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Modular wireless speakers: Bang and Olufsen’s new BeoSound Shape provides amazing sound and spruce up plain walls

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May 22, 2017

Modular wireless speakers: Bang and Olufsen’s new BeoSound Shape provides amazing sound and spruce up plain walls

Danish manufacturer Bang & Olufsen has unveiled the BeoSound Shape, a new wireless speaker system with a sleek minimalist design and a modular setup. Launched at the Salone de Mobile Milan, the new audio system is made up of a series of hexagonal tiles, arranged on a wall in a unique, customisable and modular design. The system can even help improve interior acoustics when not in use.

Each tile has a specific function, as a speaker, an amplifier, an acoustic damper or a connectivity hub. They can be pieced together in endless combinations of varying sizes and are available in several colors. What’s more, the arrangement of the tiles has a direct impact on the acoustics of the room. At the heart of the speakers is the BeoSound core, a connectivity hub that has the hardware for AirPlay, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, and Bluetooth 4. Although the speakers are largely focused on wireless connectivity, it also has wired inputs for Ethernet.

The system uses an algorithm, developed by Bang & Olufsen, to ensure an immersive, centered soundstage no matter where you are in the room. In other words, the lead singer stays in the center of the soundscape and the instruments join in from the sides, seemingly staying in their place even when you move around. This creates what Bang & Olufsen calls a “band on the wall,” giving listeners the impression of a band playing live in the room. B&O has also developed an online design tool to help audio fans pick a layout for their tiles, suggesting optimal placements for the best results.

The BeoSound Shape will be available from Bang & Olufsen stores from August 2017. Prices depend on configurations (size, fabrics, etc.), but the basic kit, including eight tiles (four speakers, two sound-absorbing acoustic dampeners, one amplifier and one housing for the BeoSound Core connectivity hub) will start at €4,000 (approx. $4,265).

For more information, do visit Bang & Olufsen. Check out the B&O BeoSound Shape in this video:

Vending machine for luxury cars in Singapore: Car dealer Autobahn Motors has a unique way of displaying posh automobiles

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May 22, 2017

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Vending machine for luxury cars in Singapore: Car dealer Autobahn Motors has a unique way of displaying posh automobiles

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OBciQhVu24

Reminiscent of a hot wheels pack, this unique building in Singapore is turning heads all around the world. The vending machine-like tower that dispenses luxury cars to well-heeled buyers is the latest space-saving innovation in land-starved Singapore—just don’t try to shake it if it gets stuck. This brainchild of Autobahn Motors (ABM) houses more than 70 of the company’s million dollar wares.

Used luxury car dealer and owner of ABM Gary Hong has taken to displaying his wares in a glass-fronted, 15-storey building. Costing SGD$3 million to build, Hong, 45, said he got the inspiration for the new showroom during a trip with his four-year-son to buy toy cars. Like choosing a chocolate bar, the buyer can see everything on display, before pressing some buttons and having their choice delivered.

“From there I realised that the Matchbox arrangement is a mini version of our inventories that can be displayed and arranged nicely,” he told AFP.

From the comfort of a plush sofa on the ground floor, potential buyers can order a Ferrari, Maserati or Lamborghini among other brands, all with the touch of a hand-held device. Once a selection is made, a promotional video of that car is played on a flat-screen television while the vehicle is automatically transported down by a lift.

“When the customers see a car that is presented in a best way like a beauty pageant, they just decide that this is a winner, and we got a deal,” said Hong, who added that sales have risen by 30 percent since the move to the new premises in December.

The extremely smart design not only creates an interesting pull towards customers looking for a new ride, but also tackles the problem of land scarcity in the little red dot. With a population density ranked by the World Bank to be third highest in the world, behind Macau and Monaco, land comes at a premium in the tiny city-state.

The company stores between 70-80 cars at its facility—an amount that would otherwise require five times the space if the vehicles are parked traditionally. A similar car vending concept currently exists in the United States, through online auto retailer Carvana, which was last reported by US media to have five such facilities around the country as of April.

Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver: A square diving watch for the stylish ocean explorer

Sasiwimon S.

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May 22, 2017

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Bell & Ross BR 03-92 Diver: A square diving watch for the stylish ocean explorer

As one of the few watchmakers in the business of regularly pushing out form or shaped watches, Bell & Ross occupies a specific niche. However, even with such an iconic shape, which you can see here, the firm’s first proper diving watch in 1997 was round. This is simply because one needs a unidirectional rotating bezel, among other things, for a true diving watch. There are many other famous names with famous shapes in watchmaking conforming to the pressure of the tool watch requirements in their own offerings, though we won’t name them to avoid making unfair comparisons.

For Bell & Ross though, it seems conformity was merely a passing phase because the BR 03-92 sports the “circle within a square” shape that defines Bell & Ross today, and yet it manages to meet the stringent requirements of ISO 6425 to qualify as a diving watch. Yes, naming conventions are fuzzy in watchmaking but only watches built to specifications of ISO 6425 can be called diving watches.

Given that BR 03-92 is a diving watch, let us look at the specifications here: it is water-resistant to 300 metres, and stands up to shocks, magnetism, salt water, temperature extremes and other professional requirements. Impressively, the watch is properly certified so you don’t just have to take the brand at its word. In the interest of reliability and performance, Bell & Ross is going with its standard automatic calibre BR-CAL.302, based on the reliable Selita SW300; the movement is protected here by a soft iron inner case, which is what makes it anti-magnetic.

The water-resistance here is the piece de resistance for Bell & Ross as the best it has managed with the square case is 100 metres; the BR 03-92 has three times that resistance. Looking at the case as we did at BaselWorld, this one is significantly thicker than the BR 03-92 Steel and such. Bell & Ross says this increased heft comes from a very thick steel caseback (2.8mm) and sapphire crystal (2.85mm). This compares with a caseback of 1.8mm and sapphire crystal of 1.5mm in the regular BR 03-92 Steel. Of course, that sapphire crystal has an anti-reflective coating to protect against glare and keep the dial visible. Speaking of which, the dial and its markers are certified to be visible in the dark from 25cm, with the hour, minutes and seconds all bearing different coloured Super-Luminova coatings.

All in all, the aesthetics and performance of the watch combined make it worth serious consideration. If nothing else, the Bell & Ross BR 03-92 is exciting because it is a truly unusual timekeeper, because of its shape. If you are a diving watch enthusiast or if you are a diver, professional or otherwise, this watch will make you stand out from the pack, even at a distance. That sort of cachet is nigh impossible to achieve and we salute Bell & Ross for its courage.

Movement Self-winding calibre BR-CAL.302 with date; 38-hour power reserve
Case 42mm in steel, with unidirectional rotating bezel in steel as well as anodized alunimium insert; water resistant to 300m
Strap Woven black rubber and ultra resilient black synthetic fabric

Chicago real estate market sees fluctuating growth in 2017

Properties

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May 21, 2017

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Chicago real estate market sees fluctuating growth in 2017

2016 was a year of uncertainty in many economic and political aspects influencing real estate market reactions throughout the United States. On one hand, 2016 saw a significant gain on the index of consumer sentiment, closing out the year at a nearly 13 year high of 98.2 and a steady decline in unemployment, motivating more Americans to buy homes. On the other hand, the residential and commercial real estate markets have been more volatile for some cities than for others. Chicago, in particular, is an example of those cities, located generally in the Midwest, where the recovery rate from the housing market crash was slower than in other regions of the country.

However, things are far from bleak for Chicago. While the growth will continue at a slower rate than in other metropolitan areas, Chicago’s residential real estate prices and sales are expected to increase throughout 2017. Moreover, the high-end residential market will continue its strong performance, with the inventory levels falling below the levels of a balanced market and plenty of demand for properties in desirable areas.

