded as the most prestigious annual film festival in the world. It still holds that allure today; a glamorous meeting of creative minds and wallets intermingling with movie stars and would-be movie stars, and all of it documented in the greatest detail by the world’s paparazzi.

IF THE SHOE FITS

In 1954, the young American actress, Grace Kelly, arrived on the French Riviera with co-star Cary Grant, to shoot ‘To Catch A Thief’ with director Alfred Hitchcock. A year later, she took part in the Cannes Film Festival to promote another film ‘The Country Girl.’ Somewhere in the middle of this public relations exercise, French journalist Pierre Galante arranged for the actress, as part of the US delegation, to meet Prince Rainier III of Monaco, and the rest is, as they say, history.

Just over a year later, in a larger than life Hollywood romance that would pass muster with any of the studios, the Prince and the Grace Kelly married on 22 April; the eve of the opening of the Cannes Film Festival: the wedding date allowing the celebrity guests present at the Monaco ceremony to make their way directly to Cannes afterwards.

ALL THAT GLITTERS

People come to Cannes just to advertise their films, not with a particular message. But the advantage is that if you go to the festival, you get so much press coverage in three days that it advertises the film for the rest of the year.

Jean-Luc Godard

The glittering array of film stars, paparazzi, press agents, distributors, producers, would-be producers, would-be actors, would-be directors and gossip columnists has always made for a heady festival atmosphere of diplomatic affairs, scandals and intrigue on the Croisette. For those two weeks, all eyes within the movie industry turn to Cannes, and the world reads on, transfixed when even the most trivial events can get blown out of proportion and become the biggest of stories, sometimes even becoming legendary.

As far back as the very first Cannes Film Festivals, a movie industry kinship reigned supreme amongst the different delegations and the party atmosphere contributed to an exercise in public relations and social bonding. In this makemerry-and-worry-later environment, one official American representative became so drunk, he came famously close to falling from a third-floor window.

Some years later, during an event in honour of the British delegation, the UK ambassador to France notoriously climbed up onto one of the buffet tables in his socks to the sound of gipsy

guitars, to join the ‘Countess of Cleavage,’ actress Imogen Hassel for a wild exhibition of flamenco music and dance.

When French actress Simone Sylva went topless for the paparazzi in 1954, the laissez-faire Cannes traditions of titillation by the beach, quite literally became as much a part of the festival as the films themselves.

Cannes is a circus, so you have to have fun with it. Everything suddenly becomes funny. And the promotion of a movie - that’s where you really need to be a good actor. You need to make journalists believe that what you’re saying is just for them and you’ve never said it before, even when you’re talking about the same film over and over again.

French actor, Mathieu Amalric

In 1959, the Marché du Film (Film Market) was founded, giving the Cannes Film Festival a commercial footing, facilitating business between sellers and buyers in the film industry. Today it has become the premier international platform for film commerce.

The Palme d’Or

In 1955, the Palme d’Or was created as the highest prize awarded in Cannes, replacing the original Grand Prix du Festival. Nowadays, the Palme d’Or has become one of the most coveted film awards in the movie industry, noted for going with creativity and bravery over just basic commerce, a brief selection of some of it’s most notable recipients (and the Grand Prix du Festival before it) illustrates those very tenets perfectly.

1946 - Brief Encounter - David Lean - UK

1949 - The Third Man - Carol Reid - UK

1960 - La Dolce Vita - Federico Fellini - Italy

1967 - Blowup - Michelangelo Antonioni - Italy

1975 - Taxi Driver - Martin Scorsese - USA

1979 - Apocalypse Now - Francis Coppola - USA

1980 - Kagemusha - Akira Kurosawa - Japan

1984 - Paris Texas - Wim Wenders - West Germany

1990 - Wild At Heart - David Lynch - USA

1994 - Pulp Fiction - Quentin Tarantino - USA

2002 - The Pianist - Polanski - France/Poland

2013 - Blue Is The Warmest Colour - Abdellatif

Kechiche - France - Tunisia

Diana Dors - 1956

Ursula Andress - 1963

IT’S OFFICIAL

On April 16 the highly anticipated Official Selection 2015 was announced at a press conference. The Festival’s Opener, screened out of competition, will be ‘LA TETE HAUTE’ (‘Standing Tall’ directed by Emmanuelle Bercot, France), a French comedy-drama which follows a troubled teenager’s bumpy journey into adulthood. La Tete Haute is the first film directed by a woman to open the Cannes Festival since Diane Kurys’ film, ‘A Man In Love’ in 1987. It stars Catherine Deneuve, Benoît Magimel, Sara Forestier and Rod Paradot.

IN COMPETITION

The Official Selections for competition are as follows …

THE ASSASSIN

Hou Hsiao-hsien, Taiwan

A Tang Dynasty-era martial-arts epic, starring Shu Qi and Chang Chen (the lovers in Hou’s “Three Times”), is the Taiwanese auteur’s first film since “Flight of the Red Balloon,” which opened the festival’s Un Certain Regard sidebar in 2007.

CAROL

Todd Haynes, USA/UK

Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara star in this adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel about a lonely young department-store clerk who falls

for an elegant older woman in 1950s New York. ‘Carol’ will be Todd Haynes first appearance at Cannes since 1998’s ‘Velvet Goldmine,’ which received a prize for artistic contribution from the jury.

ERRAN

Jacques Audiard, France

Audiard has proven himself a specialist in gritty stories from Paris’ underbelly, and his latest, already acquired by IFC’s Sundance Selects for Stateside release, stars Vincent Rottiers as a Sri Lankan Tamil fighter working as a caretaker on a council estate in the city.

THE LOBSTER

Yorgos Lanthimos, Ireland

‘The Lobster’ is a love story set in a dystopian future where single people are arrested and forced to find a mate within 45 days. The film stars Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, Ben Whishaw, Olivia Colman, Lea Seydoux and John C. Reilly.

MACBETH

Justin Kurzel, UK/France/USA

Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard play Shakespeare’s bloodthirsty power couple in this Scottish-filmed adaptation (which will also offer a foretaste of this year’s other CotillardFassbender-Kurzel collaboration, “Assassin’s Creed”).

LOUDER THAN BOMBS

Joachim Trier, Norway/France/Denmark.

A starry English-language drama about the secrets that emerge about a war photographer (Isabelle Huppert) three years after her death in a car accident. Gabriel Byrne and Jesse Eisenberg star as her husband and son, respectively; the cast also includes David Strathairn and Amy Ryan.

THE SEA OF TREES

Gus Van Sant, US

Matthew McConaughey and Ken Watanabe play two men who meet by chance in Japan’s “Suicide Forest,” where both have gone to end their lives; Naomi Watts also stars.

MARGUERITE AND JULIEN

Valerie Donzelli, France

Co-written by Donzelli and her regular collaborator Jeremie Elkaim, this tale of an incestuous love affair between the two eponymous siblings (played by Anais Demoustier and Jeremie Elkaim) is based on a 1971 Jean Gruault script that was almost filmed by Francois Truffaut.

MON ROI

Maiwenn, France

In addition to opening the festival with ‘La Tete Haute,’ Emmanuelle Bercot stars here as a woman recovering from a passionate but destructive romance with her lover played by Vincent Cassel. This romantic drama, directed by Maïwenn, also stars Louis Garrel and Isild Le Besco.

MOUNTAINS MAY DEPART Jia Zhangke, China/Japan/France

Jia’s first feature film to be shot outside his native China is a generations-spanning drama that unfolds in three parts, set in the 1990s, the present day and 2025, respectively.

MY MOTHER

Nanni Moretti, Italy/France

In her third collaboration with Moretti, Margherita Buy plays a filmmaker weathering a number of behind-the-scenes crises in this sardonic tragicomedy, which also stars John Turturro.

OUR LITTLE SISTER

Hirokazu Kore-eda, Japan

Haruka Ayase, Masami Nagasawa, Kaho and Suzu Hirose, headline this adaptation of Akimi Yoshida’s popular serialised comic about four sisters living in the eponymous city.

SICARIO

Denis Villeneuve, US

A crime drama set against the backdrop of the Mexican drug trade, starring Emily Blunt, Benicio Del Toro, Josh Brolin and Jon Bernthal.

A SIMPLE MAN

Stephane Brize, France

Stephane Brize and actor Vincent Lindon team for a third time with this intriguing drama about a 51-year-old man who begins working as a supermarket security guard and is soon faced with a moral dilemma.

THE TALE OF TALES

Matteo Garrone, Italy/France/UK

Garrone ventures into the realm of Englishlanguage horror/fantasy with this f/x-heavy adaptation of a collection of fairy tales by the 17th-century Italian author Giambattista Basile. Salma Hayek, Vincent Cassel and John C. Reilly star.

Matthew McConaughey in The Sea of Trees

SON OF SAUL

Laszlo Nemes, Hungary

Son of Saul, the only debut feature in competition this year, follows a prisoner in 1944 Auschwitz who, forced to burn the corpses of his people, tries to save the body of a boy he takes for his own son.

YOUTH

Paolo Sorrentino, Italy/France/Switzerland/UK

This English-language drama stars Michael Caine as a retired orchestra conductor who receives an invitation to perform for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip.

OUT OF COMPETITION

American studio features will be well represented out of competition, with world-premiere screenings of Woody Allen’s ‘IRRATIONAL MAN,’ starring Joaquin Phoenix and Emma Stone; ‘THE LITTLE PRINCE’ by Mark Osborne; George Miller’s ‘MAD MAX: FURY ROAD,’ with Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron; and Pixar’s latest cartoon extravaganza ‘INSIDE OUT.’

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

Of the eight ‘first features’ announced in the official selection, few will likely stir more interest than

Natalie Portman’s directional debut, ‘A TALE OF LOVE AND DARKNESS,’ an Israel-shot adaptation of Amos Oz’s bestselling autobiography listed within the Special Screenings category.

Along with Portman’s film, Barbet Schroeder’s ‘AMNESIA,’ Samuel Benchetrit’s ASPHALTE, and L’ESPRIT DE L’ESCALIER (Pabla Lucavic), are listed along with ‘HAVORED LEMA’ALA’ (Elad Keidan), ‘OKA’ (Souleymane Cisse) and ‘PANAMA’ (Pavle Vuckovic) in the Special Screenings category.

UN CERTAIN REGARD

Introduced in 1998, the prize Un Certain Regard, runs parallel to the competition for the Palme d’Or at the salle Debussy, and is devoted to the work of emerging talents as well as established auteurs, who’s films are thought to be original, different, and deserving of international recognition.

It recognises young talent and encourages innovative and daring works by presenting one of the films with a grant to aid its distribution in France. In 2005, financed by the Groupama GAN Foundation, €30,000 was added to the award.

