TEXT Sarah Wetzlmayr | FIRST PUBLISHED IN CHAPTER №X “STATE OF THE ART” – SUMMER 2023/24
Whether the Porsche Design Tower, the ICONIC Tower by Pininfarina, Mercedes-Benz Places or real estate projects by Bentley and Aston Martin — more and more automotive brands are deciding to outdo themselves with luxuriously futuristic residential projects, whereby the design principles of the skyscrapers are usually closely linked to the design philosophies of the car manufacturers.
There is hardly a car brand that would not claim to aim high. In the figurative sense, of course. With Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Bentley, Aston Martin and several other luxury car manufacturers, however, there have also been brands for some years now that have literally committed themselves to this — admittedly somewhat hackneyed — phrase. Since Porsche set an (all) outstanding starting point with the Porsche Design Tower in Miami, which was completed in 2017, so-called branded residences, which bear the names of these luxury car manufacturers and were also (co-)developed by them, have been springing up like mushrooms. The two metropolises of Miami and Dubai have emerged as particularly fertile areas in this respect.
Mercedes-Benz’ first real estate project in the USA is being built in Brickell, Miami, and is being developed in cooperation with the real estate development group JDS Development Group.
The German manufacturer Mercedes-Benz has set up shop in both hotspots with its ambitious and unusual Mercedes-Benz Places real estate project. “Both buildings are unmistakably characterized by our design philosophy of “Sensual Purity” and thus the bipolarity of emotion and intelligence. With its unmistakable elliptical shape and flowing lines, Dubai appeals more to the emotion — the heart. Miami stands more for rationality and thus the intelligent pole of our design philosophy. Its simple cubic bodies, artfully linked together, form a striking skyscraper that stands out from Miami’s architectural landscape,” says Gorden Wagener, Chief Designer at Mercedes-Benz, who played a leading role in the design of the two skyscrapers. As a designer, he always strives to create something new and unique, but only time will tell whether the work he and his team have created will one day achieve iconic status, says Wagener. “But icons make the difference, because they define luxury and embody certain characteristics: they are timeless and unmistakable. They are also based on a strong idea that can polarize,” the designer continues. However, the emotional core of every design is clearly beauty. “Everything we do must be aesthetic. What is beautiful fascinates people and exerts a great attraction. But that alone is not enough for us: we also strive to give beauty the brilliance of the extraordinary — be it in a Mercedes-Benz model or a property.”
Mercedes-Benz Places Dubai is a joint project between Mercedes-Benz and Binghatti Developers.
THE NEW STAR ON THE HOUSING MARKET
Attractiveness is a good keyword, because there is not enough interest in the 150 luxury apartments in the 365-metre-high building. Mercedes-Benz skyscraper in Dubai the German car manufacturer can’t complain, says Florian Haffa in Tom Junkersdorf’s “Tomorrow” podcast. As Founder and CEO of Brand Labs International, Haffa builds bridges between brands and real estate. This is also the case with Mercedes-Benz. “Branding gives the properties a form of seal of approval,” says Haffa. However, the high demand is also the result of an undeniable brand fetishism, which, in his opinion, almost all people carry within them. On average, customers are willing to pay 30 percent more for a property from their “love brand”. Around 700 projects of this type have been completed worldwide by 2023, with a further 600 in the pipeline and due to be completed by 2030. In the past ten years, the number of branded residences worldwide has risen by more than 160 percent. While the sector was dominated by luxury hotel chains in the past, there are now more and more lifestyle brands that are shaking up the sector with their projects. In addition to the automotive industry, these are primarily fashion brands and jewelry manufacturers. Although it seems to be a phenomenon that has only really taken off in the last ten years, the beginnings of branded residences date back almost 100 years. The opening of the New York apartment hotel The Sherry Netherland Hotel in 1927 is usually cited as the concrete starting point. The tallest hotel in the city at the time, it was the first property to offer 165 luxury apartments for sale. At the same time, the new owners had all the amenities of a luxury hotel at their disposal.
BEAM ME UP, PORSCHE
The fact that Gorden Wagener, as mentioned at the beginning, was at the forefront of the development of the two Mercedes-Benz skyscrapers says a lot about the role that design plays in transferring the brand identity to the real estate sector. A very big one. It is also fitting that many major automotive brands are increasingly relying on their design departments to help shape the overall brand identity. The term design now means much more than just the design of individual vehicles. “I find it incredibly exciting that we designers are becoming more and more involved in shaping the entire brand image. This has also changed the significance of design as a whole. In management positions, you suddenly become part of the overall corporate strategy,” says Porsche Head of Design Michael Mauer.