Market Reacts to New Leadership

Markets do not like ambiguity and elections are the epitome of uncertainty, with general speculators consenting that during election years, buyers are less likely to purchase high-ticket items like residential or commercial properties. Since the election however, Chicago has seen a strong uptick in residential sales with properties that lingered on the market for most of 2016 selling quickly after the election. Says Mark Icuss of Conlon Real Estate, an affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate, “There was a distinct change in the market place the first week after the election. People just seemed to finally be ready to make decisions”.

Sluggish Recovery from Recession

The US economy experienced a decline in unemployment numbers to close out 2016 at 4.7%, with the growth in new jobs motivating home ownership. However, Chicago has been slower in recovering from the housing market crash. S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Index showed figures of Chicago’s home prices on average remaining around 20% below the levels seen in July of 2007. Though both prices and sales volume are expected to continue to rise throughout 2017, they will climb a modest 2%, an outcome similar to 2016. Nationally, home prices and home sales are expected to rise 3.9% and 2.6% respectively, according to
the Chicago Home Partner Real Estate Roundup.

Deficiency of Inventory

With the luxury segment of the Chicago housing market remaining more inactive than the metro housing market as a whole in 2016, the inventory for quality luxury product stayed fairly low, with more buyers than sellers vying for quality properties in desirable areas like the West Loop, Gold Coast and Lincoln Park. Though 2015 saw an appreciation of prices along with a lot of qualified buyers waiting for the right property to come on the market, the deficiency of inventory persisted in 2016. Chicago Home Partner Real Estate Roundup reports that, on a contrary to what might have been expected, the 2016 inventory number never equaled those of 2015. “If you have a resale, it is a good time to sell”, says Icuss. “There are a lot of buyers out there and they are having a hard time finding a nice product in the right neighbourhood”.

Multi-Family Developments on the Rise

A hot area for investment in Chicago over the recent years has been the multi-family residential market with a lot of buyers looking for quality assets in core neighbourhoods. “In the last five to six years, the multi-family market has been absolutely incredible”, says Icuss. “Properties have seen some historically high valuations; anything from a 6-unit to 60-70 unit building has been drawing a lot of demand”.

As all predictions point toward a strong 2017 spring and summer in the multi-family residential market, a mild slow-down is in the cards for 2018 to 2019, with the anticipation of new inventory with a few thousands of units being put out into the market to meet the current demands. Reaching completion are new ultra-luxury condominiums of Hayden West Loop, Wanda Vista Tower and 9 West Walton, with the latter property registering record pricing for the Chicago market, up to USD 1,500 per square foot. Says Icuss, “Currently, there is a lot of demand in the multi-family luxury market, with the right product, delivered and finished at the right level and priced appropriately, moving very quickly”.

This article was first published in Palace 19.

GT300 Gran Turismo by Renzo Rivolta and Bertone’s Giotto Bizzarrini

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May 21, 2017

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The GT300 is the result of Giotto Bizzarrini’s technical expertise and Renzo Rivolta’s idea about how a Gran Turismo should be: comfortable, reliable and luxurious.

Bizzarrini and Raggi departed from the usual technical solutions of the GTs of that era. Many of the solutions adopted for the GT were later used in all the other sports cars made by Iso.

They developed a new chassis, a monocoque design, that allowed the car to be more rigid without adding weight. The car was fitted with independent front suspensions and a DeDion tube in the back. They opted for disc brakes in all four corners, with the rear mounted inboard to reduce unsprang weight.

The car was powered by a 327 Corvette engine, in 300, 340 and 365Hp form.

The GT was designed at Bertone’s by Giorgetto Giugiaro. Rivolta gave Bertone and Giugiaro very simple guidelines for the design, allowing them as much freedom as he could. Bertone loved this kind of projects that let him create unique designs that would benefit the reputation of his firm.

The car was presented in 1962 and it did not fail to please both Italian and American customers. Rivolta saw that there was a demand for such a car, a reliable luxury GT, and was proven right when he showed his new creation for the first time.