“The Cannes film festival is about big-budget films but also remarkable films made in different political regimes by film-makers with little resources.”

Kristin Scott Thomas

This year Un Certain Regard provides a significant platform for national cinemas not represented in competition. These include Neeraj Ghaywan’s ‘FLY AWAY SOLO’ and Gurvinder Singh’s ‘THE FOURTH DIRECTION’ from India; Corneliu Porumboiu’s ‘THE TREASURE,’ and Radu Muntean’s ‘ONE FLOOR BELOW’ from Romania; Ida Panahandeh’s ‘NAHID’ from Iran, Grimar Hakonarson’s ‘RAMS,’ from Iceland and Shin Su-won’s ‘MADONNA,’ and Oh Seung-euk’s ‘THE SHAMELESS’ from South Korea.

Another Korean film, Hong Won-chan’s serialkiller thriller ‘OFFICE,’ will receive a Midnight Screenings slot, as will ‘AMY,’ Asif Kapadia’s documentary portrait of the late singersongwriter Amy Winehouse.

“I actually know the moment I became known. It was at the Cannes Film Festival, when they showed ‘The Virgin Spring.’ I walked into that theatre as one person, and I walked out as another.”

Max von Sydow

The 68th Cannes Film Festival runs from May 13th-24th, 2015.

By David Lloyd

ALL ABOUT THE GIRL

THE REALM OF THE SENSES

Dornbracht’s Sensory Sky Shower creates unique shower experience that stimulates all the senses, and makes you feel like you’re showering in the open air with a multi-faceted, harmonious play of colours, fragrances and water types.

Different kinds of rain, mist, light and fragrances complement each other in complex choreographies which are inspired by weather phenomena and the moods of nature. Control is simple and convenient thanks to the German brand’s digital Smart Tools.

Sensory Sky provides a selection of three pre-programmed choreographies: ‘Readjust’ sharpens the senses with mist, warm rain and a pleasantly soft dry forest floor fragrance. ‘Release’ is as cleansing and liberating as intensive summer rain, accompanied by a fresh tropicallike fragrance. ‘Rejoice’ protects, envelops and stabilises, as water drops sparkle in all the colours of the rainbow, enhanced by a poetic, stimulating fragrance.

This innovative shower is available in brushed stainless steel and platinum or high-gloss stainless steel and chrome.

FISH TALES

In tribute to Japanese culture, Van Cleef & Arpels presents a timepiece in the shape of a carp, The Carpe Koï watch. A symbol of love, the carp’s soothing properties enliven Zen gardens with their bright colors, contributing serenity and life. Renowned for swimming against the current, the carp is also a symbol of strength and courage.

This exquisite watch bracelet is set with 8,000 coloured stones, and called for 3,450 hours of intricate workmanship. It presents an extraordinary variety of gems, all carefully selected: the body of the fish is adorned with yellow sapphires and spessartite garnets set on yellow gold, forming enchantingly cheerful gradations. Blue volutes of Paraíba-like tourmalines and white diamonds suggest the calm tranquility of life beneath the water.

Wrapped around the wrist like a protecting talisman, the bracelet is unfastened by pressing on the carp’s tail, releasing the body. In a touch of consummate elegance, this High Jewellery timepiece displays the time with discretion: the fish’s mouth opens delicately to reveal a dial entirely set with precious stones. A truly stunning virtuoso piece of High Jewellery.

Abstracted and geometric volumes, threedimensional gem-setting techniques and jewels imitating Nature: this is the fabulous, emotional and entrancing world of Van Cleef & Arpels High Jewellery Watches Collection.

WHOOOWAAAH!

UK-based tour operator Event Travel have put together a unique Meet & Greet package involving Hollywood A-Lister Al Pacino.

The package is being offered in conjunction with Pacino’s three-city speaking tour of the UK, called ‘An Evening With Al Pacino,’ with dates in London, Leeds & Glasgow. The four-day $37,300 package includes a commercial flight ticket from any UK airport to Glasgow, plus a ticket to Pacino’s show in the Scottish city on May 19. Dubbed ‘The Amazing Experience’, it also includes three nights in a five-star hotel in London, transfers and a ticket to the actor’s May 22 show at the Hammersmith Apollo.

Other Amazing Experience options available are the ‘meet and greet in a group’ – $1,080, a twenty minute private audience with Pacino in his dressing room – $4,150 or lunch with the actor at his hotel before the London show - $12,000.

Pacino made his feature film debut in 1969, before playing the lead role in the 1971 drama The Panic in Needle Park. His major breakthrough came in 1972 when he won the Academy Award for Best Actor at the 65th Academy Awards for his performance as Frank Slade, a blind, medically retired Army officer, in Scent of a Woman. Prior to that win, he had received seven Oscar nominations (The Godfather I, Glengarry Glen Ross, Serpico, Godfather II, Dick Tracy, Dog Day Afternoon, And Justice for All. He is perhaps best known for his performances as Michael Corleone in the Godfather trilogy and Tony Montana in Scarface.

In addition to a career in film, he has enjoyed a successful career on stage, winning two Tony Awards. A longtime fan of Shakespeare, he made his directorial debut with Looking for Richard, a quasi-documentary on the play Richard III. Pacino has received numerous lifetime achievement awards, including one from the American Film Institute. He is a method actor, taught mainly by Lee Strasberg and Charles Laughton at the Actors Studio in New York.

THE GOLDEN VESSEL

In 2009 Splinter Works set out on a mission to create sculptural furniture that was engaging and inspiring, fuelled by a passion for absolute quality, technical ingenuity, artistic integrity and a solid belief in creating the most considered and exquisite work befitting of its purpose.

During their earliest years, Splinter Works, based in the UK, introduced ‘The Vessel,’ an elegant hammock-like bathtub. They have recently upped the opulent levels of the piece by coating it in gold.

The ‘Gold Vessel’ is covered in 24K gold leaf with a clear lacquer that is applied by hand to the Vessel’s carbon fibre body. Designed to be used in a wet room, the bath is filled using a free standing tap and is meant to be drained through the floor. Splinter Works does offer a model with a pipe drain for those without a wet room.

“We strive to enrich the lives of the people who use our furniture, by creating pieces that enhance their environment and elevate the experience of everyday life. Our aim is to create work that is individual, thought provoking, aesthetically beguiling, intelligently designed and a delight to use.

Our designs are experimental and theatrical, but the function of the piece is always paramount. We love to play visual tricks especially where balance comes into question. Opposing dichotomies of solidity versus weightlessness, motion versus stillness, and strength versus fragility are played out in our ambitious designs through innovative materials.” Miles Hartwell

and Matt Withington

With ‘The Gold Vessel,’ you can get all the relaxation that you get from a hammock and a hot bath combined with more than a little extra luxury. The Gold Vessel bathtub from Splinter Works costs $100,000.

ALL ABOUT THE GIRL

BLOWUP

The ultimate in luxury, the SuperPool by ‘Superyacht Tenders and Toys’ allows clients the chance to have their own personal space away from the yacht, providing a lounging platform with it’s own safe netted swimming pool.

Ideal for hotel or yacht use, the SuperPool can be set up just off the beach, or anchored away from the main vessel. The whole unit is inflatable, including the floors and can be rolled up and stored on board or on land. The floor pieces are removable and can be placed in any configuration giving endless possibilities for layout and modifying the pool size. There is even an option to deck out the whole pool to create a highly individual party venue!

The product is built in the UK from the highestgrade materials, has a removable bimini with carbon poles and LED solar uplights. Teak decking, cool boxes and other additions are all possible, and it comes complete with all pumps and accessories.

SWEET DREAMS

Swiss company Golden Dream has unveiled a luxury collection of customised iPhone 6 and 6 Plus devices. As expected from Golden Dream, this customisation is everything other than ordinary. The company proudly claimed that the iPhone 6 has been re-engineered with the finest luxury materials like alligator skin, carbon fibre, gold and diamonds.

The highlight of the collection is perhaps the 18ct hand-crafted gold dragon with ruby eyes, sits on alligator leather in Deep Red, Red or Black and is surrounded by 24 ct. gold rims. The Red dragon has green tsavorite eyes.

Actually, there are five models: Dragon, Desert, Carbon Fibre, Skull and Hand Painted Editions. The Skull version is made of 18ct gold just like the dragon and polished to a mirror finish on alligator skin in Black or Blue.

The alligator leather comes in a wide variety of colours with the Desert Collection and the Carbon Fibre comes in Black, Silver or Gold. There are even hand-painted versions, created by a renowned (as yet unnamed) French artist.

ROLLING STONES

This spring marks two major milestones for New York designer Alexandra Mor, who celebrated her brand’s 5th anniversary as well as the debut of her collection at Bergdorf Goodman in April. As she enters a new era, the timing was right for Alexandra to expand her bespoke service and offer her exquisite, limited-edition and one-of-akind pieces at the iconic retailer.

The capsule collection, ‘Color Stories,’ includes 16 new pieces created especially for the launch at Bergdorf Goodman, celebrating femininity with curvy silhouettes and a soft palate of 6 new colors: Coral, Pink, Pearl, Golden-Wheat, LilacAqua, and Green-Mint, combining stones such as Rose Quartz, Moonstones, Coral, Andean Opals, Pink Opals, Baroque Pearls, Aquamarine, and of course Diamonds.

Each piece is designed and handcrafted in Alexandra’s New York City studio and features rare, exceptional gemstones juxtaposed with 18K yellow gold and platinum.

OLD SCHOOL ART SCHOOL

Bulgari has established a long-term collaboration with the world famous Central Saint Martins School of Art in London, supporting the creativity of it’s students through a design competition.

The Italian brand asked three recent fashion graduates to bring fresh inspiration to its brand. “Working for a big luxury house as a young designer justified to me that ideas can become a reality”, said CSM graduate Connie Lim after her collaboration with fashion powerhouse Bulgari. The graduates chosen for the competition came from a range of Fashion Programme subjects. Anita Hirlekar studied MA Fashion, while Natasha Somerville is a BA Fashion alumna. Connie Lim graduated from BA Fashion Design with Marketing.

The Wave, Muscat is proud to introduce Zunairah: The Essence of Paradise, a collection of the most enviable villas ever released in Oman.

Only a limited number of these villas will be released and you are invited to be one of the select few to own one or to choose a cluster of villas for your whole family. Designed to evoke a sense of paradise, Zunairah will offer unparalleled elegance and exclusivity.

For further information or to book an appointment to learn more about Zunairah, please email zunairah@thewavemuscat.com

www.thewavemuscat.com

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The sultanate of oman’s finest beach villas

A SENSUOUS HAVEN OF UNEQUALLED LUXURY

DO THE STRAND

The 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

‘Starry night’ by Christian Schipflinger (Austria)

Between 24th April and 10th May, the world’s largest photography competition returns to Somerset House on the Strand in London, with an exhibition showcasing the winning and shortlisted images of the 2015 Sony World Photography Awards (WPO).

