Development: Nothing Standard about it...

That's why New York is the capital of all cities... It never seezes to amaze its residents, always has something new to its visitors and knows how to work with what it got! In a part of town, the High Line in the Meatpacking district, where any other city would have left it be and forgotten, Andre Balazs, managed to build a luxury hotel. Not only, his opening coincided with the biggest development halt of this century, so all eyes on him, but also his architects - the Polshek Partnership - managed to create a rather "instantly iconic" building compared to the likes of "Le Corbusier and other notable international style buildings, like the locally based Lever House and United Nations". It's presence makes you question if it was always there, with its 13 mm concrete skin covering 28,000 sft, rising from stilts 18 stories above the High Line, a disused elevated rail line that is today one of the city’s hippest parks. The Standard's interiors aren't so bad either... designed by Hollywood set designer Shawn Hausmann and New York based Roman and Williams, they keep a modern simplistic tone, so that nothing can take away the breathtaking views from its guest...

Development: Proyecto excelente

                                   

Sited within 28 acres of private beachfront on Riviera Maya, Nizuc entails the best of the best in its location, development, team and product. Nizuc, designed by Becker Arquitectos, includes a 45-room hotel and 160-room condos, including 16 penthouses, operated by the incredible Aman Resorts. The project includes 8 buildings that are facing a lagoon. Designer, Jean-Michel Gathy, has put touches of Mayan and Asian style to complement the units that are sold furnished and will feature patios or terraces with private plunge pools.  There will be an Espa and two restaurants, one with Peruvian cuisine and the other a Mexican bistro. The resort will have eight pools, and additional amenities will include boardwalks through the mangroves, a cigar lounge, a shaded jetty with daybeds and cabanas on the private beach. Prices start at $1.3 million and completion is scheduled in October 2009. The design is so earthy and minimal that it brings the whole concept of "less is more" to another level... Let's hope this project does not stall like so many others in today's market crisis! 

Development: Rem Koolhaas's first NYC building

Thirty years after the master of architecture published the infamous, "Delirious New York", Rem Koolhaas will soon bring his own design in Manhattanville. The design of the residential tower has been kept so well under wraps that it is creating quite the stress to its fellow condo, One Madison Park. Regardless, 23e22 will be one of the most talk about buildings of the century in the Big City.  

Development: SOMething special...

ia being created on the Second Avenue and 57th Street by The World-Wide Group developers. 250East57, a 1 million Sq Ft mixed-use project, designed by SOM architects, will include the New School of Art and Design and the PS 59 - an ingenious way to earn more air rights and create a unique project. The partnership with the New York City Educational Construction Fund has created a LEED Silver project that will consist of 300 units of affordable and market-rate housing and 170,000 Sq Ft. The biggest development in the area since... maybe... Times Warner?

Development: A developer's dream project

That's what development group Property O Collection is experiencing right now.... after breaking ground on the private island Dellis Cay in the Turks and Caicos islands. Dellis Cay project will make Turks and Caicos become the most luxurious destination of the Caribbean. A Mandarin Oriental hotel, 154 serviced residences and 124 private villas designed by star architects are all featured on a 560-acre island. A marina located on a 35-acre beachfront site and a 30,000 SF spa are just an understatement... As Dr. Cem Kinay, Chairman and CEO of the Property O Collection, says "I want it to be the sexiest island in the world", one cannot blame his aspirations.

Zaha Hadid (Recipient of the 2004 Pritzker Architecture Prize) has overseen the Dellis Cay Master Plan. It is also planned that Hadid will create luxury residences, beachfront villas, a commercial building with restaurants and boutiques, and a marina, where living spaces expand to become one with the landscape, optimizing their beachfront location.

The Mandarin Oriental (as seen above) is conceived by Pierro Lisoni and will offer a fine dining restaurant, the MO bar, a cinema, library, business centre, cigar room, boutique shop and a private dining room.


The spa is set in pavillions designed by Kengo Kuma and will include 17 private treatment rooms, luxurious salon facilities and committed personal trainers. Kuma blurs the relationship between what is built and what has always been there.

Apart from the hotel, Lissoni designs the Beach House Residences, the Ocean Villas and the Beach Villas.

Shigeru Ban transforms materiality into light and emotion in the Beach Villas. The over-the-water guesthouses by a wood-deck bridge are harmoniously balanced by his Japanese minimalism. Chad Oppenheim will create a collection of inspired homes that soar to tree top level and beyond.

