This month, The Sybarite explores our top ten picks of some of the finest luxury property developments around the world, starting with London.
The luxury property market has been on the rise for many years, and this trend is likely to continue for the foreseeable future. For those who value the finer things in life, owning a luxury home is more than just an investment — it's a statement of who they are.
While some cities such as New York, Miami, London, Dubai, and Singapore have always been the preferred destinations for luxury living, others such as downtown LA and Melbourne have made their presence felt too with some landmark luxury developments of late. Yet others such as Kiawah Island in South Carolina have remained the proverbial Shangri-Las of luxury developments — known only to a select few.
Here, The Sybarite explores our top ten picks of some of the finest luxury developments around the globe, starting with London. All the properties on the list are distinguished by their pedigree of being the products of some of the most renowned builders and having been conceptualized by the most sought after architects in the luxury real estate sector. On top of this, each property has opulent interiors, the best views of each city, and state-of-the-art facilities for fitness and recreation.
1. One Tower Bridge, London
A prestigious address situated along the Thames river, One Tower Bridge stands as one of the few luxury developments in the heart of London offering the best views of one of its most iconic sights — the Tower Bridge. The property's location at Potters Fields Park (zone 1) makes it one of the most sought after addresses in London. Not only does it open out onto the green spaces of the Potters Fields Park, it also is in close proximity to the City of London. This means that fine dining, art, shopping and culture are all right on its doorstep.
Designed by renowned architects Squire and Partners, One Tower Bridge boasts of a historical setting, standing right opposite the Tower of London, a UNESCO world heritage site. The project, spread across eight towers and 376 homes, has one, two, and three bedroom units, along with four bedroom penthouses.
The property boasts a 24 hour Harrods concierge service, luxury spa and gym on site, private business lounge with virtual golf, private courtyard garden, a beautiful 20m swimming pool, plunge pool, and a boutique hotel by The Lalit with unique signature dining within the development.
Apartment Sizes: One to three bedroom apartments and four bedroom penthouses
2. 360 Central Park West, New York
Central Park West needs little introduction. Originally designed by the renowned Rosario Candela in 1929, it is recognized as a region of historic importance in New York.
Famous for its terraced setbacks and penthouses, 360 Central Park West's 16-story high-rise has now been reimagined by CetraRuddy Architects to offer 21st century’s finest luxury living. All of its apartments are distinguished by a flavor of understated luxury and subtle elegance.The high end complex stands out with its wide open spaces, bright natural lighting, and unmatched views of the iconic Central Park.
The interiors of each condo feature solid oak wood floors and double pane, floor to ceiling windows. Kitchen counters are topped with the much sought-after Calacatta Caldia marble from the Apuan Alps in Carrara, Italy. Bathroom slabs, covering the floor to the ceiling, are cut from the luxurious Bianco Namibia marble from Africa.
The high-rise contains a mixture of one-to-four bedroom units with a 24-hour lobby service to attend to any needs. There are also tennis courts, playgrounds, pet washing, a wellness center, and even paddle boats to go boating.
The Ritz-Carlton group is a name long synonymous with luxury developments offering the highest quality of hospitality. It now offers its patrons beachfront luxury in the form of its Ritz-Carlton Residences, Miami. Situated in a private enclave, they offer unobstructed views of the ocean, the lake, and the clear blue Florida skies. The property is made up of only 111 residential spaces and 15 private single family villas, set amid seven acres of gardens, pools, entertainment spaces and a private marina.
Designed by master architect Piero Lissoni, the condos wed a minimalistic approach to design with maximal luxury. The idea was to build around the breathtaking beauty of the Miami beachfront, rather than on it. The result is a property that feels like a natural outgrowth of the lush greenery, tropical gardens, and life-giving water that surrounds it.
Amenities on offer include a dedicated concierge service that can get you anything, from beach reservations to in-residence services, rooftop pools, charming cabanas, club room, fitness centre, and a fully-equipped kids club.
Number of Units: 111 waterfront condos and 15 stand-alone villas
Apartment Sizes: Two to five bedroom condos ranging from 3043 sq. ft. to 8373 sq. ft. Villas range from 7499 sq. ft to 9933 sq. ft.
4. Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
The Jumeirah Lake Towers is one of the most instantly recognizable landmarks in Dubai. Its gleaming skyscrapers reflecting in the three artificial lakes have been defining luxury since 2011.
Standing on the posh Dubai Marina, the Jumeirah Lake Towers development is made up of 80 towers that house over 60,000 residents. The crowning glory of the project is the 68-storey, 380m tall Almas Tower that is situated on its private island, and is home to the Dubai Diamond Exchange.
From three bedrooms to fantastic penthouse suites, the Jumeirah is an all-out luxury property in Dubai's prime district that offers the perfect blend of work and play. The towers offer best-in-class residential, commercial, and office spaces. Situated in close proximity to the project are the American University of Dubai, the Dubai Internet City, and the Jebel Ali port.
Number of Units: There are a total of 80 towers with the capacity to house over 60,000 residents.
Emirates Hills was conceived of as the Beverly Hills for people who did not want to fly all the way to California to experience the epitome of luxury. Its list of high-profile residents that include former heads of states, billionaire investors, and sports stars would agree that it has lived up to its objective.
One of the most sought after luxury developments in the world, it consists of freehold plots on which buyers were free to build their own villas. The signature villas, which consist of five-six bedrooms, spacious rooms, high ceilings, expansive gardens and grand balconies, have been designed with renowned architect Sir Michael Hopkins. The site also includes the Montgomerie Maisonette, which have been designed was upscale townhouses with a touch of Arabian aesthetic. The villas here overlook the prestigious Address Montgomerie, an 18-hole golf course designed by the architect Desmond Muirhead and the ace golfer Colin Montgomerie.
Number of Units: The project only offered freehold plots at inception. Buyers can now purchase villas put on sale by previous owners
Downtown LA is a historic region, being the epicenter from where the city of Los Angeles began to expand outwards into California in the 18th century. Now Metropolis LA offers residents a chance to return to where it all began from, by offering luxurious living right in the heart of the most happening city in California.
The project comprises four towers in the heart of LA, out of which three are residential, while the fourth is home to the famous Hotel Indigo. Soaring well over 38 floors into the Californian sky, the towers offer stunning views of the City of Angels and Hollywood Hills.
The condos come with French Oak hardwood floors, Caesarstone countertops, and Bosch appliances. Amenities include the Met Six Private Resident’s Club, dog park with bathing station, yoga studio, business centre, indoor pool, and a fully-equipped gym to name a few. This makes it one of the most sought-after luxury developments in California.
Number of Units: 1500+ units spread out across three towers
Apartment Sizes: Studio to three and four bedroom apartments starting from 482 sq ft, and penthouses ranging from 1640 sq. ft. to 3534 sq. ft.
7. Kiawah Island, South Carolina
Kiawah Island has held a reputation as one of the most elite golfing destinations on the east coast of the United States since at least the 1980s. With a temperate climate, lush, low country landscape, and mile upon mile of pristine Atlantic coastline, Kiawah Island always had all the makings of prime real estate. Now South Street Partners have developed the island as a premium residential hub, offering luxury real estate with world class amenities such as golf, tennis, fine dining, and more.
On offer are free-standing homes and villas and home sites or plots for buyers to build their own homes on.
The Island is gated, providing privacy, security, and exclusivity to its residents. This is also an ideal property for golfers as the site features two Golfweek “Top 100”courses and was recently named the site of the 2021 PGA Championship.
The quiet, undisturbed setting of the island is perfect for a luxury couples retreat. And if rumours are to be believed, the who’s who of the glamour universe have properties here, including Dan Marino, Reese Witherspoon, and Nikki Haley.
Number of Units: N/A
Price Range: Starting from $1,550,000 for home sites and $2,995,000 for four-bedroom cottages.
Apartment Sizes: Four-bedroom cottages start at 3130 sq. ft. and sizes go up from there.
8. Eureka Tower, Melbourne, Australia
When first built in 2006, Eureka Tower was the tallest residential building in the world. At 297m and 91 floors high, it is still one of the tallest residential towers in Australia, and a Melbourne landmark.