Chosen from a record-breaking 173,444 entries in 171 countries, the extraordinary images on display, present some of the most enthralling contemporary photographs taken around the world over the last twelve months.

In recent years, smart phone and digital camera technologies have allowed the world to experience a more intimate relationship with photography. In the past, the general public rarely carried a camera on a daily basis, whereas now, seemingly anyone with an Instagram filter and a phone can take a passable portrait of their evening meal or the sunset thereafter.

That’s not to say that everyone suddenly became Don McCullin, Diane Arbus or Steven Meisel overnight. Ideas, natural talent, and inspiration are still the major players at the sharp end of the

photographic world. But what the public’s new relationship with photography did achieve, was to give the world a greater appreciation of what makes a great image.

Photography succeeds and inspires on so many levels. When a discarded plastic bag can become a thing of beauty whilst making an environmental statement, when a simple field of wild flowers can be just as beautiful as the arc of the Milky Way at night, and when a withering look from a shopkeeper can make you feel like you’ve walked a mile in his shoes, photography transcends the mundane.

The 2015 Sony World Photography Awards exhibition offers a perfect opportunity to view the abilities of some of the world’s more gifted photographers first hand. The arresting and thought provoking images taken by professional and amateur photographers from all over the world, represent a diverse subject matter from tender portraits and captivating landscapes through to wildlife, current affairs and sport; each image, an inspiration to those privileged to see the show.

‘Fishing Fry’ by Ylem Lin Winner of the Taiwan National Award, 2015 Sony World Photography Awards

Elliott Erwitt

As a part of the exhibition at Somerset House, an intimate display of both familiar and lesser known photographs, films and books by legendary Magnum photographer Elliott Erwitt will also be shown.

Erwitt, who was awarded the Outstanding Contribution to Photography prize at the 2015 Sony World Photography Awards on 23 April, is a master of photography recognised worldwide for his candid and often ironic black and white images.

Since the 1970s, Erwitt has devoted much of his energy toward movies, television commercials, and documentary films. He was credited as Camera Operator for The Rolling Stones ‘Gimme Shelter’ in 1970, Still Photographer for Martin Scorsese’s Bob Dylan film: No Direction Home (2005), and provided Addition Photography for The Rolling Stones ‘Get Yer Ya Ya’s Out’ in 2009.

Visitors to the exhibition will be able to buy prints of the photographs on display courtesy of the hub, a new online print fulfilment delivery provided by the UK’s biggest professional photo & art printing service: theprintspace.

Dates: 24 April – 10 May

Venue: East and West Wings, Somerset House, The Strand, London, WC2R 1LA

Tues – Fri 10am-9pm Sat – Mon 10am -6pm

Tickets at www.worldphoto.org/2015 exhibition

The WPO celebrates and recognises the art of the photographer. Working with professionals, enthusiasts and student photographers alike, the WPO provides a global network across the photographic industry to not only raise the level of conversation around the subject, but to increase awareness and appreciation of this art form.

By David Lloyd

Elliot Erwitt’s historic photograph of Jacqueline Kennedy at John F. Kennedy’s funeral in Arlington, Virginia, November 25, 1963.

Paris 1952 - Elliot Erwitt

Three Fishermen

By Eric T’Kindt

(Winner of the Belgian National Award). “This fishing technique can only be seen on the Inlelake at Myanmar. Earlier in the day, I had asked these man to come back to my boat when the sun was going down and I was able to take an entire series of photographs with them in different positions.”

Plastic Trees 8

By Eduardo

Leal (Portugal - Shortlisted in the Professional Campaign category). The world consumes one million every minute, but the all useful plastic bag has become the main source of pollution worldwide. Since most of the plastic is non biodegradable it can last for hundreds of years in the environment. The Plastic Trees series was made to call attention to this problem, focusing on the spread of plastic bags on the Bolivian Altiplano.

Military Veterans

Sergio Diaz’s charming character driven photograph of a group of Vietnamese military veterans inside the old Khe Shan air base in north-western Quang Tri Province, was shortlisted in the Open Competition’s ‘People’ category.

Gain and Loss

By Fu-Pin Ko, 2nd place (Taiwan National Award). “In the early summer 2014, in the I-Lan suburb area of Taiwan, I happened to see a beautiful kingfisher standing on dead wood, quietly waiting for fish to swim within reach. After back lighting the frame, I set up the camera then waited for the bird to come back. In the early morning sun the kingfisher returned, diving into the pond with a gentle splash before coming back up with it’s catch.

One Country More Culture

The photograph was taken by Koh Soon (The fascinatingly detailed image was shortlisted in the Professional Arts/Culture category). “Malaysia is such a multi cultured country. We have Chinese, Malaysian and Indian cultures, so living in Malaysia can mean very different experiences to different people.”

Sewing The Net

By Pham Van Ty (Winner of the Vietnamese National Award). “In a trip to Central Vietnam, we visited Vinh Hy Bay and stopped at a fishing village near the sea. While the men are out fishing, their wives stay at home and attend to the errands, sewing the fishing nets for a new fishing season. The colour and the shape of the net looked like green clouds to me, drifting and bobbing in the sky.”

Back Alley

“This is the back alley of my grandmother’s house in Alor Setar, Kedah, Malaysia. I shot this during Chinese New Year last year when the sky is the clearest and brightest with stars. A flower plant can also be seen flourishing with limited resources and space, there is a lot of cats wandering around the back alley usually after dinner time, waiting to be fed by the good people around here.” Yong Lin TanMalaysia, environment, Youth Competition Winner

Happiness

Open Winner (Hong Kong)

by Wilson Lee. “I took this photo when I was travelling in India last year. Wandering around the platform, I attempted to capture the atmosphere before the train’s departure.” Talking about the winners, panelist Sam Barzilay commented “Judging was a journey of unexpected discoveries. Dozens of hidden gems, playful compositions, subtle commentaries, and fleeting moments caught in time - all speak of the love for photography shared by the participants, and their desire to share the world as they see it.”

Boat

By Sauli Nurila. “One evening in the spring, I was searching for something to photograph when I came upon Karhi, a small local fishing harbour, where I saw this lonely boat on the beach. I decided to try HDR photography (Highdynamic-range imaging). This image is a composition of three different exposures.”

The Theater

By Krishan BansalShortlisted

in the Youth Environment category. “Just me, observing the stars above the ancient sandstone landscape of the Arches National Park (US National Park in eastern Utah, located on the Colorado River, four miles north of Moab). It’s amazing how when we view our earthly environment in its natural state, the more alien it becomes.” Single exposure, no composites.

Mt Kenya 1963

By Simon

Norfolk - Outright winner of the 2015 Sony World Photography awards. Mapping with a pyrograph, the melting away of the Lewis Glacier on Mt. Kenya 1963. The flame line shows the Lewis Glacier’s location in 1963. In the distance, a harvest moon lights the poor, doomed glacier remnant; the gap between the fire and the ice represents the relentless melting. Relying on old maps and modern GPS surveys I have rendered a stratified history of the glacier’s retreat.

Paepalanthus

Galactic

By Marcio Cabral. The Paepalanthus is a rare wildflower found only in some parts of Cerrado Vegetation (Brazilian Savannah). The mountains in the background are the Whaleís hill and the Buraco hill. “I used painted light in the foreground and waited for the best time to capture the arc of the Milky Way. These wildflowers are my favourite for astrophotography because they remind me of the blast of a big bang and their petals are white, like the stars.”

ANANDA IN THE HIMALAYAS

The Spiritual Path

According to the American Holistic Medical Association, the spiritual element of a person should also be taken into account when assessing their overall well-being, and not just the malady itself. The holistic concept in medical practice, which is distinct from the concept in alternative medicine, upholds that all aspects of people’s needs including psychological, physical and social should be taken into account and seen as a whole.

Located in the tranquil Himalayan foothills, close to the mythological cities of Haridwar and Rishikesh, Ananda is surrounded by graceful Sal

forests that overlook the peaceful Ganga as it meanders into the distance. Ananda is a spiritual pathway to discovery through the union of body, mind and soul.

In ancient India, holistic living was a way of life. People inherently understood the balance of nature, the ways of the Universe and how the elements affected not just their physical health, but their mental well-being.

This is the very philosophy which brought Ananda in the Himalayas into being. At Ananda they have tried to recreate the synergy of mind,

intellect not just through the natural Himalayan locales and the proximity to the mountains and the river, but through the rejuvenating and ancient processes and philosophies of Ayurveda, Yoga and Vedanta combined with contemporary international therapies which enhance and augment the original.

Ananda in the Himalayas is built around the 100 acre palace estate of the Maharaja of TehriGarhwal, near Rishikesh. This enchanting resort features an expansive world-class spa with expert therapists and consultants, a temperature controlled swimming pool, state of the art gymnasium, several outdoor yoga pavilions and small six hole golf course.

When living is but part of the echo of nature, style and elegance blend discreetly to enhance each nuance of serenity. Ananda offers deluxe rooms and suites, as well as villas with expansive private swimming pools, breathtaking views of the Ganges and it’s surrounding mountainside.

When it comes to the dining options at Ananda, the objective is to provide a rejuvenation cuisine for guests, who, whilst relaxing, desire to revitalise their body and soul through a healthy approach to diet and lifestyle.

This is re-emphasised by the show kitchen at Ananda where our chefs instruct in how to make these dishes at home so that one may continue that ‘way of life’ long after a stay at Ananda.

Special care menu’s are provided in consultation with the in-house Ayurvedic doctor, to align the specific imbalances of the various body types. For those not on a wellness program but simply looking for relaxation and rejuvenation in this spectacular ambience, an international menu with signature dishes comprising the best of world cuisine is also on offer.

Ananda’s signature wellness programs such as Weight Management, Detox, Ayurvedic Rejuvenation, and Stress Management are world renowned. The resort is the only one of its kind to be voted within the World’s Top 5 Destination Spas for 8 consecutive years (from 2005 to 2012 by Condé Nast Traveller Reader’s Choice Awards).

Ananda Villa Pool

Outdoor Yoga Lessons

Treepose Yoga Ananda Dome

One Bedroom Suite

Ananda takes great pride in it’s service excellence, attention to detail and the peace and serenity a stay at this wonderful hotel will impart on you, the guest.

The Rooms

The Guest Rooms, Suites and Villas at Ananda in the Himalayas make a statement with colours that echo nature, and views of the Palace and the Rishikesh valley that leave one gazing into the enchantment of god’s own country.