One of the highlights of the Porsche Design Tower Miami are the automated car elevators. The technically complex “Dezervator” has made it possible to integrate the car parking space into the living area.
With the Porsche Design Tower Miami, Porsche Design aims to transfer the characteristic attributes of the brand — functional design, technical innovation and pioneering technologies — to a residential real estate project.
In 2017, the manufacturer from Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen set the first standards in an area that had barely been explored with the 60-storey Porsche Design Tower in Miami. At Porsche, too, the design principles that apply to the cars span all areas belonging to the brand, explains Stefan Büscher, Chairman of the Management Board of Porsche LifestyleGmbH Co. GmbH Co KG. Functionality, reduction and timelessness — in conjunction with technical excellence — are at the heart of this. There are some parallels between the world of real estate and that of automotive development, he adds. “Both areas are united by the fact that they are technically very demanding. In addition to the design performance, i.e. the pure appearance, the focus is on the technical-functional aspect. Engineering performance therefore plays a much greater role than in other product categories. In addition, vehicles and even more so buildings have a very long life cycle. In addition to the enormous technical challenges, this also has a considerable influence on the design. This must inevitably be timeless and still up to date decades from now. In product categories with shorter life cycles, on the other hand, you can be more experimental and react more quickly to trends.” A third similarity is the high visibility in the public eye. “Outstanding and striking buildings as well as vehicles have a fundamental impact on the image of modern cities,” he concludes.
For Stefan Büscher, the Porsche Design Tower Miami is not only a symbol of architectural excellence, but also a testimony to the brand’s commitment to offering its customers ultra-exclusive experiences. “The idea of community is also central to this,” Büscher interjects, adding: “In English, they say: ‘It’s not about what you buy but what you buy into. We are very lucky that no automotive brand in the world has gained such a large, loyal and emotional community as Porsche over the decades. As Porsche Design, we take this on board and carry it forward with our products and projects. So it was not just about a technical and architectural achievement that offers dream spaces for its residents, but about a lighthouse and a unique community hub.”
At the design level, the company has remained true to the “form-follows-function” approach. He explains what this means in concrete terms as follows: “In line with our identity, we deliberately decided against design elements that have no function other than pure showmanship. Such an element does have a strong recognition value, but you quickly get tired of it, which clashes with the building’s long life cycle. An additional challenge with a building is that it is located in a public space and therefore has a relationship with its surroundings that we cannot influence, but which we have to take into account.” The highlight of the 60-storey tower is, of course, the patented, revolutionary car elevator system, which takes residents sitting in their vehicle to their luxurious home “in the clouds” — the “Dezervator” developed by Dezer Development. “Dezervator” developed byDezer Development. “The complexity of the system presented the developers and engineers with a number of novel design challenges,” says Büscher.
A DIAMOND FOR BENTLEY FANS
At the English luxury brand Bentley, both vehicles and real estate projects are the result of a deep passion for design, craftsmanship and individualization. Steven de Ploey, Director of Product and Marketing, is convinced that both cars and real estate are about offering customers luxurious moments with the wow factor. Together with Dezer Development and Sieger Suarez Architects, Bentley is currently building a 61-storey skyscraper in Miami, which is due to be completed by 2026. It is obvious that this will be an absolute luxury property. After all, if it says Bentley on it, it contains luxury. But what does luxury actually mean in 2024? “In my opinion, luxury today means that sustainability — coupled with a life in harmony with nature — is not just a trend, but a guiding principle. For us, this applies to all areas, from the car to the sustainable materials we use for the interior design of the Bentley Residences. Surfaces such as wood, leather and glass have been carefully selected to reflect the coastal environment in which the property is located. In addition, we want our clients to feel that their luxury residences are an extension of their personality and that they recognize the values they stand for,” answers Steven de Ploey.
Bentley Residences Miami is a collaboration between Bentley, Sieger Suarez Architects and Dezer Development, a company specializing in luxury real estate, and is scheduled for completion in 2027.
The Bentley Residences Miami will also be home to the innovative, patented “Dezervator” car elevator – just one of the many amenities of the luxury real estate project.
