A show of villas - Luxury Golf Villas in Dubai, Golf Course Villas

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confirmed wish to live in that environment. The moment that
potential client walks through the door, you want him, or her,
to fall in love with the property.”
So articulate considering this is an onsite afternoon beneath
a burning June sun as I juggle a petrol station sandwich and
a notepad and writing implement, whilst striding between
Zara, Selva, The One and other interior furnishing exhibits.
“The second function is the importance to the developer
of taking a structure from a concept design through the
design and builds process. No amount of sketches, models,
CGI’s or such-like can prepare anyone for the reality of the
built environment. The show villa is therefore regarded as
a prototype for the overall development – it’s the one last
chance the developer has to iron out the major wrinkles that
deftly avoided the crystal ball.”
Roger continued unabated: “Ultimately, the challenge with
show villas is the timescale. Logically you purchase a piece of
land, finalise the design and assign a contractor to produce
a permanent property. However, you cannot accomplish this
years in advance of the total development programme. Yet
the sub-challenges are even more diverse, for you may be
part way through the build and still examining the reiterative
questions that surround sanitary ware, fittings, kitchen tiles
etc. Meanwhile, you have already sold villas in an earlier
period of your marketing campaign and continuing to meet
your client obligations. For CHI it has always been hugely
important to make sure that what we sold to the customer
ended up as the finished goods or as close as is possible.
We are, I would hope to say, a good example of a fastidious
developer, who does not want to be accused of sacrificial
changes in the interests of commercial gain i.e. degrading
and devaluing materials and fittings en route.”
Looking at a show villa from the perspective of a test bed
there is an evolution that can only be achieved by practical
application. Philip Lloyd (one of the partners of CHI) stepped
into replace a rapidly overheating Roger with an explanation
on one example of the minutiae that cannot always be
prepared for:
“We started revealing the finished material effects via
a mock-up room constructed in our offices where, for
example, we had bronze sanitary ware and bathroom taps,
which were then fitted in the first show villa. One factor we
never envisaged was that you cannot actually source the
smaller functional bathroom fittings to match the bronze
theme of the more visible elements i.e. plughole surrounds,
drain covers and shower door hinges, we discovered, were
only available in ubiquitous chrome finishes. Not a sliver of
bronze to be had in the house. This revelation forced us to
go back and fit chrome throughout in the bulk of the villas,
which although they cost the same from the same supplier,
any change of this nature can offend the buyer. Nevertheless,
without the show villa progress we would never have found
out until much later.”
“Another example was that of the interconnecting archways
between room spaces; our original images portrayed a
gypsum plaster finish. However, in the show home we
elected to adopt a GRC plus stone-paint approach which
when finished, we took an ambivalent attitude towards. As
a result we have now reverted to the plaster look in the main
which we have now constructed in the other villas. There is a
definite danger that we could be accused of penny pinching
due to this change; however it is definitely not the case. There
is no doubt that the provision of show homes opens up a
Pandora’s Box of technicalities, in that the developers need
to test everything but without disgruntling the consumers.”
So now we have this show villa that is structurally complete
but exhibits little in the way of being dressed up with places
to go. The looking livable factor remains firmly on the critical
path. I press another of the partners, Marcus O’Grady on this
aspect.
“The art of the show villa should be to ensure that the
‘theatre’ of the place should not camouflage the actual
experience of seeing the rooms. They have to look like a
home but rise to meet the viewer’s aspirations. Without
resorting to propaganda, it is possible to fashion a show
villa that does not resemble the delivered product. This was
an adopted policy from the beginning; in order not to be
accused of playing games. Another important factor is to be
able to show both a fully dressed show villa and an empty
version. This allows a buyer the opportunity to actually see
the finished spaces and be re-assured that the finishes etc
are the same in the un-furnished villa.”
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A show of villas
The marketing process associated with a prime collection of fine villas, nestling beside the links
of a magnificent golf course, requires a distinct dash of ingenuity, especially at the conceptual
stage with no show home in sight. In a market awash with off-plan sales there is a finite
advantage
to be gained from the presentation of a show property. The primary function of a
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show
villa (or apartment) is to guide the expectations of potential purchasers but, on another
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level,
it help’s the developer to understand his own product. The decision to provide a show villa
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is ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������
not a difficult one; however this month’s Lime Tree Diaries endeavours to unravel the thought
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processes that preoccupy the mind of the developer.