Ananda’s seventy spacious rooms comprise Palace View Rooms, Garden View, Valley View Rooms and Premium Valley View (top floors) rooms. They feature walk-in closets and perfectly appointed bathrooms. Each room opens onto large balconies with picture-perfect panoramic views, ideal for a private meal.

Garden Suites

The 3 Garden Suites face either the Valley or the Maharaja’s palace. These 2-bay suites feature tastefully appointed bedrooms with attached sitting rooms and large bathrooms with tranquil garden views. Secluded private gardens situated to overlook the valley, add to the charm and privacy of these suites.

The Ananda Suite

Housed on the ground floor and overlooking the valley, the 3-bay Ananda Suite spells luxury and enchantment. With luxuriously fitted bathrooms overlooking the view and its own private sitting and dining areas, the suite also has a large private garden, which is perfect for intimate dinners and leisurely breakfasts.

The Viceregal Suite

In the precincts of the Maharaja’s Palace, The Viceregal suite is a perfect retreat for the connoisseur. It comprises a spacious sitting and dining area and a plush bedroom featuring a

period four-poster bed. The attached dressing room and bathroom are beautifully appointed with antique fittings and furniture. With its own private terrace and a roof top Jacuzzi overlooking the sloping landscaped gardens and the distant Ganga Valley, staying at the Viceregal suite takes you back into India’s regal past.

Ananda Villas

Named after the great mountain ranges Himalay and Shivalik and the river Ganga that sustains the people of the Valley, these beautiful villas are a dreamer’s escape.

Two 2-bedroom villas (1800 sq. ft.) and one 1-bedroom villa (1200 sq. ft), each elegantly appointed with a living room, a pantry for the butler, a dressing room and a large bathroom featuring a private sauna with an unhampered view of the swimming pool.

The Villa’s 40 sq metre private pools are surrounded with a deck area equipped with comfortable lounge beds. Ideal for a quiet retreat into a tranquil environment.

The Viceregal Suite Bedroom

Private One Bedroom Villa

WHAT PRICE FAME?

Playing The Provenance Game

In a time when celebrity is high in our collective consciousness, with their every move captured and scrutinised by a clamouring world media, it is perhaps time spent in their own homes, living behind walled and gated private residences, that can intrigue us the most. When it comes to buying a home once belonging to a notable personage, how much, in actuality, can be added to the price for just for the privilege of living under the same roof that they once did?

It isn’t easy to gauge the appeal, and therefore difficult to estimate the actual increased value of any property with a celebrity provenance. Starting prices are often misjudged, and the properties are overvalued to the point where a residence can remain on the market for months or years with a sale only achieved once the price has dropped to a more reasonable level.

Living On A Prayer

That was the case with rock star Jon Bon Jovi, who recently sold his luxury New York penthouse after two years on the market. The New Jersey born singer had bought the 7,452-square-foot duplex for $24 million in 2007 and when he put it back on the market in 2013 the agents, perhaps leaning too heavily on the provenance scales, advised a sale price of almost twice that figure.

Bon Jovi did eventually find a buyer willing to pay $37.5 million this spring.

Similarly Jonah Hill, who starred in such films as ‘The Wolf of Wall Street, ‘Moneyball’ and ‘21 Jump Street’ experienced a similar downturn when he listed his New York loft with it’s floor-to-ceiling windows for $3.8 million in 2014. With seemingly no quick sale in sight, the actor ended up renting out the Soho property for $12,000-$14,000 a month. Hill has just put the property back on the market at $3.5 million. It remains to be seen if the $300,000 reduction will be enough to have buyers snapping at his celebrity’s heels.

Jon Bon Jovi’s Soho Penthouse

The Bon Jovi Roof Terrace

It is generally considered that the would-be buyers of properties in Los Angeles, and in particular Beverley Hills, would be more impressed and inclined to pay extra for the honour of living in a home once inhabited by some luminary, and to recount the story to all their visitors. Indeed, it’s not unusual for one famous person to buy another star’s home at an inflated price, partly due to the fact that they are the ones that can actually afford such extensive and luxurious properties.

Louise Beit, from Sotheby’s International Realty, believes that the provenance of previous owners will help to attract potential buyers: “That’s one of the things that we ask when we are determining the value of a property: how unique is it?”

In Every Dream Home, A Heartache

‘Twin Palms,’ Frank Sinatra’s vacation home throughout the 1950s and 60s is just such a property, having only very recently come onto the market in Palm Springs. Sinatra’s legendary

residence, with it’s infamous piano-shaped swimming pool, hosted some of the valley’s most glamorous parties attended by Hollywood’s brightest stars of the day. Sinatra often hoisted his Jack Daniels emblem ensign on the flag pole, positioned between the twin palms, indicating an invite to his Movie Colony neighbourhood cronies that revelry and cocktails were about to get under way.

According to the current owner, Jim Fox, Marilyn Monroe is rumoured to have visited this lavish getaway with President John F. Kennedy. In revealing these ‘facts,’ Fox shows a keen understanding of the desire for intrigue and how such rumours featuring prominent individuals can help to sell and add value to a property.

One particular piece of true provenance involves the day the crooner threw his wife, Ava Gardner’s, possessions onto the driveway after she appeared at the house in an attempt to catch him with Lana Turner. Apparently you can still see the chip in the sink where Frank threw a bottle in his rage.

Frank Sinatra’s ‘Twin Palms’

Designed by the acclaimed architect William Pereira (who is also responsible for the Kennedy Center in Washington), the house, built in 1949, still feels decidedly modern and exceptionally spacious, with its four bedrooms, seven bathrooms and panoramic views through walls of glass. In recent years, it has been witness to a host of celebrities, as ‘Dreamgirls,’ ‘Mad Men’ and Six Feet Under’ have all used the property as a chic location. The vendor is asking $7.5 million for the home and all its inherent heritage.

Another home to go on sale in the last few weeks is Tom Cruise’s mansion in the Hollywood Hills. With a $13 million asking price, the compound consists of two houses on a 2.75 acre site, with breathtaking views across the city. It’s fully expected that Tom Cruise has the pulling power to secure a quick and profitable sale.

Meanwhile, Julia Roberts has just put her Hawaii property on the market for $29.85 million, more than double the $13.4 million she paid four years ago. Situated on the prestigious Hanalei Bay, on the island of Kauai, the actress’s estate backs up to the mountains with its own 200 ft beach.

The main house, built in 1946, is just under 3,800-square-feet (with permission granted for the property to be extended to 9,000-squarefeet) and has seven bedrooms and four bathrooms. Hanalei Bay is proving very popular with the rich and famous, with reports that Mark Zuckerberg has just bought a residence in the area. It’s thought that the lure of famous neighbours, the uniqueness of the place, and its esteemed Roberts connection should be enough to tempt more than one super rich buyer.

With The Beatles

In February this year a modest house in Liverpool, 72 Western Avenue, Speke, went up for auction at the world famous Cavern Club in the city. The property was Paul McCartney’s childhood home where he lived with his family from 1947 to the mid-1950s.

The house sold in six minutes, after fervent bidding, to a local buyer for £150,000, which is more than double the average price for a property on the same road. The buyer is reportedly a huge Beatles fan and was delighted to have won against competition from overseas bidders.

The auctioneer Andrew Brown, of Countywide Property, who brought the hammer down said:

Julia Roberts Hawaiian Home

Eat, Pray, Love

“We are delighted to have sold such an iconic piece of the Beatles’ and Liverpool’s history. All of the Beatles properties we’ve sold have gone to real Beatles fans, which is great. The Beatles are such a big part of not only Liverpool culture but British culture too.”

But it was John Lennon’s first home, where he lived until he was five years old, that exceeded all expectations and sold at auction for £480,000 in October 2013. Other similar three-bedroom terraces up for sale on the same road at the same time were priced between £150,000 and £159,950. At the auction, Lennon’s former home had a guide price of £250,000 before the bidding started.

Watching The Wheels

Another of Lennon’s former properties has made an appearance on the market in recent years. Kenwood, in Weybridge, Surrey, is a 1913 mock Tudor house designed by architect T.A. Allen.

John lived there, with his first wife Cynthia and son Julian, at the height of Beatlemania. Lennon bought the house for £20,000 in 1964 and John sold it for £40,000 in 1968.

The cover for ‘Rubber Soul’ was taken at the house and was featured in the film ‘Imagine:

John Lennon.’ It also happens to be where John and Yoko fell in love after he invited her to visit while Cynthia was away on holiday in Greece.

Within the walls of this six bedroom, six bathroom and six reception room mansion, Lennon wrote ‘I Feel Fine,’ ‘Ticket to Ride,’ Norwegian Wood,’ ‘I Am the Walrus’ and many of the tracks from the classic ‘Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ album.

Lennon’s Ferrari outside his Kenwood home

It’s said that John had a studio and kept most of his musical equipment in the loft at the very top of the house, but he mainly liked to hangout in the small sunroom at the back of his home overlooking the garden, where he had a chaise longue and a piano and would often sit with his guitar.

Continuing on the provenance theme, the light blue Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Coupe, that John Lennon bought only hours after passing his driving test in 1965, sold for $544,000 at auction Bonhams in 2011. Lennon had paid $9,835 for the car (about $166,000 in today’s money).

Rear view of John’s Kenwood House

Although the Weybridge property is very different now from when the Lennon’s lived there, subsequent owners have renovated and made the house a state-of-the-art family home with an indoor swimming complex complete with sauna, but John’s sun room has long gone.

Strange Days Indeed

In 2007 the house was bought for £5,800,000 and in August 2012 it went back on the market with an asking price of £15 million, in February 2013 the price was reduced to £13,750,000. Prime Residential commented:

“Kenwood was owned by John Lennon when the Beatles were at their height in the mid 1960s, and without the Beatles connection this property would be worth around £6m-£7m but with John Lennon as a previous owner the price tag inflates to £15,000,000”

And in an added comment a year later:

“Unsurprising and much later than expected, this property guide price has been reduced to £13,750,000 - although even at this price it is unlikely to sell. I still maintain its true value is between £6-£7 million, perhaps with the right buyer it may sell eventually for as much as £8£9 million but the current price is, I believe, considerably overpriced.”

You Know How To Whistle Don’t You?

In another building closely connected to John Lennon: the Dakota in New York, Lauren Bacall’s nine-room apartment was listed on the market last November for $26 million, following the star’s death, aged 90, in August 2014.

In the 1960s Ms. Bacall paid less than $50,000 for the residence and given that the apartment drew a market appraisal in the neighbourhood of $9 million towards the end of her life, we have to guess that Warburg Realty, who are handling the sale, are hoping the residual glamour and real star-appeal of Lauren Bacall will find a very generous buyer.

And this is the crux of the matter: how much value does a famous previous resident add to a property?

