The luxury industry travels high above the clouds of any economic crisis and, like a private jet, the worse the weather, the higher it flies. For several years now, the most prestigious brands have learned to diversify between automotive, fashion, jewelry, real estate or entertainment; they are all branches of the same tree: that of exclusivity. In particular, in construction everyone knows that location is everything, and the place to be for a legendary brand like Bugatti is Dubai.
The historic French automobile manufacturer, founded in 1909 in Molsheim by the Italian Ettore Bugatti, has gone through various vicissitudes, falls and rebirths, to become a symbol of vintage car collecting, with models such as the Type 41 Royale, which they are veritable museum pieces, the most important of which is the Musée National de l'Automobile in Mulhouse, Alsace, born of the mad passion of Fritz Schlumpf.
However, Bugatti is not only a brand with a prestigious past, but also a manufacturer of very limited edition supercars. There are less than a thousand examples worldwide: 450 Veyrons, about 400 Chirons and a handful of Centodieci, Divo and Mistral. On the other hand, with prices of at least €2.5 million, it's certainly not the car for everyone. Bugatti represents one of the greatest expressions of exclusivity on wheels, and it needs a garage to match.
This is where the collaboration between the French house, now owned by the German Volkswagen group, and Binghatti, one of the main real estate developers in the Emirates, based in Dubai, was born. The two prestigious, and consonant, brands have come together to build the Bugatti Residence, the next protagonist of the effervescent skyline of the Persian Gulf.
The first collaboration between the two entities was revealed at the Coca-Cola Arena in the Emirati city on May 24 by Mate Rimac, CEO of Bugatti Rimac, and Muhammad BinGhatti, CEO of Binghatti. The building will rise in Dubai's Business Bay, a five-minute walk from the Khalifa Tower, the world's tallest skyscraper, and will consist of 182 homes arranged over 42 floors.
The Bugatti Residence will do everything possible not to go unnoticed, not so much for its height (unreported) as for its resolutely original style, formed by a kind of double spiral that rotates on itself. Of the 182 residential units, 171 will be apartments, referred to by the developer as Riviera Mansions, and 11 penthouses, dubbed Sky Mansion Penthouses: all homes will be fully customizable with bespoke design and access to a large curved balcony.
The first Bugatti-signed residential building will also include luxury services such as a beach reproducing the French Riviera, several swimming pools and spas with Jacuzzis, a gym, a private chef and valet parking, an exclusive club for members and two car elevators from the garage to the penthouse, from so owners will be able to drive their vehicles right onto the mat at home.
All the apartments provide spacious living rooms adorned with the best selection of materials the world can offer, ensuring a perfect combination of comfort, functionality and elegance. Unrivaled craftsmanship and exquisite finishes that set a new standard of opulence will ensure that art de vivre, inspired by the golden years of the Côte d'Azur, is reinvented for the contemporary age.
"In the same way that Bugatti translated the beauty and sophistication of French luxury into the design of its hyper sports cars, Bugatti Residences brings the breeze and atmosphere of the Riviera to this private oasis," say the promoters of the project. In fact, according to the two brands, the Côte d'Azur aesthetic will be incorporated throughout the design: “From the moment you enter the residences, you are sucked into a sense of exuberance that immediately transports you to the inspiring region of the project, capable of capturing the hearts of lovers of the good life for a long time”, said Bugatti. Prices? The rule is always the same: if you have to ask, it's probably not for you.
Muhammad BinGhatti's award-winning company is not new to these operations; in fact, his is also the project developed together with the luxury jewelry and watch brand Jacob
Thus, through a distinctive architecture, characterized by bold and complex designs, Binghatti has brought to its architectural projects the same craftsmanship and artistry with which Bugatti established itself in the automotive sector. On the other hand, the French house is just the latest luxury car brand to bet on the construction of residential properties: Bentley has built a 61-story skyscraper in Miami Beach and Aston Martin has signed several buildings and mansions in New York, Tokyo and Miami.
Now the historic firm from Molsheim, thanks to Binghatti's expertise, will shape a new Dubai icon, an opportunity to translate Bugatti's philosophy and design DNA, Art, Forme, Technique, into an architectural masterpiece. In fact, this ambitious and singular project aspires to live up to the famous maxim of the founder Ettore Bugatti: “If it is comparable, it is not Bugatti”.
