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Mixed Use Marinas: Residences for Yacht Owners

Luxury Properties

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November 1, 2016

Mixed Use Marinas: Residences for Yacht Owners

In the Bay of Kotor, a meandering bay in southwestern Montenegro, craggy mountains rise dramatically from the Adriatic, their rugged backs sheltering the narrow channel where stone villages meet the cobalt sea. The bay’s tranquil beauty belies a turbulent past. Since the beginning of the 19th century the strategic port has been annexed by Italy, France and the Austrian Empire. More recently, it was the site of a former Yugoslav naval facility. Today you are more likely to spot a Benetti than a Destroyer. In the coastal city of Tivat, a marina development called Porto Montenegro is specifically designed to accommodate the world’s growing collection of superyachts.

“The number of superyachts floating in the Mediterranean has increased by 50% in the last 10 years”, says Danilo Kalezic, Public Relations manager at Porto Montenegro. This has led to a shortage of berths, he says, especially as today’s boat buyers are opting for ever-larger models. “Yachts are getting bigger and bigger and people are complaining that they can’t find proper berths for them”, says Peter Munk, a chief investor at Porto Montenegro. In Tivat, he says, this is not a problem. “It used to cater to warships”.

Few marinas in the world can accommodate vessels over 30 meters (98 feet) in length, let alone offer onshore provisions and crew services to complement the standards of the facilities found onboard. Porto Montenegro aims to redress this issue by becoming the Mediterranean’s most comprehensive nautical facility. The homeport for yachts can accommodate up to 850 boats, including 311 superyachts.

However, the project not only accommodates boats. Developers are also creating a coastal community of waterfront residences, a hotel, shops and amenities that offers clients a comprehensive waterfront lifestyle. “Most of the marinas in the Mediterranean rely on the infrastructure of the nearby city/town”, says Kalezic. “The advantage of building a village from scratch is that you can tailor it to the needs of your marina residents”.

The project joins a new wave of waterfront enclaves around the world, from Europe to the Caribbean to Asia, where developers are creating mixed-use marinas catering to wealthy boat owners who want properties in coastal locations.

So far, developers at Porto Montenegro have built 229 residential units, a 5-Star hotel, retail village and sports club. The second phase, currently under construction, includes a second luxury hotel, The Regent Porto Montenegro, and the Regent Pool Club Residences, a condominium building with 64 units, scheduled for completion in summer 2017. The residences range from one- to three-bedrooms of 796 to 3,702 sq. ft. in size. Prices start from $459,000 and range up to $4.1 million and buyers have access to hotel services and amenities. There is also an optional rental program whereby owners retain 85% of all generated revenues.

Buyers at the Regent Pool Club Residences are not guaranteed a berth at the Porto Montenegro Yacht Club, but if a buyer is interested in purchasing an apartment unit and a berth lease they will receive a preferential rate on the berth (provided that latter is of equal or greater value). Leases range from 10 to 30 years.

Despite its natural beauty and central European location, Montenegro has only recently experienced an upsurge in the popularity it enjoyed during the 1950s and 60s when it was a haven for film stars such as Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor and Kirk Douglas. As the country re-establishes itself, Porto Montenegro aims to compete with the more established European destinations such as Antibes and Portofino, whose yachting facilities are already fully saturated.

Montenegro’s location east of Italy makes for great sailing along the 295 kilometer Adriatic coastline, says Kalezic. “Within a 1.5-hour sail across the UNESCO protected Boka Bay, clients will be able to sail north through the Croatian archipelago to Venice, or down to Corfu visiting the Ionian islands”.

Another country that aims to compete with the more established Mediterranean hotspots, is Cyprus. A new mixed-use waterfront resort in Potima Bay, Kissonerga called Paphos was recently announced, with capacity for 1,000 berths, while Limassol Marina, a luxury development near the Old Town in Limassol is currently nearing completion.