We’ve seen how an overestimation of this value frequently occurs, at least in the initial stages. Therefore it seems necessary to fulfil a number of criteria in order to obtain a truly profitable sale: it helps if the celebrity that lived there was of legendary status; that famous and or notorious events connected to the celebrity happened at the property; and, as with all property, to obtain the best price you must find the right buyer, and in the celebrity property market this has to be a true fan, because to them, the building means so much more than mere bricks and mortar.

By Amanda Harris

The Dakota Building on Central Park West, NYC

THE VERTICAL GREENHOUSE

The Agora Garden Tower

The Agora Garden is a revolutionary high-rise luxury residential building under construction in the Xinyi District of Taipei, in Taiwan.

Designed by architect Fernando Menis to look like a giant rock populated by vegetation, the tower aims to bring nature into the city and create a dialogue between its cavernous volume and the abundance of plants growing out of its many niches.

Also known as Tao Zhu Yin Yuan, the eco-friendly residential tower is being developed by BES Engineering Corporation on one of the largest designated residential sites in Taipei, one that previously contained the five-star Agora Garden hotel.

The building broke ground for construction in March 2013 and is scheduled to be completed by 2016. With two helicoidal towers twisting around a fixed central core, the tower is designed to resemble the double helix structure of DNA. The building will contain two or four apartments

on each floor and will accommodate rooftop clubhouses, a swimming pool, gym facilities, car parking floors and 42 luxury apartments.

The ground floor will enjoy a double-height lobby covered in transparent facades, and each 540 square metre apartment of the residential tower will be completely free of columns, providing spatial flexibility in terms of interior layout and partitioning inside.

The central core of the building will accommodate two staircases, four high-speed elevators, one car elevator and two glazed sky garages at the entrance of each apartment. It will also hold the vertical shafts for the main flows, which are covered by a huge bearing exoskeleton in reinforced steel.

Each of the tower’s levels will be structurally supported by a Vierendeel truss system behind the glass facades, which consist of a set of beams for every two floors. Along with a suspended structural system, this transfers all the weight

through the beams to the central core and down to the foundations.

The building will be surrounded by a mineral moat to protect the privacy of the residents. In order to minimise excavation and foundation costs, the landscaped basement car park will be built on the car parking facilities of the pre-existing Agora Garden hotel. A circular light well will allow sunlight and fresh air to reach all the four basement levels whilst naturally ventilating the connected swimming pools and fitness facilities.

Green Features

The exterior of the tower will feature cascading layers of greenery with balconies containing fruit trees, organic vegetable gardens, and aromatic and medicinal plants on the periphery of each apartment, enabling residents to grow their own produce.

These open-air gardens will accommodate a compost system to generate organic fertilisers, nests for birds, and a rainwater capture system to irrigate the plants. The Agora Garden Tower will also boast a photovoltaic roof located 100 metres above ground. The photovoltaic pergola, with a surface area of 1,000 square metres, will produce solar power for the building.

Two huge rooftop clubhouses under the pergola will be surrounded by sky gardens that will

naturally filter and purify rainwater with the action of the plants. The purified rainwater will be injected into the building’s water distribution system by gravity.

All levels of the tower will be covered by identical linear crystalline façades. These multilayer glass or double layer façades will be integrated with blinds to protect the apartments from the solar radiation in the summer and reduce thermal loss during the colder months.

The Players

Taiwan Kumagai is the construction contractor for the building and Sine & Associates is undertaking the mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineering.

LKP Design is the local architect on the project, while two Taipei-based companies Enertek and King Le Chang & Associates are providing the green building consulting services and the structural engineering works respectively.

Los Angeles-based Wilson & Associates is the architect for the interiors.

SWA and Horizon & Atmosphere are the international and local landscape architects, while New L’Observatoire International and Unolai Design are the international and local lighting designers respectively.

The History

Founded by Chinese immigrants in the early 18th century under the Qing Dynasty rule, Taipei became a crucial centre for overseas trade in the 19th century. It became the capital of Taiwan Province in 1886 when Taiwan was officially separated from Fujian Province. Less than ten years later, Taiwan became a colony of Imperial Japan, which embarked on an extensive program of advanced urban planning that featured comprehensive railroad links on a large scale. A number of Taipei landmarks and cultural institutions still date from this period.

In 1945, following Japan’s surrender to the Republic of China (ROC) at the close of World War 2, the Chinese Communist Party relocated the ROC government to Taiwan and declared Taipei the provisional capital. In 1990 Taipei provided the backdrop for the Wild Lily student rallies that propelled Taiwanese society from one-party rule to become a multi-party democracy. Today the city is home to Taiwan’s democratically elected national government.

During the second half of the 20th century, Taiwan experienced speedy economic growth and industrialisation and became the 21st-largest industrial economy in the world; its high-tech industry playing an essential role in the

BECAUSE HE’S WORTH IT

THE SHOOT POOL SLIDE

Shoot is a subtle and beautiful piece of pool-side sculpture created using carbon fibre and silver leaf by Splinterworks with a $45,350 price tag.

Fixed with steel foundations, the structure begins as a thin burst, sprouting up vertically from the ground before surging forward and spreading out in width before diving back down vertically over the pool. The visual and physical thrill of the overhanging, seemingly unbalanced work of art has no difficulty in catching the eye.

At the ‘back,’ where one might normally expect to discover a ladder, the edge of the sculpture curls inwards offering a handrail, while individual footholds help you climb up to the top. Whilst the delicate silver leaf glistens in the sunshine, it reflects beautifully in the water below.

THE FORMULA ONE LAMP

Racing Gold, who specialise in the manufacture of furniture and design objects created from the parts of Infiniti Red Bull Racing Formula 1 cars, have created this remarkable lamp from a piece of Formula 1 history.

Buyers can choose from either a race winning exhaust driven by Mark Webber or Sebastian Vettel. They will also receive a framed certificate detailing the exhausts’ history, naming the driver, circuit and amount of kilometres covered, before being signed by Infiniti Red Bull Racing’s Christian Horner and Adrian Newey.

The Lamp uses the hand-polished Inconel exhaust system as its feature with unique F1 components as Lamp holders. The remote control system supplied allows the owner to control the power to the LED Lamps in a “fly by wire” style similar to the system used by the driver - it used to glow hot as it expelled engine fumes on different tracks across the globe – the Lamp design conveys both the power and the adrenalin of the race.

Priced at $26,340, this striking sculptural work of art can be delivered to your place of choice or collected from the Infiniti Red Bull Racing factory after having a guided tour of the facilities. Delivery cost depends upon location of the purchaser and is not included in the price.

APPLE WATCH IN ROSE GOLD

Goldgenie’s Spectrum luxury customised Apple Smartwatch Collection is now available for preorder. Prices range from $82,500 for the 18K Solid Gold Apple Watch Diamond Ecstasy to $165,000 for the 18K solid Gold, Rose Gold or Platinum watch face and bracelet, encrusted with Diamonds.

According to the Goldgenie, this Apple Watch is unlike any other. It can it tell the time and a lot more. By syncing with your calendar, your notes, and your schedule, it understands your personal use of time and allows for seamless management of your life.

The Apple Watch will keep you connected to your contacts, integrating instant messages, email and even emoji exchanges, streamlining your communication with those who matter most.

The Apple Watch also includes health benefits. With its Activity App, you can measure your movements, your exercise and even the way you stand and set goals to reach fitness targets and maintain a perfect posture throughout the day. The watch even allows you to keep an eye on your heart rate by simply placing two fingers onto the screen.

WORDS AND MUSIC

The Pandoretta Wireless speaker by Poet Audio is simultaneously a high-quality speaker cabinet and a work of high-end design.

Providing 360 degrees of sound and powered by a 170-watt amplifier, the Pandoretta can wirelessly stream audio from your smart device or computer without any loss in quality thanks to apt-X Bluetooth technology. There are also two analog inputs for a television, record player, or whatever else you want to take sound from.

The speaker cabinet is created from stainless steel cut with circular patterns, while a wood encasing houses all the speakers inner workings. The pedestal, in either oak or nut, presents the unit perfectly like an elegant piece of furniture displaying a valued work of art.

The Pandoretta is priced at $3,949. The solid oak pedestal costs an additional $2,252, while the nut pedestal costs $3,191.

BECAUSE HE’S WORTH IT

PININFARINA BRACELET

Pininfarina has teamed up with Christophe & Co. to created a high-tech bracelet called Armills. The technology in this bracelet includes automated venue access, a one touch valet service, and secure transactions. The battery’s power is generated by a kinetic energy system that enables the bracelet to run for one year between charging.

“The Pininfarina dedication to excellence in design and craftsmanship is reflected in the Christophe & Co Armills. Collaborating in the creation of such a timeless object d’art and technological marvel is a continuation of 85 year legacy of innovation,” said Paolo Pininfarina, chairman of Pininfarina group.

The technology is encased within a carbon fibre and 18K gold frame with a diamond encrusted bracelet.

“I founded Christophe & Co. to create a universal symbol of victory for those extraordinary individuals who not only achieve greatness in their own right, but inspire it in others,” said Aleksander Bernhard, founder of Christophe & Co.

The bracelet has a price tag of $150,000.

LIMITED EDITION 98 – TURANDOT

Montblanc pays homage to the great Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti with its Patron of Art Luciano Pavarotti Limited Edition of five elegant pens; a tribute to his amazing life, colourful personality and incredible voice.

The Turandot in particular, is limited to just 98 pieces worldwide, the number commemorates the year Pavarotti was presented with the ‘Grammy Legend Award’ for his contributions and influence in the music industry.

The overall design of the the Turandot is based on the tenor’s unforgettable performances of Puccini’s opera and its tragic score inspired by the rich cultural heritage of China. A mythical Chinese dragon entwines the pen’s cap and barrel, made of masterfully skeletonized 750 solid gold.

Recalling the flower that inspired Princess Turandot’s musical motif throughout the opera score, a jasmine flower is delicately engraved in white jade on the solid gold cone.

The velvet curtain of the opera stage of the Teatro Comunale in Modena is symbolised by the red lacquer of cap and barrel, and in a final tribute to Pavarotti, a finely engraved portrait of the legendary star adorns the 750 solid gold nib of this Limited Edition.

IF YOU KNEW PEGGY SUE

Fender’s master builder Yuriy Shishkov has created a ‘Pine Cone’ Gold & Diamond Stratocaster inspired by a 1900 Fabergé Pine Cone easter egg created for the Russian royal family.

Shishkov carved the pine cone pattern found on the Faberge egg onto the body of the guitar. 550 high-grade diamonds are hand-embedded into the body to make them level with its surface. Fingerboard inlays, side dots and a carved headstock “belt” are also crowned with the spectacular jewels.