Carl Ettensperger, the Singapore-based designer, creates a limited collection of over-the-sea villas that are characterized by understated luxury, elegance and unobstructed views of the sea.

David Chipperfield will design a collection of villas on the north shore that will project the perfect synthesis of form, balance and absolute proportion.

Residences range from $2 million to $20 million and are aimed at those looking to purchase their third and fourth houses. The development is slated for completion at the end of 2009. And you thought all stararchitects were busy with Dubai?

Development: Trump Soho comes out a winner...

after numerous battles the Trumps had to face from the Greenwich Village Society of Historic Preservation and the local residents for being against the development of a 45-story building in the area! The Real Deal announced that 53% of the condo-hotel has been sold already, since sales commenced in September. The condo-hotel, designed by Handel Architects, will allow residents to stay 120 days per year with a minimum of $3,000 per SF. With interiors done by Fendi and amenities like these, what else would you expect though?

Development: World's Biggest Development

It goes withouth saying that a development of 607 hectares cannot be called a project site, but should be addressed as a city. Gale International took on the outstanding project under its wing and is creating the Songdo City in South Korea. The project's cost rounds up to $30 billion not including $10 billion in infrastructure improvements by the South Korean government. The masterplan of the green city, everyting will be LEED certified, is designed by KPF with the collaboration of other prominent architects that will be designing specific buildings. The first 300 buildings will be open next year, while 300,000 people are expected to work there by 2014 upon the completion of the project. Take the tour and see that you can find a stunning Park Avenue, elsewhere in the world...

Development: Spain does design... sustainable!

with the new development, Portosenso, in the town of Altea, Spain proves itself once more that has the know-how in the second-homes market. A development that has the signature of Jean Nouvel for its concept design and a plan to create an environmentally friendly atmosphere among the complex by integrating the architecture perfectly to the surrounding area, using natural materials and applying a low consumption of energy resources plan. The project is consisted of around 300 residences, a hotel, a spa and a marina with retail use included. Portosenso, undoubtedly gets a five-star from all aspects.. just check it out here!

Development: Spain Open

This is why I love Carlos Ferrero that much... not only is he my favorite tennis player, but also we share the same interests... real estate!!! Mr. Ferrero has renovated a 19th-century house on a 120,000 sqf of land in an old town close to Valencia, Spain. The renovation lasted for three years with a total cost of $11,720,000, in order to transform the beautiful villa into a luxury hotel with a spa, restaurants and of course a tennis court. I guess this was a grand slam, n'est-ce pas?

Development: Manhattanville in West Harlem

One of the biggest in size developments that is happening this moment is undisputedly Columbia University's plan to expand its facilities in West Harlem. This urban developement plan consists of 18 academic and research buildings and campus housing on 17 acres. It's not a surprise that the large neighborhood of West Harlem that consists mostly of black and Hispanic residents feels threatened by this grand scheme. Scott Stringer, the Manhattan borough president, is planning to protect the character of the neighborhood by practicing the special zoning model that worked for the Hell's Kitchen region in Midtown Manhattan. Renzo Piano is the assigned designer for the project, who has seeked to maximize green space, which it will be open to the public. The star architect will undeniably elevate the university's image even further. And as the New York Times wrote "without a vibrant Columbia, New York City itself will suffer...".

Development: NYC gets Jaded

...by Jade Jagger's new condo in Chelsea! Jade Jagger, a new addition to Yoo's development team, alongside Philippe Starck (co-founder and creative director), styled this new development of 157 apartments with her personal taste and brought in the product and interior design scene the already famed PODs. The Pod, aka a multifunctional cubicle that includes bathroom, kitchen, storage and bar, is the perfect solution to minimize your space and project style. Yoo-hoo...

Development: Design in Bucharest...

is added with the new mixed use project that is created by UK firm Squire and Partners. The 145,000 sqm development of Global Finance Real Estate is at the heart of the city in the area of Floreasca. Just next to Floreasca lake the high-rise residences will be able to enjoy the best view of Bucharest, while the offices and retail shall be in the front keeping things busy... The current brown field used to be in the 1930's a Ford's factory and as the Romanians consider it to have historical value, Squire designed it in such a way as to preserve the old brick elements and adjust the new design glass buildings in perfect harmony. Hence, the transition to a modern and luxurious project will be done very smoothly...

The development will create a city within the city, by offering a retail arcade, a hotel, tennis courts, spas and fitness centers that will be open to the public and other facilities being exclusive to the residences.