The RDA take on branded residences

It was only in the second half of the twentieth century that ‘citizen of the world’ first entered popular discourse, but the idea is now firmly embedded in our understanding of modern life.

In the past, it was expected that successful businesspeople would eventually need to set down roots – usually in the suburbs – focusing their attentions on one principal home. This is no longer the case. The globalisation of the international economy has created a culture in which ‘doing business’ depends on an extensive property portfolio, spanning a broad geography; a property portfolio which is more often than not difficult and expensive to manage.

Branded residences promise to change the experience for today’s ‘citizens of the world’, doing away with the pressures of managing, designing, and servicing properties. It is not only the case that, for residents of these properties, moving from country to country is seamless, property management being handled by the dedicated concierge.  These properties are curated and managed by some of the leading brands in the hospitality, fashion, and luxury goods sectors and therefore provide for a high specification finish and a more relaxed lifestyle.

Until recently Miami has been the principal centre for these developments, with brands such as Bentley and Ritz-Carlton combining the luxurious finish of prime beachside residential developments with the amenities of upscale hotels and resorts. The Floridian city has been known to incorporate entertainment programmes, spa facilities, and Michelin-star restaurants into the definition of ‘home away from home’, setting a new benchmark for luxury.

Now, branded residences are gaining traction in the more established cities of North America, Asia, and Europe, with London ranking among the fastest growing centres for growth. Family offices are choosing these self-contained units with provision for a concierge over properties with more complex maintenance and administration mechanisms. There is scope for new brands

With a background working on high-specification residential developments in prime central London and experience working on some of the world’s best regarded hotels, Rodić Davidson is well-placed to capitalise on the opportunities presented by this next chapter in the history of urban development.

The practice has the expertise and the experience to deliver the same high standard of finish it deployed at The Dilly, a five-star Edwardian Baroque hotel designed by Richard Norman Shaw, in exclusive private residential developments, and vice versa.