By Karen Shishiptorova, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO – Claiming the position of Rio’s first boutique villas, Disegno Condo Villas are soon to be launched by Ximenes Consultoria Imobiliária and Incorporadora PR Figueiredo in Barra da Tijuca, in Rio’s West Zone. The properties are located a five-minute drive from the Praia da Reserva beach, near the Marapendi Lake.
Reserva is an environmentally-protected area and construction is not allowed within its immediate surroundings. A celebrity favorite on weekends due to its pristine, private sands, this beach is a rugged affair, great for surfing and shallow-rod fishing.
The exclusive complex will be launched on September 14, with a cocktail party at the upscale Hotel Fasano in Ipanema. In a phone interview, Paulo Ximenes, the real estate company director, noted an increase in foreign investment in the Rio de Janeiro market in the past eighteen months.
“It began when Brazil acquired the foreign investment grade [from Standard & Poor’s in April 2008]. At the peak of the economic crisis, the worldwide market came to a standstill,” he added. “But things have picked up again, back to the original pace,” he commented, stating that “ten percent of the R$1 Million-plus properties in the country are being sold to foreigners.”
The complex is being marketed to foreign buyers with a full-page color ad to be published on September 14 in The New York Times. The caption reads: “Think Fast. 22 Exclusive Units Only.” Ximenes stated that one third of the homes have already been sold.
The boutiques are housed in a sophisticated condo of 22 units – ranging from 2,000 to 3,000 square meters each. The condominium is inspired by minimalist architecture trusted to the De Fournier Associates and will be built by Construtora Wrobel, while landscaping takes Rio designer Burle Marx’s trademark style as its model.
Rich in wood and large glass panes, the complex also boasts water-use optimization facilities and solar energy. IHouse was selected as the electronic house automation company. Each unit is pre-wired to furnish an a la carte menu of the “smart” product line, such as smart shower, smart control and smart eye, all included in the basic package. Similar to adding applications to a smart phone, home owners can pick the services that best suit them, adding anything new or needed along the way.
The villa comes with its own private club at Piazza Disegno, where there will be tennis courts, an outdoor and indoor heated pool, barbecue areas, chauffeur sitting room, a movie theater and a snack bar among other amenities.
Managed by Promanade Premium Gestão de Negócios Imobiliários – one of the country’s top residence, condo and hotel management companies – the Disegno Condo will offer a complete service package, on a pay-per-use basis, including small repairs, maid, laundry, concierge and courier services.
Paulo Figueiro, of Incorporadora PR Figueiredo, stated that even before the official launching, the Disegno site has been accessed by foreign internet users from countries such as Denmark, England, Ireland, Japan, Sweden and Switzerland.
The villa is situated a thirty-minute drive from Zona Sul and around an hour to downtown Rio, depending on traffic conditions. Prices will range between US$1.25 Million and US$2.1 Million. According to Ximenes, it is an affordable investment for foreign buyers given the location, quality and services offered by the the Disegno Boutique Villas. “It is a step beyond plain luxury. It is nature-driven and sophisticated, with discretion in mind,” he added.