Eureka Tower boasts 556 units in differing sizes offering luxury condos and penthouse suites. Divided into three distinct areas there is ‘River Rise' from floors 11 to 24, ‘Premier Rise' from floors 25 to 52 and ‘Sky Rise' from floors 53 to 80. On the 82nd floor is a residential penthouse, which was awarded the Gold Award in Residential Interior Design at the 2014 Melbourne Design Awards.
Each apartment is kitted out with its own laundry, opening windows, balcony or winter garden while the ground levels boast office space, restaurants, state-of-the-art fitness center and retail areas. The entire building is serviced by 13 lifts capable of traveling at up to 9m/s. Which means you could reach from ground floor to the 91st floor in about 33 seconds flat.
One of the most exciting features of Eureka Tower is its famous Skydeck, which opened in 2007 and is frequented by tourists and visitors, where they can head up and view the stunning Melbourne landscape from its thirty viewfinders. The Skydeck is often called the highest vantage point atop a building in the southern hemisphere, and for this reason, the public are charged an entry fee to access it. Also located on the 89th floor is the Eureka89, a luxury fine dining restaurant. At nearly 300m above the ground level, it is also the southern hemisphere’s highest luxury restaurant atop a building.
Number of Units: 556
Price Range: Since all units are available for resale only, prices vary greatly, and are subject to constant change.
Apartment Sizes: Apartment sizes in the Eureka Tower vary from 1-bedroom studios to luxury penthouses. A typical 2-bedroom apartment measures 1496 sq ft..
9. Marina One Residences, Singapore
Marina One is a mixed-use, new construction project in Singapore’s prime Marina Bay area that overlooks stunning views of the Pacific Ocean on one side, and is bordered by the Central Business District on the other. Envisioned as a 24/7 work-live-play zone, Marina One comprises luxury condos, penthouses, offices, and retail spaces.
Designed by sustainable architect Christoph Ingenhoven, the property features contemporary luxury residences with a unique retail offering around lush greenery, inner city park-like living and working reminiscent of London's Hyde Park, all the while being in prime location serving all-encompassing views of Marina Bay Sands.
The high-rise offers 1/2/3/4 bedroom and penthouses all complemented by a host of recreational facilities including a 50m lap pool, private dining rooms and even a Teppanyaki Terrace. For the city dweller commuting could not be easier and is nothing as it is connected to 4 MRT lines.
These state-of-the-art units have been meticulously designed with thoughtfully conceptualized interiors that come with fitted appliances from Miele, Poggenpohl, and Villeroy & Bosch. For 2/3/4 bedroom units and penthouses, each unit has its own private lift lobbies. The entire project is surrounded by 0ver 60 species of trees and 160 varieties of plants, mirroring the garden city vision of Singapore as a place with abundant greenery and a clean environment despite its high population density.
Apartment Sizes: From 657 sq. ft. for 1-bedroom studios to 8568 sq. ft. for penthouses.
10. One Riverside Park, New York
One Riverside Park offers true luxury living in Manhattan's Upper West Side with sweeping views of the Hudson River and New York. One of the new buildings in Manhattan designed by architects Goldstein, Hill & West, the luxury condominium has a unique exterior design made up of a limestone that gradually transitions to glass as the building rises above the ground. The luxurious interiors have been conceptualized by the New York-based Shamir Shah designers.
The 35-storey building contains 219 luxury residences from 3/4/5 bedrooms to half-floor, terrace and penthouse residences. It also has tower townhomes, which boast 7 bedrooms. The property provides round the clock concierge, screen room, entertainment room with catering kitchen, indoor playground, landscaped garden courtyard, shuttle service and state-of-the-art fitness facilities.All of this in addition to some of the most mesmerizing views of the Hudson river and NYC that the city has to offer.
For those who believe that a luxury home should not be limited by price tags, there are several options available today. From these. We’ve curated the best of the best. From California to Singapore, you can pick a luxury home in whichever corner of the globe you feel the most at home in, and rest assured that you will get the best that money can buy. Make sure to check us out for more curated luxury experiences such as our luxury champagne club, or this AIRE ancient baths London review for one of the most luxurious spa experiences anywhere.
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