Tag Archives: Home

World´s most expensive home: Antilia


Imagine a home with 27 stories worth 1 billion dollars boasting several roof gardens, a private theatre, a ballroom, a private parking garage for several hundred cars, guest quarters, staff quarters, a tennis court, a two-story gym, several pools and a helicopter pad equipped for three helicopters. It was built just last year in the Indian city of Mumbai.

Antilia, world´s most expensive private ´home´ seen left

This 21st Century tower of Babel is home to India´s richest, and world 4th richest man Mukesh Ambani. He lives there with his wife and three children. It is hardly a home anymore with more, much more, floor space than the Palace of Versailles, but it was built as a private residence….

Antilia

Some critics say architects Perkins & Will were a bit too inspired by the work of Dutch architecture firm MVRDV. Their Dutch pavilion for the 2000 Hannover Expo looks quite similar. Do you agree?

 

Dutch Pavilion for the 2000 Hannover Expo designed by MVRDV

 

 

AGA celebrates 300th anniversary with limited-edition cookers


To celebrate AGA’s 300th anniversary, the company commissioned four celebrities to pimp a cooker. This resulted in four limited-edition cookers from AGA Rangemasters four brands; AGA, Rangemaster, Falcon and Rayburn.

Emma Bridgewater's Polka Dot design

Pottery designer Emma Bridgewater designed a polka-dot AGA. Atomic Kitchen singer Natasha Hamilton covered her Rangemaster in prints of cup cakes that make your mouth water. Designer and TV presenter Oliver Heath has created a patchwork wood-burning Rayburn to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Coalbrookdale foundry where all AGA cookers are made. Scottish Michelin-star chef Nick Nairn shows his pride in his heritage by adorning the Falcon cooker with the Nairn tartan.  

Oliver Heath's Patchwork design

AGA might not have found celebrities overly enthusiastic, or maybe they were a bit short on cash, as the line up is hardly A-list, but still; a great campaign from the company that brought warmth to many a kitchen.

“Almost all casting takes place at Coalbrookdale, the Shropshire cradle of the Industrial Revolution, where, in 1709, Abraham Darby first melted iron using coke. The latest AGA is made in exactly the same way; by pouring molten iron into a mould to create cast iron.” (source AGA website)

Nick Nairn's tartan design

Natasha Hamilton's cupcake design

Wonderful loft in ‘Amsterdamse School’ building


On the Dutch real-estate-buffs’ online bible Funda I found this wonderful loft type apartment in a typical Amsterdam School style building.  This architectural movement (Dutch: Amsterdamse School) arose in Amsterdam around 1910. The movement is part of international Expressionist architecture.  Many houses in the Amsterdam burroughs just outside the historic center were built in that style. This building is located in the Bohemian area called De Pijp and has views of a canal. It used to be the office of a Housing Estate association. Currently it houses apartments. The one on offer is located on the fourth and fifth floor and was completely remodelled in 2007.

amsterdamse school loft

Building, living room, kitchen detail

 The current owners created a light and very well proportioned three bedroom apartment with a sunny roof terrace. They did so in keep with the original character of the building. The first thing you notice when you enter (after a four flights of stairs climb!) is a cast iron spiral staircase. luckily, this leads only to the master bedroom. The other rooms are all on the fourth floor. 

Amsterdamse school loft

Dining area, spiral staircase to master bed, kitchen

There is a large and very light living room which stretches from the front to the rear part of the house. It features many skylights and windows allowing a lot of light to stream in. The open kitchen in the back of the room gives access to the spacious and sunny terrace. A further two bedrooms and full bathroom further complement this floor.  

amsterdam canal house

Small bedroom, terrace, living room

The apartment is for sale for €410.000,- which seems fair for what you get. 

The Homevoyeurs webshop sells many books about Dutch architecture. For instance Contemporary Dutch School Architecture, By Dolf Broekhuizen, Ton Verstegen, Paul Groenendijk, Like Bijlsma.