Each Pine Cone “scale” is gilded with fine silver and 18-karat gold after being traced and hand carved from a 3-D original egg image projected onto the instrument. Shishkov then inlaid 10 feet of 18-karat gold wire trellis into the fingerboard by hand. All of the guitar’s hardware is goldplated, including custom knobs adorned with diamonds.

To complete the look, Shishkov invented a finish that complements the blue multi-composite stain and three additional coatings. The warm, subtle look imparted by this special finish painstakingly mimics the eggshell gloss of the Fabergé egg.

MOTO SURF

Will 2015 be the year of the electric surfboard? Quite possibly! The Radinn Wakejet Cruise is to be one of several electric surfboards to be launched this summer.

While their lithium-ion batteries eliminate the need to carry fuel onboard, these new powered boards are quiet, agile, quick and lightweight due to their carbon fibre construction and are perfect for yacht and leisure use.

The Wakejet Cruise jet-propulsion system drives the board using a wireless remote. This unique concept allows water sports enthusiasts, all over the world, to discover an entirely new dimension of riding possibilities.

When you combine the agility and speed of wakeboarding with the freedom of windsurfing, surfers can experience oceans, seas and lakes in an entirely new way. The Wakejet Cruise also features an on-board computer system, a GPS and it comes with iOS and Android apps.

Made in Sweden, the Wakejet Cruise oozes ingenuity and uncompromising quality, promising speeds of up to 29 mph and weighs in at about 64 lb. A fully charged battery results in a runtime of up to 30 minutes at full speed, or up to 60 minutes at a more leisurely pace. It’s fast charger has the battery back to its full potential in just 60 minutes, which implies that by purchasing an extra battery pack – or two – you can virtually just keep riding.

BLACKADORE CAYE

Leonardo DiCaprio’s Luxury Eco-Resort

If you had a quick look at the career of Leonardo DiCaprio, you might think the star of Titanic, Shutter Island and The Beach might have an aversion to the sea by now, but that couldn’t be further from the Hollywood truth.

In 2005 DiCaprio bought Blackadore Caye, an unpopulated, private 104-acre Belizean island, for $1.75 million, and in April the actor announced plans to transform the island into a luxury ecoresort with private villas worth between $5 million and $15million each.

As a major part of the development, DiCaprio, a philanthropist and environmental activist, is planning to improve the ecosystem of the

entire island, which has endured deterioration from over-fishing, deforestation and an eroding coastline.

The ‘Wolf Of Wall Street’ star recently teamed up with Paul Scialla, the chief executive of New York development firm Delos, to build 68 resort villas and 48 private residences that will minimise negative impact on the location while seeking to preserve it’s natural resources.

“Buy land, they’re not making it any more!”

Mark Twain

The ambitious project, which is expected to open in 2018, will be called ‘Blackadore Caye,

“The main focus is to do something that will change the world,” said DiCaprio. “I couldn’t have gone to Belize and built on an island and done something like this, if it wasn’t for the idea that it could be groundbreaking in the environmental movement.”

The project will also be monitored by a talented team of scientists, designers and engineers who along with landscape architects will closely monitor the resort’s impact on the island’s environment. The nearest town to Blackadore Caye is San Pedro, only a fifteen minute boat ride away.

a Restorative Island.’ The resort will have it’s share of sprawling villas, infinity pools, artificial reefs with ‘fish shelters’ and a nursery growing indigenous marine grass.

Recently, in an interview with the New York Times, DiCaprio described his first visit to Belize on a scuba diving trip in 2005, saying, “It was like heaven on earth, and almost immediately, I found an opportunity to purchase an island there.”

Renderings of the resort show an arc-shaped platform with villas over the water. The nursery growing the marine grass will support a manatee conservation area and mangrove trees will be replanted to replace invasive species.

DiCaprio is currently filming ‘The Revenant,’ an adventure drama directed and written by Alejandro González Iñárritu’s, about a frontiersman, Hugh Glass, who in the 1820s set out on a path of vengeance tracking down those who left him for dead after a bear mauling. The film also stars Tom Hardy and Domhnall Gleeson.

By David Lloyd

IT WAS A VERY GOOD YEAR

Geneva 2015

The Geneva Motor Show always unveils more than it’s share of incredible new cars, but this year was one of the finest in it’s 85 year history. As always, a shining procession of beautiful automobiles had the world’s press looking on in awe, but it soon became apparent that the 2015 show was going to be something very special with a stunning cavalcade of new production cars and concepts, all unveiled for the first time in Geneva.

Having had some time to reflect on all the glorious cars on display in Geneva, we at Unique have selected what we feel were a few of the most stunning vehicles in the show.

The Aston Martin Vulcan

Aston Martin’s ‘track only’ Vulcan supercar made its debut on the brand’s Geneva Motor Show stand, with its first public demonstration laps scheduled for the Le Mans 24 Hours race in June this year. Only 24 units will be built in total, a knowing nod towards Aston Martin’s success in 24-hour endurance races around the world, and a $26.5 million price that means only the most committed Aston owners need apply.

The extraordinary new shape, styled entirely in-house by the Aston Martin design team led by Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman, is designed to impress with its extremely wide

track, huge rear wing and extreme aero package. The cavernous air vents in the bonnet are there to cool the car’s huge engine, while the slash from the front wheel-arch along the flanks is a new idea for Aston. With a design language hinting at the next generation of Aston Martin sports cars, the Aston Martin Vulcan is powered by the most potent iteration yet of the company’s naturallyaspirated, 7.0-litre V12 petrol engine.

With its 800-plus bhp powerplant developed in conjunction with Aston Martin Racing, this front mid-engined, rear-wheel drive sports car draws extensively on the Aston Martin’s rich GT motorsport experience.

Prior to taking delivery of their cars, owners will be offered the opportunity to take part in an extensive and detailed programme of intensive track driver training.

Experienced racers including Aston Martin Racing’s Le Mans-winning Darren Turner will support owners on their learning journey, offering them the chance to refine their track driving technique and increase their ability through a carefully-constructed series of practical and theoretical driver training events.

Using a number of exciting high performance

Aston Martins including the V12 Vantage S and One-77 road cars and the Vantage GT4 race car, customers will gradually build experience and develop their track technique, before beginning their thrilling personal journeys into the immense performance potential of their Aston Martin Vulcan.

Almost infinitely flexible in terms of colour and trim options, the exclusive new sports car will be offered to buyers through Aston Martin’s VIP sales programme, using the expertise and luxury customer service that is now a hallmark

of the brand’s ‘Q by Aston Martin’ bespoke personalisation service.

CEO, Dr Andy Palmer commented: “We are enormously encouraged by the overwhelmingly positive reaction we have received from customers and sports car fans around the world in response to the Aston Martin Vulcan.”

Aston Martin’s ‘Second Century’ plan was detailed at the Geneva Motor Show by Dr Palmer after completion of his first 150 days as CEO of Aston Martin.

A comprehensive strategy for the ongoing growth and development of the 102-year old sport car maker, the plan laid out the principle mid-term actions, particularly in the area of new product development that will drive the growth of the company.

The Ferrari 488 GTB

The Ferrari 488 GTB, featuring a turbocharged V8 engine, made its world debut at the show. Ferrari’s first in a long and glorious history of mid-mounted V8 appeared some 40 years ago in the 308 GTB, and this new supercar marks the anniversary.

As well as the new engine, the Ferrari 488 GTB gets a 99 break horse-power hike up to 661bhp on the previous 458 Italia, as well as a 220Nm jump in peak torque for a total of 760Nm, enjoying 0-62mph in three seconds flat.

Powering the new car is a new, 3.9-litre twinturbo V8, paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch auto box. Ferrari were pleased to reveal that the 488 will lap the Fiorano test track in just 1 minute 23 seconds – a full 2 seconds faster than the 458, and half a second quicker than it’s track-focused Speciale.

The influence of LaFerrari’s front end is quite clear, with similar creases in the bonnet and almost identical headlights, while the bumper is just one colossal air duct, separated into two at the centre.

The sides of the 488 GTB are just as intricately sculpted, with a split vent behind the doors and recognisable 458-style contrasting sills. Viewed from the back, the GTB lifts its design from the Speciale, with two exhaust pipes and a bigger rear diffuser. Ferrari says that the result is 50% more downforce and reduced drag.

Inside the car, the angled air vents and instrument panel are all focussed on the driver, with a multifunction steering wheel, a high quality dash and superb bucket seats.

Ferrari has spared nothing when it comes to the delivery of electronic controls on the 488, with an advanced Side Slip Angle Control system, F1-Trac stability control and E-Diff electronic differential enabling flatter and more stable driving at high speed. Engineers at Ferrari have dedicated a great deal of time to the 488’s exhaust note, creating what the manufacturer calls, “a new soundtrack that is full, clear and totally distinctive.”

Fuel economy and emissions have also been improved on the 488, with a return of almost 25mpg, while emitting 260g/km of CO2. Compared to it’s predecessor, that’s up from 24mpg and down from the 458’s 275g/km.

As yet, there has been no word from Ferrari on pricing, but the company currently prices the 458 at $243,000, so we imagine something north of that number will be, as they say, in the right ballpark. Deliveries of the 488GTB start in Europe in July, while U.S. buyers will have to wait until sometime in the latter half of 2015.

Porsche Cayman GT4

Porsche revealed the most extreme Cayman ever at the Geneva Motor Show. Named the Cayman GT4, it is perhaps envisioned as a smaller sister car to the 911 GT3.

The Exterior is boosted with a large fixed rear wing, a larger rear diffuser, and a deep front bumper boasting a trio of inlets. The car maker claims that the bodykit doesn’t just reduce lift, but engenders a positive downforce at high speeds.

At the core of this beautiful car is a 380bhp 3.8-litre flat-six derived from the engine in the 911 Carrera S, increasing capacity of 0.2-litres and a 45bhp hike over it’s next most powerful Cayman, the GTS, and maximum power is produced at 7,4000rpm. The only transmission option is a sixspeed manual. Carbon-ceramic brakes are on the options list, but it’s 20-inch wheels are standard, plus the suspension is stiffened and lowered by 30mm.

On the performance front 0-62mph in just 4.4 seconds with a top speed of 183mph (0.5

seconds and 6mph faster than the GTS). However, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions go up a little way to 27.4mpg and 238g/km.Standard equipment on the Porsche Cayman includes sumptuously sculpted sports seats trimmed in leather and Alcantara, a smaller version of the GT4-specific steering wheel, a sports exhaust, and Porsche Torque Vectoring with a rear limited slip differential.

Happily, Porsche has found room for some home comforts, with climate control and a DAB radio. Options include even thinner shell-back carbonfibre seats and a Sport Chrono Pack with a ‘Track Precision’ app.