When the production began, because of some technical issues in the assembling process, the American customers soon abandoned their interest towards the car and the result was a much smaller production in numbers than Renzo Rivolta had at first imagined.

The Iso GT represents a further transformation for Iso Rivolta. From producing refrigerators, then motorbikes and small utility cars, now, with no intermediate steps, they began approaching luxury sports cars.

The car is featured in the third episode of “The Iso Rivolta Chronicles” an 8-episode documentary about the collectors and restorers of Iso Rivolta.

Basquiat painting sold by Sotheby’s New York to Japanese billionaire for $110.5 million

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May 21, 2017

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Basquiat painting sold by Sotheby’s New York to Japanese billionaire for $110.5 million

The 1982 “Untitled” of a skull-like head in oil-stick, acrylic and spray paint on a giant canvas was the star lot of the auction season this May, which wraps Friday with more than $1 billion in sales. Sotheby’s said it was snapped up by the same Japanese entrepreneur, 41-year-old Yusaku Maezawa, who set the previous Jean-Michel Basquiat auction record last year, dropping $57.3 million on a self-portrait.

The $110.5 million price tag was a record for any US artist at auction and the highest at auction for a post-1980 artwork, Sotheby’s said. “I am happy to announce that I just won this masterpiece,” Maezawa wrote on Instagram alongside a picture of himself with the picture.

“When I first encountered this painting, I was struck with so much excitement and gratitude for my love of art. I want to share that experience with as many people as possible.”

Cheers and applause greeted the sale, which almost doubled the previous Basquiat auction record of $57 million. During bidding, the auctioneer offered occasional moments of levity and encouragement. “It’s a great masterpiece at $98 million dollars,” he said to laughter in the room. The $110.5 million price tag includes the buyer’s premium.

Basquiat, born in Brooklyn to Haitian and Puerto Rican parents died in 1988 of an overdose aged just 27 after a fleeting eight-year career. “Untitled” provoked a tense 10-minute bidding war in the room and on the telephone, before ultimately going to Maezawa via telephone. The canvas had been virtually unseen in public since being bought in 1984 for $19,000. It was valued pre-sale in excess of $60 million.

– ‘Pantheon of greats’ –

Sotheby’s announced that the painting will be housed eventually in a museum based in Maezawa’s hometown of Chiba, Japan. The house parted with a total of $319 million worth of post-war and contemporary art at Thursday’s evening auction, one day after rival Christie’s sold $448 million at its own version of the same sale.

The subject of much of Basquiat’s work — ordeals endured by blacks in America — is finding renewed resonance in the wake of nationwide US protests since 2014 about the shootings of unarmed black men by police. Christie’s sold Basquiat‘s “La Hara” — an acrylic and oil-stick of an angry-looking New York police officer — for $35 million on Wednesday.

“Breaking $100 million for a work which is that recent is definitely extraordinary. I think it just speaks about the talent of this guy,” said Gregoire Billault, Sotheby’s head of contemporary art. “I’ve never seen so much emotions in such a painting,” he said. “He’s bringing something never seen before.”

“Now he goes into the pantheon of great, great artists,” said Oliver Barker, chairman of Sotheby’s Europe. “It’s as simple as that.” Christie’s announced Thursday that its impressionist, modern, post-war and contemporary sales this week totaled $842.5 million, which it said was up $220 million over its sales last season in November.

Sotheby’s concludes its week of sales on Friday. Sotheby’s also sold Roy Lichtenstein‘s “Nude Sunbathing” for $24 million Thursday and broke records for Keith Haring, Blinky Palermo, Mira Schendel, Wolfgang Tillmans, Jonas Wood and Takeo Yamaguchi.

This season saw a majority of art either coming fresh to market or being offered at auction for the first time in 20 years or more. Pablo Picasso holds the world record for the most expensive piece of art ever sold at auction. His “The Women of Algiers (Version 0)” fetched $179.4 million at Christie’s in New York in 2015.