Limassol Marina features 236 residences, now over 90% sold, as well as a range of amenities and facilities, including restaurants, boutiques and a spa. Some villas are built on reclaimed islands with private boat berths included in the purchase. The Neso Villa, one of the largest, is located on a private island and includes two yacht berths and a 13,132 sq. ft. residence accessed by a private bridge.

Sophia Paraskeva, marketing manager for the site, says a feasibility study for the project showed a lack of berths in Mediterranean locations, but she says, “Even non-boat owners want the lifestyle of waterfront communities”.

Limassol Marina is located within an easy sail of picturesque and popular coastal resorts in Cyprus, a country that has one of the mildest winters in the Mediterranean (average temperatures of 14 degrees from November to February). Cruising destinations further afield include Greece and the Greek Islands, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt and Turkey, as well as the Suez Canal crossing to the Red Sea.

In the Middle East, Qatar, Dubai and Bahrain are all receiving strong government-backed investment into waterfront development. In Bahrain, residential marina projects currently in the pipelines include Reef Island, a $1.5 billion reclaimed island development that includes plans for luxury residences, a five-star hotel, shopping mall, medical center, marina and yacht club, and Durrat Marina, a 6,458,346 sq. ft., $1.3 billion project that includes sea-facing villas, apartments, a marina and yacht club, and a promenade with cafes and retail outlets.

Demand for mixed-use marinas is rising in Asia too. A recent study by the China Cruise and Yacht Industry Association reports that China is expected to have Asia’s largest yacht ownership within five years, surpassing Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. Already there is a shortage of large-berth marinas to accommodate the growing demand.

China has built a number of new marinas on Hainan Island, a popular winter getaway for wealthy northerners, but until recently, most were built as an addendum to real estate projects, says Godfrey Zwygart, General Manager of Operations at Sanya Serenity Marina. Now, he says, mixed-use marinas are on the rise, projects such as Clearwater Bay offers 780 berths, residential components and a range of leisure and lifestyle facilities, and Shimei Bay, a mixed use project that includes luxury hotels, residences and retail components, as well as a marina that offers 213 wet berths, 121 dry berths and a ‘mega berth’ that can accommodate yachts up to 50 meters (164 feet), the largest length of berths currently in China.

Mixed-use marinas are also being constructed in Haikou, on the north of Hainan, as well as other parts of the Chinese mainland, including Xiamen, Qingdao, Tianjin and Dalian. “There are so many other marinas under construction right now, I can’t keep track”, Zwygart says.

Southeast Asia’s largest mixed-use marina, Melaka Gateway, is currently in development in the southern part of the Malay Peninsula. Scheduled for completion in 2025, the USD 10 billion project from KAJ Development Sdn Bhd will feature a 1,000-berth marina and a range of residential, commercial, cultural and lifestyle elements, including an 80-storey tower housing a hotel and residences. The reclaimed area offers 15 kilometres of seafront land and there will also be a number of waterfront villas with private boat slips.

In the Caribbean, known for its strong winter sailing trade, there are a number of highly ranked superyacht marinas, but few of them offer integrated residential components. This may soon change, however, as developers attempt to address the issue.

At the Albany, a high-end resort in the Bahamas, amenities include an Earnie Els golf course and a deep-water, 71-slip marina with floating concrete docks that can accommodate boats from 50 feet in length up to 300-foot megayachts. Berths are sold, primarily to property owners, with prices starting from USD 12,000. Properties range from land plots to colonial-style villas and condominiums designed by Bjarke Ingels Group, where prices range from USD 3 million to USD 25 million.

In St. Lucia, a project called The Landings combines a beachfront resort with spacious designer suites, a private marina and a 7,000 sq. ft. spa. Moorings are available to residents only, and the properties, which range from one to three bedrooms, are priced from USD 400,000. In St Kitts, a residential resort named Christophe Harbour recently opened a 300-berth marina where berths are sold on a freehold basis. Prices start from USD 1.5 million and qualify buyers for the Citizenship by Investment program. Developers are also building a Park Hyatt Hotel, villas and fractional ownership units that range from USD 450,000 to around USD 4 million.