Prices will begin at just under $95,000 ($13,350 more than for the Cayman GTS), and order books for the Cayman GT4 are now open, with the first UK deliveries coming in at the end of March.

The Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 Concept

When Bentley unveiled their own surprise vision of the future direction of luxury and performance cars with the EXP 10 Speed 6 concept in Geneva, it did all but steal the show on day 1. From the racing success of the company’s early years to the international motorsport success of today, ‘speed’ is deep in Bentley’s DNA and this concept is a British interpretation of a high performance two seater sports car.

“Making its global debut at the Geneva Show, the EXP 10 Speed 6 is the ultimate expression of our vision for Bentley’s future – a powerful, exquisite and individual concept. This one car showcases modern automotive design, highly skilled British handcrafting, the finest materials and advanced performance technology. This is not just a new sports car concept – but the potential Bentley of sports cars – a bold vision for a brand with a bold future,” said Wolfgang Dürheimer, Chairman and Chief Executive of Bentley Motors.

With it’s beautifully upholstered leather-lined interior, mesh front grilles and huge headlights, the EXP 10 Speed 6 Concept already looks equipped for production, with elegant details like the miniature milled metal gear selector, a curved central touch screen, and an analog tachometer integrated into the digital gauge cluster.

Aimed to compete with the glamorous frontengined GTs like the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta and the Aston Martin Vanquish, the EXP 10 Speed 6 is expected to form a fifth separate product line for Bentley, if and when it makes production in the next three years.

“The show-car has the potential to be the new pinnacle luxury two-seat sports car alongside the Continental GT, redefining the pinnacle of another market sector. It offers thrilling, driver-oriented performance, complete with trademark modern

Bentley luxury and effortlessness,” continued Wolfgang Durheimer, Bentley Chairman and CEO Ever since the arrival of Durheimer at Bentley early last year, he’s been eager to play on the Bentley’s early racing heritage, and there have been a string of more sporty variations on existing models over the last year such as the Mulsanne Speed and Continental GT3 R. This elegant EXP 10 Speed 6 though, is altogether another proposition.

Head of Bentley design, Luc Donckerwolte added: “Let’s put it this way, if the decision to build this car was made tomorrow, we would not be embarrassed, we would be ready. Design and engineering have been working closely together on this from the very beginning, a car like this is a perfect sync between form and function.”

“A Bentley is not an easy car to get right. We have to design cars that appeal to a 30-year old in China who is chauffeur driven and a 60 year old in Europe who likes to drive himself,” Donckerwolte explained. “We realised a couple of years ago there was an opportunity to spark more emotions and make Bentley a poster on a young boys wall. Do this and you discover the values of Bentley at a younger age.”

For the time being, what lurks beneath the bonnet is a mystery, although Bentley has confirmed that the concept uses a petrol-electric hybrid powertrain. While a hybrid variant is more than possible, it is assumed that the production car would likely be powered by a tuned version of the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 from the Continental GT.

“We are not talking about powertrain and platform yet,” Rolf Frech, Bentley’s engineering boss, said. “The MSB platform has the right proportions but let’s wait and see.”

WHITE LIGHT, WHITE HEAT

The Perfect Storm

In Venezuela, the indigenous people speak of it as “the eternal glow on high.” Relámpago del Catatumbo — otherwise known as the Catatumbo Lightning, is an atmospheric phenomenon where an “everlasting storm” appears almost every night, which can spark as many as 3,600 lightening bolts in an hour. That’s one in every breathtaking second.

The storm has provided almost nightly light shows for thousands of years, and ‘lives’ above a swampy patch of northwestern Venezuela, where Lake Maracaibo meets the Catatumbo River. Its original name was ‘Rib A-Ba,’ or ‘River Of Fire.’

Visible from up to 250 miles away, the frequency and brightness of its lightning became a navigational aid to Caribbean sailors on the high seas, earning itself nicknames like ‘The Lighthouse of Catatumbo’ and ‘The Maracaibo Beacon.’

The lightning even played a crucial role in South American history, thwarting at least two dead-of-night invasions of Venezuela. In 1595, it frustrated Sir Francis Drake’s surprise attack on the city of Maracaibo when it illuminated the English fleet and alerted the Spanish defenders. On another occasion, during the Venezuelan

War of Independence in 1823, the lightning lit up the night skies just as the invading Spanish fleet were trying to sneak ashore, allowing José Prudencio Padilla to defeat the royalist invaders at the Battle of Lake Maracaibo.

For centuries, speculation over the origins of the Catatumbo Lightning has included countless wild theories, but scientists say it is due mainly to local topography and wind patterns.

Because it is surrounded on three sides by mountains, the Lake Maracaibo basin, South America’s largest body of water, is a natural trap for warm trade winds blowing in from the Caribbean Sea. As these warm winds blow headlong into cool air spilling down from the Andes, they’re forced upward until they condense and become thunderclouds. All of this air movement just happens to occurs right over an enormous lake, where the water evaporates quickly beneath the South American sun, offering a constant supply of updrafts. If you wanted to build a storm machine, the Lake Maracaibo basin would be your template.

NOW YOU SEE ME

Although the Catatumbo Lightning doesn’t appear every night of the year (140 to 160 on average), the phenomenon isn’t known for disappearing for extended periods. That’s exactly why it was alarming when it vanished for nearly six weeks in 2010.

The disappearance of Relámpago del Catatumbo began in January of that year, apparently due to El Niño (a band of warm ocean water that develops in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific). In 2010, the phenomenon had been disturbing weather patterns all around the world, including a severe drought in Venezuela that virtually eliminated any rainfall for weeks.

Rivers began to dry up, and by March there hadn’t been a single lightning storm since early January, raising fears that it might have been extinguished for ever. Prior to that, the longest recorded hiatus had been in 1906, after an 8.8-magnitude earthquake had caused a tsunami in the region. Even then, the Catatumbo Lightning returned within three weeks.

THE MYTHS

There has been a great deal of speculation over the years, about what causes such an incredibly colourful storm and why some imagine it doesn’t produce thunder (it does). There are major oil deposits beneath the surface of Lake Maracaibo, and methane is known to bubble up from certain parts of the lake, especially from the bogs close to the three epicentres of Catatumbo Lightning activity.

Some believe that methane boosts the conductivity of air above the water, essentially adding fuel to an already burning fire. That theory though, has yet to be proven, and many experts doubt that the release of methane is significant in comparison to the larger-scale atmospheric forces already documented.

The extraordinary colours given off by the Catatumbo Lightning have been attributed to methane gasses, but people often view the storm from 30 miles away, and dust or water vapour have a tendency to distort faraway light, adding colour to the lightning bolts, similar to sunsets and sunrises.

The other common Catatumbo Lightning myth is again, essentially, one of distance: the seeming lack of thunder. Those viewing the storm from

far away (which is frequently the case), have speculated that the Maracaibo’s storm generates silent lightning, but it doesn’t. All lightning produces thunder, it’s just that sound can’t travel as far as light, and it’s very rare to hear thunder if you’re more than 15 miles away from the lightning.

ANOTHER GREEN WORLD

Blessed with some of the richest bio-diverse landscapes in South America, Venezuela enjoys endless miles of Caribbean beaches, Amazonian rainforests, Andean mountains and a rich indigenous culture that has survived the onslaught of invasion and the modern world. It’s widely agreed that the Catatumbo Lightning is a natural wonder, a unique gift of nature and a national treasure to the country.

Deeply entrenched into the history of the region, the storm was first mentioned in Lope de Vega’s epic poem ‘La Dragontea’ in 1597, where he recounted the defeat of Sir Francis Drake’s invading fleet.

The phenomenon is so celebrated that it is depicted in the flag and coat of arms of the state of Zulia, which contains Lake Maracaibo, and it’s even mentioned in the state’s anthem. In recent years, due to worries over the long term effects on the Catatumbo Lightning by man-made climate change and deforestation, experts have been trying to have the area declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, and although that has yet to be achieved, it did succeed in being recognised by the Guinness Book of Records as having the most lightning bolts per square kilometre per year in the world. Swings, roundabouts, thunder, lightening.

By David Lloyd

THE BELL 525 RELENTLESS

Redefining The Market

Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company announced the world’s first “super-medium” helicopter – the Bell 525 Relentless. Although it was designed to meet the huge demands of offshore oil operations, the Bell 525 Relentless defines the new “super medium” product class –positioned at the upper end of the medium class and designed to offer best-in-class capabilities to it’s customers.

It features superior payload and range, cabin and cargo volumes and crew visibility. It is the company’s most ambitious project in years and its largest civil helicopter ever.

Capable of carrying up to 16 passengers, the Bell 525 Relentless is designed to support customers in the offshore energy market, but the company envisions a variety of uses for the helicopter, including: law-enforcement, helicopter emergency medical services, search-and-rescue; coastal-patrol work and, of course, corporate and VIP transportation.

Cabin Room

The expected layouts for VIP transportation are expected to seat between eight and 12 passengers, incorporating all the high-end

entertainment, information and high-speedconnectivity equipment that one would find on the latest private jets.

Passenger entry to the 525’s cabin is via a pair of hinged doors located between the cockpit and the first of four seating areas or through two large sliding doors at the rear. Passengers will enjoy 88 square feet of floor space and a 128-cubic-foot baggage hold—bigger than you’ll find on most corporate jets.

The 525 Relentless is the largest civil helicopter that Bell has ever built. It has a range of 500 nautical miles and an all-composite, five-blade main rotor system with a diameter of 54.5 feet, with

a top speed of 155 knots. Featuring computerised fly-by-wire controls and touchscreen Garmin G5000H avionics, the cockpit has sidestick controls with pilot seats that swivel into position for ease of entry and exit. Ahead of them is a lowslung digital instrument panel and a prodigious field of Plexiglas that allows for outstanding visibility over the nose and down to the ground below.

Bell calls the 525’s cockpit ARC Horizon—for Awareness Reactive Control. Expert opinion says that this is more than just marketing jargon. ARC Horizon thinks faster than a human and automatically does things to keep pilots and their passengers out of harm’s way. ARC is intuitive and can sense, for example, when system failures require an autorotation; and it can automatically set up the helicopter to enter one, saving pilots critical seconds and allowing them to focus on executing this emergency-landing manoeuvre.

One other built-in safety feature is especially effective when landing the helicopter in lowvisibility situations such as severe dust. When you release the controls at forward speeds below 10 knots, the FBW system will automatically pull the 525 into a hover. From there the pilot can make small command changes (referred to as ‘beeps’) and safely let down, even if he or she can’t see the ground. The ARC Horizon cockpit will allow the 525 to be flown single pilot even though it is a relatively large helicopter.