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ISS
there CHItowere,
covering
a vast
repertoire
design,
semanticsglass
are also
in keeping
with
the Irish of
heritage
ofas
CHI,
n due o deference
thoseproud
that mirrored
owners
of
a
relatively
complex
man
made
islands
emerged
from
the
foaming
o
there
CHI
were,
proud
mirrored
glass
covering
a
vast
repertoire
of
design,
as
possess an overriding desire to reside the developers behind the project.
modest
of yet
land
brine
in islands
tandem.
Onetheir
might
say foaming
that
owners
of piece
abutrelatively
man
made
emerged
from
the
CHI offshore
has recently
completed
second
showthere
villa at
around
the fairways,
have
tocomplex
LTV offshore
but
a function
and
somewhat
different
swing
club; the word
linksof
comes
from
by a comparison
with
what
was brine
was
morewith
than
atandem.
small element
of competition
from
a
modest
piece
land
in
Oneobjective
might
say
that there
tomore
the first.
However,
before I of
getcompetition
too far ahead
of amyself
the
Scots
language
and
refers
area
aroundwith
them
in to
a an
sea
of wasmarketing
perspective.
by evolving
comparison
what
was
than
a small element
from
at Roger
this stage
of the proceedings,
it seems
prudent
to secure
of
coastal
sand dunes,
superlatives,
biggest,
tallest,
Wakeham,
Development
Director
at CHI
for
evolving
around
them and
in asometimes
sea of a marketing
perspective.
to open parkland. Fitting perhaps when Roger Wakeham’s (Development Director at CHI) view of the
global first etc,
etc. Concrete
and Roger
Lime Tree
Valley, aDevelopment
residential community
of CHI
substance
superlatives,
biggest,
tallest, a
Wakeham,
Director at
for
the enclave, in this case, Lime Tree purpose of said show creation in the first place.
rebar
steel
structures
rocketed
rising
at Valley,
Jumeirah
Golf Estates
and,
in the
of manyand
global
etc, etc.
Concrete
andhasLime
Tree
a residential
community
of case
substance
“A
show
home
basically
aims
to display
the spatial
atfirst
Jumeirah
Golf
Estates,
by Andy McTiernanValley
skyward,
clad
in
an
armour
of
of
the
remarkable
residences
it
contains,
already
risen,
rebar
steel
structures
rocketed
rising
at
Jumeirah
Golf
Estates
and,
in
the
case
of
many
‘living
risen resplendent from a large portion build qualities of the home, as well as the potential
by Andy McTiernan skyward, clad in an armour of of the remarkable residences it contains, already risen,
of dune clad desert sand. The Celtic atmosphere’, to a potential buyer who harbour’s a yet to be
24
2
S
by Andy McTiernan
24
o there CHI were, proud
owners of a relatively
modest piece of land
by comparison with what was
evolving around them in a sea of
superlatives, biggest, tallest, a
global first etc, etc. Concrete and
rebar steel structures rocketed
skyward, clad in an armour of
mirrored glass covering a vast repertoire of design, as
complex man made islands emerged from the foaming
brine offshore in tandem. One might say that there
was more than a small element of competition from a
marketing perspective.
Roger Wakeham, Development Director at CHI for
Lime Tree Valley, a residential community of substance
rising at Jumeirah Golf Estates and, in the case of many
of the remarkable residences it contains, already risen,
3
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DUBAI
Roger
stepped
back intosense
the great
tells all;
in a marketing
that is.debate:
As for “However,
my part, I
there
is ofwield
course
immense cultural
ethnic and
mix
merely
the an
journeyman’s
writing and
implement
resident
in
Dubai
and
therefore
a
commensurate
diversity
attempt to keep up.
in terms of what appeals as an interior style. In our first
“Our main business principle from day one was the
show villa we adopted the least radical route with classical
desire
to create
a point
of difference
ouraccentuate
approach
Italian furniture;
we have
of course
tried tointruly
to
that
of
our
industry
peers.
We
have,
I
believe,
all
the classic Mediterranean feel of the interior spaces. Ininour
dimensions
be an
not aafaceless
second
edition tried
of theto
show
villaaccessible
we wantedand
to instill
change
of emotion
without
inducing
a shock
to theinto
system,
however,
developer.