As the international appetite for superyachts grows, developers appear to be catering, not only to the demand for larger boat berths, but to boat owners who desire a seamless transition between land and sea. This is what Tino Zervudachi, designer for Port Montenegro had in mind when he created a low-rise waterfront community. “The interior and exterior design incorporates the magic of the existing destination: the way the light bounces off the water, the distinct interconnection between sea and land…we want the transition from bay to land, deck to promenade, yachts to residences to be seamless and stylish”, he says.

Today’s boat owners want to disembark at a place where their luxurious nautical adventure can continue uninterrupted. As Tony Browne, Marina Director at Porto Montenegro puts it: “We have created
a visionary marina and homeport that offers land-based services, facilities
and amenities that mirror the standards that guests would expect to receive on-board”.

This article was first published in PALACE.

Artist Elling Reitan: Norwegian Touch

Art & Design

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November 1, 2016

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Elling Reitan is one of Norway’s most renowned and popular contemporary multi-artists. His oeuvre includes paintings, watercolors, coal drawings, lithographs, color etchings, glassware and more. Often nicknamed ‘the artist with the beautiful colors’, his works involve a collage of bold colors, motifs and images culminating into one compelling composition.

Born in Trondheim in 1949, Reitan first made his debut in a juried exhibition in Trondhjem’s Kunstforening at the age of 30. He became a pupil of Norwegian figurative painter Odd Nerdrum and artist Bjørn Sverrbo, and developed under the mentorship of Jens Johannessen. Much of Johannessen’s style, especially the use of captivating motifs, can be observed in Reitan’s artworks. In fact, Reitan uses a butterfly motif in many of his works to pay homage to his mentor. The motif can be seen in the spreading of wings from the woman’s body in his paintings, which he also describes as a “picture in the picture”.

Besides his mentors and teachers, Reitan takes influence from a range of classical painters and older techniques as well. Edvard Munch and religious Middle Age motifs in strong colors are some key inspirations observed in his works. He also often uses the Madonna-figure, who is ‘the Mother of all women’, in his works. Depicting women as spiritual creatures intrigues the artist. Another recurring theme is a man’s yearning in time and space.

Much of his artistic process revolves around reflecting the conditions of our current world, and his works are intentionally created with multiple layers and perspectives. His artistic statement also mentions that he does not have a fixed message within his paintings, and instead invites people to search meanings for themselves and find what they can. He describes our present world as “cruel” and “busy”, and therefore creates these works in response to our need for deep reflection. This depiction of chaos and trouble, yet beauty and wonderment within that chaos, is shown in his mishmash of vibrant colors, lines and textures.

In addition, Reitan has a trademark in all of his works: The Yin & Yang symbol. He calls them “a small black and white couple who are always somewhere in (his) paintings”. The pair in black and white was utilized for the first time in 1983 to create depth and perspective effects within his paintings. Originating from Chinese philosophy, another strong influence in his works, the black and white drops of water come together to form a perfect circle, symbolizing unity. Perhaps this is his way of adding an element of balance within the colorful conundrum of his paintings. Today the stroke pair has found its natural place in all of his works on an equal level as the artist’s own signature.

To date, the artist has part participated in more than 150 solo and group exhibitions in Norway and internationally, including notable art fairs like the Los Angeles Art fair, Miami Art fair, as well as the Asia Contemporary Art Fair in Hong Kong and Shanghai Art Fair. Reitan is currently represented by the Ashok Jain Gallery in New York, who will be showing the artist’s work in a solo show at their booth (#328) at Art Concept Miami 2016.

For more information, visit Ashok Jain Gallery.

This article was first published in Art Republik.

Review: Casio G-Shock MTG-G1000AR

Watches

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November 1, 2016

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Despite the familiar case shape, the Casio G-Shock MTG-G1000AR is about as far removed from the archetypal G-Shock as it gets. It isn’t the metal case per se, since G-Shock watches with such cases have been offered as a premium alternative to resin-clad ones for decades. Rather, the watch stands out with its case’s unusual finish, which Casio designed with a “sunken treasure” motif in mind.

