Posted on 05/01/2008 1:22:31 PM PDT by PROCON
NEW YORK: The 27-storey skyscraper being built in Mumbai by Mukesh Ambani, the richest person in India, could be the world's largest and costliest home with a price-tag nearing two billion dollar, according to Forbes magazine.
"When the Ambani residence is finished in January, completing a four-year process, it will be 550 feet high with 4,00,000 square feet of interior space," Forbes said in a report on its website.
Earlier in March, Mukesh Ambani was ranked as the fifth richest person in the world with a net worth of 43 billion dollars by the Forbes magazine in its annual list of world's wealthiest billionaires. While Lakshmi Mittal, who is an Indian citizen was ranked higher at fourth, he is a British resident. Among resident Indians, Mukesh was ranked at top.
"The only remotely comparable high-rise property currently on the market is the 70 million dollar triplex penthouse at the Pierre Hotel in New York, designed to resemble a French chateau, and climbing 525 feet in the air," Forbes said in its report titled, "Inside The World's First Billion-Dollar Home."
Mukesh Ambani heads India's most valuable firm Reliance Industries, an oil and petrochemicals giant.
"Like many families with the means to do so, the Ambanis wanted to build a custom home. They consulted with architecture firms Perkins + Will and Hirsch Bedner Associates, the designers behind the Mandarin Oriental, based in Dallas and Los Angeles, respectively," the report said. "Plans were then drawn up for what will be the world's largest and most expensive home: a 27-story skyscraper in downtown Mumbai with a cost nearing 2 billion dollars."
According to Forbes, Mukesh, along with his wife Nita Ambani and three children, currently live in a 22-story Mumbai tower.
The report further noted that the cost for the Ambani residence, called Antilla whose shape is based on Vaastu, would be more than a hotel or high-rise of similar size because of its custom measurements and fittings.
While a hotel or condominium has a common layout, replicated on every floor, and uses the same materials throughout the building, the Ambanis' home has no two alike in either plans or materials used, it said.
"At the request of Nita Ambani, say the designers, if a metal, wood or crystal is part of the ninth-floor design, it shouldn't be used on the eleventh floor, for example. The idea is to blend styles and architectural elements so spaces give the feel of consistency, but without repetition," it said.
"Atop six stories of parking lots, Antilla's living quarters begin at a lobby with nine elevators, as well as several storage rooms and lounges. Down dual stairways with silver-covered railings is a large ballroom with 80 per cent of its ceiling covered in crystal chandeliers."
The report said that Ambanis plan to use the residence occasionally for corporate entertainment also and they want its interiors to have a "distinctly Indian" look and feel.
"The top floors of entertaining space, where Ambani plans to host business guests (or just relax) offer panoramic views of the Arabian Sea... For more temperate days, the family will enjoy a four-story open garden," it noted.
Going for that “stacked shipping container” look I see. That said - the interior is very nice. And it looks like this design gives him several open gardens at various levels.
Yeah, I need to redo my ballroom too!
Honey, would you please go find the cat?
“...and they want its interiors to have a “distinctly Indian” look and feel.”
Each floor will be packed with about 10,000 street people, 100 mopeds, a dozen ox carts, no bathrooms, and will be oozing of the smell of curry.
” Hanging vertical gardens dot the exterior. While they make for good decoration, their key function has to do with energy efficiency: The hydroponic plants, grown in liquid nutrient solutions instead of soil, lower the energy footprint of the home by absorbing heat and sunlight and providing shade that helps keep it cool.”
You have got to be kidding me. Hey Al, maybe you could put some hanging gardens around that mansion in Tennessee
i didn't say that i would go for it, but it is unique.
Just replying to the nice visual you posted. Yeah - pretty easy to point out to the guy sitting next to you on the airplane “Hey - I can see my house down there!”
Now it makes sense. On first glance I thought this might be a bit extravagant, but if he's picking an extra five stories, how can he not?
Just damn....native housing stacked high.../s
I really think the difference with how the countries fared post-colonialism has to do with who colonized them. English=relatively stable; French/Portuguese= disaster.
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