Inviting
potential
clients
the office
to
it isspend
much amore
contemporary.”
detailed
two or three hours (or longer) with us
Version
two ispractice.
modernistic
notclients
to theto
bleeding
was normal
We but
took
site to edge,
show
in my never so humble opinion, and there is an inordinately
them the shaping of the golf course and what their plot
broad palette of taste to satisfy most people out there
overlook.thus
We some
allowed
early clients
the options
in might
Metro-Dubai,
insight
as to the
impact to
of
make
changes
to
their
potential
property.
Brokers
were
contrasting styles is vital. Italian wall paper with a highly
engaged
generally
only atofeature
act as of
finders;
we elected
textured
impression
makes
the staircase,
the
placing
of more minimalistic
accessories
overall
to painstakingly
‘sell’ our
own villasadds
on to
anthe
in-house
sense
of space,
pleasant
pervading
the overall
conducted
basis.
Even perfumes
our marketing
and advertising
setting
add
to
the
lighter
feel.
Do
not
get
the
impression
that
took a different tack.”
I thumb my nose at the classical interior, but it does impose
“In October 2006, you were able to open any
greater adult formality and needs a light touch to dissipate
newspaper
or magazineclutter.
and confront
an immense
of
any sense of congestive
The children’s
areaarray
is the
computer
generated
images
of
glossy
towers
and
other
offset in terms of the whole.
un-built properties. Thus our early creative contained
Leaping
from myand
journalistic
opinion
box and
back
to still
the
no buildings
no people
whatsoever
(the
latter
words
of Le
Patron:
stands
true).
We wanted to create a rich texture without
“The
of pale
darker
terracotta
tiling was alsoand
an
glossuse
in order
to and
express
a legacy
of craftsmanship
area of exploration and, in fact, we have deployed a different
traditional building values. As a company we have a
option between Lime Tree Valley East and Lime Tree Valley
West. The reality of that choice only became apparent after
both installation and then after furnishing the villas. There
was a moment when we were concerned that clients might
not like the tiling but in fact the show homes have revealed
that our instinct was correct. Additionally not all villas have
the same depth architecturally and we needed to accentuate
perspective by the way in which we apply the wood / gypsum
frames in arches, but once again that only becomes apparent
once you have seen them built and the show home once
distinctly Irish background and a development history
which spans thirty years of exceptional building, which
has added value in the eyes of most discerning members
of property society.”
However, when one is bombarded by glossy brochures
from all quarters how do you rise above the marketing
rainforest?
Marcus O’Grady, one of the founding partners of
CHI, paints the verbal picture: “We noticed that the
majority of property sales collateral presented the same
stereotypical images. They were like holiday brochures.
A vista of people enjoying themselves surrounded by a
lifestyle as yet to be manufactured but no inkling of an
actual product. The objective from our point of view was
to encourage them to want to live in our properties. We
felt a strong impulse to express a practical imagery, not
overwhelmed by excessive false glamour, in other words
a picture of authenticity. Any renderings employed were
actually
would
expect
upon completion
again iswhat
the you
litmus
paper.
We to
arefind
planning
a third show
of
was greater
important
conveyinaa sense
of
villathe
in product.
fact whereIt the
use to
of wood
more rustic
heritage
old farmhouse
fashioned setting
workmanship.
In facttowe
provincialand
Tuscan
should prove
be a
major feature.”
showed
no images of property at all in our initial ads,
“There
plan to refresh
Show Villa number one, softening
opting
forisaagradual
build up.”
the
classical
overtones
perhaps
add other
dimensions
An impressively short intake oftobreath
ensues:
“We
and possibilities in the eye of the beholder. There is a huge
eventually whipped the dust covers off the properties
repertoire of villas across the length and breadth of the estate
and therefore the variations in layout, sizes and angles and
space allocation lend themselves to an equally wide variety
of interior styles. In many respects a pageant of show villas
can also stimulate longer term interior design decisions for
owner occupiers.”
I emerge from this stratospheric council of show homes and
re-enter society a more enlightened individual. The moral of
the story, there are far more dimensions to the making of a
show of villas than meet the naked eye.
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