This worn, aged look is achieved by first applying a layer of rose gold to the case via ion plating, in a process similar to particle vapour deposition (PVD). A second layer of black diamond-like carbon (DLC) is then added over the rose gold surface, before being stripped off selectively to create the weathered effect. For consistency, the bracelet features an identical treatment, while the indexes and hands on the dial have been rendered in matching rose gold.

The MTG-G1000AR maintains the triple resist feature (against shock, vibration, and centrifugal force) of all G-Shock watches, despite having a metal case that transmits forces rather than dampening them. To achieve this, the internal architecture of the timepiece has the brand’s proprietary Core Guard structure, where selected points between the case and movement are cushioned with Alpha Gel, an extremely shock absorbent silicone. The watch will thus survive, and even thrive, in harsh environments – further wear and tear on the surface finishing will only enhance its rugged look.

Casio has fitted the MTG-G1000AR with its vision of the ultimate quartz movement, which places a heavy premium on being useful and convenient. The movement is powered by light energy, and runs for around 19 months on a full charge after entering its power-saving mode automatically, thus making energy management a non-issue. For time keeping, the watch displays two time zones simultaneously, with local time calibrated either automatically or manually via GPS signals and/or terrestrial radio waves, depending on one’s location.

Without any signal calibration, the watch will still maintain an impressive accuracy of +/- 15 seconds a month. In a throwback to digital G-Shock watches with backlit LED lights, the MTG-G1000AR has an LED illuminator as well, lest the dial’s photoluminescent markers run out of energy. Rounding off its list of functions are a chronograph, countdown timer, and alarm.

Specs

Dimensions: 58.8 x 54.7mm
Functions: Hours, minutes, seconds, second time zone, date, chronograph, countdown timer, alarm, LED illuminator
Power Reserve: 19 months on a single full charge after activating power-saving function
Movement: Proprietary Casio Tough Solar quartz movement
Material: Steel
Water resistance: 200 meters
Strap: Stainless steel and resin composite bracelet with deployant buckle

This story was first published in World of Watches.

Review: BMW M2 Goes Back To Basics

Wheels

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November 1, 2016

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The brand new BMW M2 has received a lot of publicity the world over. With stablemates that have apparently lost their soul and become computers on wheels, the M2 is said to feel like the M cars of old. A straight 6 engine paired in this instance to a DCT gearbox, we take one out on the streets of Singapore to see what she can really do.

Getting into the M2 is familiar to getting in most BMW’s of the current generation. Comfy sports seats hug you and keep you in place, while the iDrive systems features prominently on the centre console. This car featured a keyless start system and as I pushed the starter button, the straight 6 comes to life with a typical BMW-esque burble. I select drive and pull away. Like with most modern sports cars, it’s incredibly comfortable to cruise around town in, yet when you want to drive faster, a completely different car rears its head.

Stopping at a traffic light, I decide to have a play around with the iDrive system. This thing is packed with tech. Attempting to figure out how to use it all without reading the manual – like I did – will result in ages of confusion and banging your head against the wall trying to complete simple tasks. BMW were the first car manufacturer to bring out a knob scrolling command centre. Once you get the hang of how to use it, it’s amazing, however it’s a lot more complex than many of the touch screen systems. The idea is that you can control most of the functions of the vehicle using the system and it has some pretty cool features. For instance, I can connect my GoPro camera to the system and film my driving through the screen.

As I pull away from the lights and head towards some corners, the two best single aspects of the car make themselves known and I feel first hand why everyone is in love with this car. That engine is a joy, I would have preferred the manual transmission to shift gears as the DCT can be a bit fidgety, however the mere urgency the engine creates when under acceleration is fantastic. There’s minimal lag from the TwinScroll turbo chargers and the thing really pulls hard. The 0 -100 km/h in 4.3 seconds is easily achievable from the 365 hp on tap. Secondly, the car feels light and likes to play around the corners. It has electronic stability and traction systems, but they’re not overly imposing and allow for some leeway if you want to make things a little lairy. The car is confidence inspiring and things never feel uncontrollable. From a small performance sports coupe, you want it to be fun and easy to throw around. This new M2 allows for this a lot more than its bigger relatives.