Chris Cooke, Head of Design Collaborations at Bentley, is convinced that the key to success lies in the attention to detail. “There are numerous references to our cars in the property — for example, Bentley’s signature diamond motif is reflected in the diamond-shaped glass façade panels and the diamond-shaped tiles in the lobby. Enthusiasts and connoisseurs will recognize further allusions. And then, of course, there is the patented transparent car elevator (“Dezervator”, note), which makes it possible to literally integrate the cars into the living space.” For Chris Cooke, luxury means, among other things, being prepared to go beyond classic shapes and sculptures and using traditional materials in innovative ways, while maintaining attention to detail and an unconditional commitment to quality.
CREATIVITY MEETS CRAFTSMANSHIP
The Italian design company Pininfarina, which is building a luxury skyscraper comprising 311 residential units in Dubai, is also committed to attention to detail and high quality standards. In addition, as in the automotive sector, the company strives to design buildings that are not only functional but also visually impressive. Among other things, this means integrating state-of-the-art building technologies in such a way that they blend in with the overall aesthetic, says Giovanni de Niederhäusern, Senior Vice President Architecture. Redefining luxury in the real estate sector by committing to an “economy of creativity” is one of the declared goals, he adds. “For us, this concept means moving away from traditional luxury to one that emphasizes the maximization of creative potential and the appreciation of craftsmanship — values that have always been at the heart of Pininfarina’s philosophy.” On a design level, the ICONIC Tower, which already bears the design goal in its name, is characterized by the fact that the residential floors are divided into three blocks. “This breaks up the monotony, makes the structure more dynamic and raises the visual appeal of the building to a new level. It will also reflect the energetic soul of Dubai and its constantly evolving landscape,” says de Niederhäusern, who has declared the real estate sector to be an important cornerstone for the further development of the brand. “Through our multidisciplinary expertise, we will hopefully be able to create not just buildings, but entire environments that reflect our values. Above all, this means positively influencing these environments with the combination of beauty and technology.”
ASTON MARTIN SAILS INTO THE REAL ESTATE BUSINESS
In a duel between Dubai and Miami, British luxury and racing car manufacturer Aston Martin opted for the latter location. A 66-storey skyscraper with a sail-like shape was built there. The glass façade and the curved shape are a reference to the aerodynamics of the vehicles, according to the manufacturer. “We have incorporated the speed, flexibility and feeling of the Aston Martin brand into both the exterior design and the interior design. Even the door handles on the apartments are a tribute to the Aston Martin door handles,” explains lead architect Rodolfo Miani in an interview. In addition to a two-storey fitness center with a view of the Atlantic, there is an art gallery, two cinemas, a virtual golf simulator, a business center and a conference room as well as a spa area, a beauty salon and a hairdressing salon. “This remarkable new project realizes our long-term vision of entering the world of luxury real estate and is the latest expression of Aston Martin’s evolution into an ultra-luxury brand,” Aston Martin said enthusiastically.
The Aston Martin Residences are intended to reflect the development of Aston Martin into an ultra-luxury brand.
Three bespoke interior styles have been created by the Aston Martin design team for the project: The Timeless collection embodies classic Aston Martin design and draws on the heritage of the British luxury brand to create a contemporary style, while the Covert collection is inspired by the interiors of darker vehicle concepts. Residents looking for an extra dose of luxury can opt for the Indulgent collection, which combines natural materials in a softer, calming color palette with a touch of theatricality. A new real estate project from Aston Martin is already in the planning stages and is being built on the man-made Al Marjan archipelago, which belongs to the United Arab Emirates. The project is being implemented in cooperation with the Dubai-based real estate developer DarGlobal. “This is the first time that Aston Martin’s design team has applied its knowledge and reputation to a real estate project in collaboration with the Gulf Cooperation Council and taken responsibility for the interior design,” the company says.
The Aston Martin Residences Miami offer salons and lounges, a state-of-the-art fitness center with spa, an infinity pool on the 55th floor, a private marina and much more.
For more than a century, Aston Martin has stood for outstanding automotive design – now the brand wants to transfer its design expertise to exclusive real estate projects.
The fact that living and driving are growing ever closer together is therefore not only due to the fact that vehicle interiors are being designed to be ever more homely – partly as a result of developments in the field of autonomous driving. Anyone who wants to can now bring the feeling of driving a Bentley or a Porsche into their own four walls. In the truest sense of the word – because with the “Dezervator”, the vehicle lift developed by Dezer Development, you can stay very close to your vehicle even when you are in a luxury apartment above the clouds of Dubai. So one question that will probably be asked more and more frequently in future is: “Are you living or just driving?”, although the use of the adverb “just” in connection with car brands such as Aston Martin, Mercedes-Benz and the like may seem somewhat inappropriate.