While it might well be full of incredible new technology, the cockpit will not be so complicated as to confuse pilots. “This technology makes sense to the operator,” says Larry Thimmesch, Bell vice president of new programs. That includes “unparalleled” real-time health usage and systems data transmitted via uplink with trend monitoring and diagnostic capabilities, a feature that detects problems early and will minimise maintenance downtime.

The airframe of the the 525 mixes metal and composites in such a way as to reduce exposure to corrosion and allows for curves when the

shape makes aerodynamic sense. Quarterturn fasteners on non-structural panels provide mechanics with faster access to items that are designed to be replaced in the field.

“This is going to be an aircraft pilots love to fly,” says Troy Caudill, Bell’s principal experimental test pilot. “They will not want to get out of the cockpit!” Bell expects that passengers will feel exactly the same.

Deliveries of the 525 could start in 2016. The company hasn’t set a price yet but it is expected to be in the $20/25 million range.

About Bell Helicopter

Bell Helicopter, a wholly owned subsidiary of Textron Inc., is an industry-leading producer of commercial and military, manned and unmanned vertical-lift aircraft and the pioneer of the revolutionary tiltrotor aircraft. Globally recognised for world-class customer service, innovation and superior quality, Bell’s global workforce serves customers flying Bell aircraft in more than 120 countries.

About Textron Inc.

Textron Inc. is a multi-industry company that leverages its global network of aircraft, defense, industrial and finance businesses to provide customers with innovative solutions and services. Textron is known around the world for its powerful brands such as Bell Helicopter, Cessna Aircraft Company, Jacobsen, Kautex, Lycoming, E-Z-GO, Greenlee, and Textron Systems. More information is available at www.textron.com.

HOT IN THE CITY - MADRID

THE HOTEL VILLA MAGNA

The glorious past of the luxury Hotel Villa Magna in Madrid is evident in countless details of it’s classic elegance, on the Paseo de la Castellana. The location was originally the site of the Palace of Anglada. Built around a courtyard that was styled on the Lions of the Alhambra in Granada, the Palace was exquisitely furnished with works of art, marble and sumptuous upholstery.

In the 1960’s, after it’s demolition, one entrepreneur dreamt of building a grand and sophisticated hotel on the same site. When the newly built hotel opened in 1972 its guests soon realised that this was not just another hotel: it soon became a significant centre for business and THE place for high society to meet in Madrid.

Contemporary Elegance

The Villa Magna is a spacious, bright, luxury hotel where Empire chairs, Bauhaus concepts and Chinese screens combine to create a welcoming and elegant atmosphere. It has become a modern hotel par excellence set apart thanks to the exquisite care of the staff.

From the moment you step inside until the moment you leave; you will enjoy the friendly yet efficient service and total discretion of the Villa Magna staff. You will always feel that you are part of a family that understands your needs and desires. From the spacious lobby to the lounge and it’s black grand piano, the Hotel Villa Magna creates an immediate sensation of light, warmth and tranquility. A special mention should go to

the Magnum Bar with Viennese café atmosphere and The Restaurante Villa Magna filled with natural light and a perfect ambience in which to enjoy your dining experience.

The luxurious decor of the hotel’s public areas is something that continues into the guest rooms, where an emphasis on soft lighting, bright colours and warm fabrics, goes a long way to make guests feel completely at home. Two suites, in particular, have proved very popular with guests like Gwyneth Paltrow, Hugh Jackman and Roger Federer, not to mention Luis Lula da Silva, the President of Brazil.

The Royal Suite

The spectacularly spacious Royal Suite is located on the hotel’s roof-top floor. The Villa Magna Royal Suite is unique, the only one of its kind in the Villa Magna, it enjoys panoramic views of the Madrid skyline that will dazzle as guests entertain friends and family on the large open-air terrace or hold meetings in the comfortable living room.

The Real Suite

Every imaginable convenience is provided within 290 sq m / 3122 sq ft. of pure luxury within the Real Suite providing guests with the experience of living in a penthouse apartment: a living

The Lounge at the Hotel Villa Magna

room with a grand piano, a private dining room, a kitchen pantry, two bedrooms, two marble bathrooms, as well as fitness and wellness areas with a steam room and a study.

HOTEL RITZ BY BELMOND

A belle époque palace in Madrid’s ‘Golden Triangle’, Hotel Ritz by Belmond has long been a pinnacle of style and luxury in Madrid. Built in 1910 according to the wishes of King Alfonso XIII, this iconic landmark long ago established Spain’s capital as one of the truly great European cities.

A lively gathering place for Spanish high society, the hotel’s restaurants and bars are a constant buzz of activity. Its leafy outdoor terrace is especially popular for a traditional summer Sunday brunch following a stroll in the nearby Retiro Park.

Located near the Prado, in the heart of the city, Hotel Ritz by Belmond is perfectly positioned for exploring Madrid’s most famous attractions, including the Reina Sofia Museum, San Miguel Market, Retiro Park and Plaza Mayor, and is still just 15km from Madrid Airport.

The hotel enjoys luxurious décor including elegant period furniture, hand-woven carpets, and embroidered linens throughout. All of it’s

78 classic rooms are generously sized with a courtyard or views of Lealtad Square. The 42 Deluxe Rooms are even more spacious, with double or twin beds, a separate bath and shower and views of the Prado or the garden and Neptune Square. Some have a balcony.

Suites in Hotel Ritz by Belmond offer the most wonderful views. There are 12 Junior Suites with king or twin beds, a sitting room and garden views, and 19 one-bedroom Suites with spacious sitting rooms that overlook the gardens, the Prado or Lealtad Square.

The Presidential Suite and Royal Suites

Each of these most special Suites have two spacious bedrooms connecting to a lavish living room, a balcony and a separate bath and shower. The Presidential Suite boasts marble fireplaces and antiques and offers king-size and twin beds, a reception area and garden views.

The Royal Suite has two large bathrooms and is decorated with crystal chandeliers, valuable paintings, original wall panels, antiques and a fine Ming dynasty vase.

The Goya Restaurant

Considered to be one of the finest restaurants in Spain, the Goya Restaurant, with high ceilings and huge chandeliers offers flawless fine dining, blending classic Spanish delicacies and avantguard creations influenced by French and Basque cuisine.

The Krug Bar

Hotel Ritz by Belmond recently launched Spain’s first Krug champagne bar. Located in the Lobby Bar of the hotel, it is the first bar in the world to serve the rare Clos du Mesnil by the glass. The champagne bar’s exclusive menu includes Krug Grande Cuvée, Krug Rose and the vintage Krug Collection 1989. Connoisseurs can also order gourmet pairings such as Daniel Sorlut oysters, acorn-fed Iberian ham and beluga caviar to accompany their chosen champagne.

Terrace & Gardens

Seasonal alfresco dining with delicious Spanish dishes and traditional tapas can be enjoyed within the Terrace & Gardens, and after dark, tables are candlelit with soft background music. Afternoon Tea is served daily in the Lobby Bar between 16:30 and 19:30, accompanied by music from a pianist, harpist or classical Spanish guitarist.

Spa & Fitness

The Hotel Ritz by Belmond offers guests an oasis of relaxation and rejuvenation in it’s Bodyna Wellness Centre, with an extensive range of beauty and massage treatments, as well as a gym with the usual cardiovascular equipment. Golf, tennis and horse riding facilities are all available nearby.

MELIÁ MADRID PRINCESA

An emblem of the city of Madrid, the Meliá Madrid Princesa Hotel is a luxury establishment with an elegant interior mixed with a contemporary cutting edge flair.

Throughout it’s history, the Melia Madrid Princesa has had the pleasure to welcome many public figures from a large variety of cultural backgrounds. Amongst them, have been members of Royal Families such as King Hassan II of Morocco, Prince Fahed of Saudi Arabia and Princess Alsabam of Tunisia. From the entertainment world, Frank Sinatra, John Lennon and ABBA have all been guests at one time or another.

Just a few minutes from Gran Vía, Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol and the main museums and cultural attractions such as the Prado Museum, the Reina Sofía National Art Centre and the Thyssen - Bornemisza Art Museum, the Meliá Madrid Princesa Hotel is a great option for

enjoying the city’s daytime attractions and its wonderful nightlife.

The Level

Feeling special is easy when every detail is designed and created for you. Meliá Madrid Princesa offers guests The Level: Meliá’s exclusive commitment to offering a personalised range of superior services and facilities to make their stay a unique experience.

With it’s own private reception area, The Level has it’s own fully equipped lounges and rooms, designed for meetings, interviews and product presentations, and offers private check-in, express service and flexible check-out times as standard. The Level’s magnificent superior rooms and suites are located in privileged areas of the hotel, with panoramic views of all the city on the upper floors (Grand Premium).

Grand Suite Princesa

The services and facilities in this privileged, The Level service, suite are of the highest class. Spacious, and bright and elegant, the Grand Suite Princesa offers a spacious bedroom with a magnificent king size Dreamax bed and stylish

wardrobe / dressing area, a beautifully furnished exterior terrace, separate lounge with lobby and a guest cloakroom. It’s elegant bathroom is furnished in top quality marble and ceramics and comes equipped with whirlpool bath and separate shower with foot massage.

The Presidential Suite

Chosen by guests who are looking for a superior service, this The Level service suite is, without doubt, the Meliá Madrid Princesa Hotel’s most exclusive room. The stunning 105 sq metre Presidential Suite offers the hotel’s most exclusive equipment and most impeccable service.

The suite enjoys a spacious bedroom with magnificent king size Dreamax bed and large wardrobe/ dressing area, a fantastic furnished exterior terrace, a separate lounge with lobby and guest cloakroom, chaise longue, desk and meeting or dining table for 8 people. The suite’s exceptional bathroom is finished in top quality marble and ceramics and comes equipped with a whirlpool bath and separate shower with foot massage.

The Dining Experience

The Meliá Madrid Princesa Hotel offers guests carefully designed dining options based on a selection of the finest market and seasonal produce. Guests can choose from a range of exquisite dishes which combine the latest and most creative recipes with the traditional wisdom of home cooking.

UNO, as its name suggests, is a single space in which you can enjoy three different atmospheres: a lounge bar, tapas bar and restaurant. Aimed at both hotel guests and walk-in customers, UNO’s different options make it the perfect dining location for any occasion and at any moment of the day.

UNO at Meliá Madrid Princesa Hotel

The UNO Restaurant prepares Mediterranean and international cuisine based on the most popular traditions, whilst adding modern and cutting-edge decoration, and combined with impeccable service.

Cocktail Lounge and Bar

Dining options offered by the Cocktail Lounge and Bar are focused on guests who prefer something light or quick and informal. The menu is Spanish and international with a modern touch, and includes tapas, salads, sandwiches, and hamburgers, all served in a relaxed, but sophisticated and contemporary atmosphere.

Grand Suite