I was surprised at how practical the car is to use as a daily driver as well. There’s a lot of room inside both front and back. Two medium sized adults can easily fit in the rear seats. There’s also plenty of boot space. You can get a couple sets of golf clubs in there or some suitcases for a weekend away.

This car deserves a 4 out of 5 stars. It offers great performance and it’s very useable and practical as a daily drive. Go for the manual transmission and you’ll have a smile on your face. If you’re in the market for a four seater performance car in this price range, it would definitely be my top choice. Oh and did I mention it looks great?

This article was first published in Palace.

OM Presents New Furniture Range in Singapore

Design

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October 31, 2016

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OM Presents New Furniture Range in Singapore

Chances are you have stepped into a room or restaurant that has been curated by OM, an imprint of Nobel Design in Singapore. The luxury furniture company recently unveiled a new OM range at its showroom in Liang Court in the city-state. Boasting a lineup of international collections, the brand had curated the pieces to present a hospitality and F&B set-up on October 7.

Sean Dix Panda Series — Sean Dix, Panda Series

Before being invited into the warm and cozy showroom, guests were first brought to the OM Café which provided a mix of food and drinks for the night. To highlight the new collections, OM created three main areas within the showroom: Bedrooms, Café and Lobby. To help get guests familiarized with the collections, OM flew in three of the designers, Sean Dix, Kelvin Ng and Mario Mazzer from Hong Kong and Italy.

Sean Dix is the designer behind the Panda Series that presents an all-natural finish to the seating, thanks to veneered plywood. Paired with powder-coated steel legs, and available in multiple veneers, the furniture is versatile and able to conform to almost any space. The statement piece came from Kelvin Ng with the Diamante Sofa. Using genuine leather strips that are sewn and stitched along angular genuine leather pieces, the sofa offers numerous combinations. In a variety of colors and selections, the designer proved that personalization is not limited to fashion but also extends to furniture.

The final highlight is the Tiffany Collection by Mario Mazzer that stands out thanks to its unique leg shapes. Each of the pieces are designed in a way that they appear to float above the floor. OM also presented guests with an outdoor collection by Sover Klas that is known for its reliability and use of quality materials.

For more information on the new range of products, visit OM.

Hugo Boss Retreats from Luxury, Focuses on Sartorial

Fashion

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October 31, 2016

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Hugo Boss Retreats from Luxury, Focuses on Sartorial

According to the new boss at Hugo Boss (no pun intended), the German brand is planning to abandon its experiment with luxury branding and return to its roots in sartorial elegance for men. This was the gist of new CEO Mark Langer’s first remarks, made to Handelsblatt, which we picked up from Channel NewsAsia. Langer is seen above with his predecessor Claus-Dietrich Lahrs (center) and Christoph Auhagen (far right) Hugo Boss board member.

We found ourselves perplexed by this, not least of all because sartorial elegance is “luxury,” after all. No one pops in at Savile Row looking for highstreet style.

Just as Handelsblatt and other observers did, we too have come to the conclusion that Langer is referring to the womenswear part of the business, which was massively expanded under previous CEO Lahrs. However, perhaps what Langer is hinting at is the “luxury everyday” aspect of the business, an art mastered by the likes of Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Rolex.

To use a watch analogy, we like to think that Hugo Boss tried to go the Rolex way but is returning to its Patek Philippe “desired by many, owned by few” approach. At least to our minds, this seems like a good option.

At the peak of Lahrs expansionist regime, Hugo Boss opened more than 400 stores worldwide; the brand reportedly has more than 6,000 points of sale in 124 countries at present. The prolonged current slump proved too much for Lahrs though as he quit in February after seeing sales figures plummet in the US and China.