The duplex penthouse at Concourse Skyline has rooms with private balconies to enjoy the views of the surrounding area (Pictures: List SIR)
Singapore-listed property investment and development company, Hong Fok Corp, the developer of the 360-unit Concourse Skyline, has saved the best for last. Located on Beach Road, the 99-year leasehold, high-rise, twin residential towers, designed by award-winning Australian architectural practice COX, are adjacent to The Concourse commercial complex designed by the late Paul Rudolph, a well-known American architect.
Concourse Skyline was launched in September 2008 and completed in 2014. However, Hong Fok had held back the release of the two super penthouses – both in excess of 10,000 sq ft each – until now. Even then, only one unit is released for sale.
At 11,130 sq ft, it is the larger of the two penthouses: It is a duplex crowning the 39th and 40th floors, and comes with a private roof terrace. The penthouse will be offered for sale fully furnished. Its interiors were designed by renowned architecture and interior design firm, The I.D. Dept, which is famous for its design of luxury showflats and private homes.
Customised offerings, services
The super penthouse also features a collection of customised furniture pieces by premium manufacturers, artists and craftsmen, which were handpicked by The I.D. Dept. Many are making their debut in Asia.
They include a free-standing Meisterstuck Soundwave bathtub designed as a “bath audio system” by German brand Kaldewei; a contemporary rocking chair – one of just 12 around the world – designed by British-Israeli industrial designer Ron Arad; personalised glass chandelier by Parisian glass artist Nathalie Ziegler Pasqua; and an art installation by Czech glass manufacturer Lasvit.
Other luxury brands featured include French brand de Gournay, famous for its hand-painted wallpaper and fabric; Devialet high-end speakers; and outdoor furniture from Belgian brand Tribu.
The palatial master bedroom suite on the upper floor can comfortably fit a pair of king-sized beds
One of the five bedrooms in the penthouse has been converted into a private massage and wellness room, with masseuse available on demand from Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas, which was acquired by InterContinental Hotels Group in February.
Personal tailoring service by The Bespoke Club, which offers handmade suits and gowns, will also be extended to the future owners of the penthouse at The Concourse Skyline.
In addition, the buyer of the penthouse will be the new owner of a 1.01-carat blue diamond from World of Diamonds, said to be valued at $3.02 million. Another privilege of ownership is 40 hours of aircraft charter of a Global 6000 private jet with a capacity of 16 passengers, courtesy of Singapore Air Charter and said to be worth $500,000.
The entire design process took about a year to complete. “This is the first time a collaboration of luxury brands on such a scale has been done for a residential property in Singapore,” says Divya Anthony, design director of The I.D Dept. “It’s incorporating not just luxury furniture pieces, but also the bespoke services some of the brands have extended to the future owner.”
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The first level of the duplex penthouse is where the living, dining and kitchen areas are. There are also five rooms on this level. Most of the rooms come with private balconies to enjoy the views of the surrounding area. Each room is said to offer a different view.
The first level of the duplex penthouse comprises the living, dining and kitchen areas as well as five rooms
The master suite on the second level is big enough to fit not just one, but two king-sized beds. It has a separate “his and hers” walk-in wardrobe, en suite bathroom, and a wide balcony with private pool, steam room and jacuzzi.
There is also a rooftop garden, which offers 270-degree views and a panoramic view of Marina Bay.
According to Leong Boon Hoe, COO of List Sotheby’s International Realty (List SIR), the marketing agent for the super penthouse, the house is designed with the lifestyle of the owners in mind. “It’s a home where they can entertain and be entertained,” he says. “The penthouse is fitted out with services and fittings that the ultra-wealthy have come to expect for such homes.”
The price tag of the super penthouse at Concourse Skyline is $48 million ($4,313 psf), including all the bells and whistles, says Leong. “It even includes the blue diamond, which can be stored in the vault,” he adds. Incidentally, the vault is where the household shelter used to be.
Buying interest has come mainly from well-heeled foreigners, notably from China, India and Australia, says Leong. “It appeals to those who want a place to stay when they are visiting Singapore and to entertain business associates and friends.”
Catering to the ultra-rich
Such properties appeal to the ultra-high-net-worth individuals, many of whom are CEOs of tech companies or investment funds, as well as chairpersons of major MNCs. “They are collectors of trophy assets,” says Han Huan Mei, director of research at List SIR, which also published a report on “super penthouses” this month. Apart from attributes such as location and unit size, buyers in this category prize views, privacy, luxurious finishings and buildings of architectural merit, she adds.
The super penthouse features a rooftop terrace, with views of the city skyline and Marina Bay
According to Han, the stock of super penthouses is limited, especially those that are sized above 10,000 sq ft. She reckons that only half a dozen units have been sold over the past 13 years, with three having taken place in the last four years.
There are a number of super penthouses that are still on the market, for instance at The Marq on Paterson Hill, Reflections at Keppel and Hilltop at Cairnhill Circle.
“The super penthouse at Concourse Skyline really fits the definition of ‘a trophy home’,” says The I.D. Dept’s Anthony.
Ultra-high-net-worth investors are also on the lookout for trophy homes in gateway cities, such as New York, London, Hong Kong and Singapore, says List SIR’s Leong.
World’s most expensive homes
The most expensive penthouse sold this year to date is a four-storey, 24,000 sq ft penthouse at 220 Central Park South in New York. It was sold for about US$240 million or close to US$10,000 psf. The penthouse was purchased by Kenneth Griffin, billionaire founder of Chicago-based hedge fund Citadel, in January this year.
The title of the most expensive penthouse in the world goes to Tour Odeon Sky Penthouse at Monte Carlo in Monaco, which has a price tag of US$335 million ($485 million). It was put on the market in 2016 and is still available. The 37,674 sq ft, five-storey penthouse has 360-degree views of the Mediterranean coastline and sea, and features a rooftop infinity pool and waterslide.
In Singapore, the biggest penthouse is the 21,108 sq ft, super penthouse at Wallich Residence, and the triplex spans the 62nd to 64th floor of Singapore’s tallest tower, Tanjong Pagar Centre. The penthouse comes with private lift and lift lobby, five bedrooms and offers uninterrupted panoramic views of the city and Marina Bay.
The second biggest penthouse is the 17,642 sq ft super penthouse at The Marq on Paterson Hill. The penthouse is fully furnished, with designer furniture and luxury fittings.
The super penthouse at Concourse Skyline is equally rare and, at 11,130 sq ft, is one of the largest available on the market. “A property of this prestige and exclusivity will surely satisfy the needs of the well-travelled, cosmopolitan owner who already has trophy homes elsewhere and is now looking for one in Singapore,” says a Hong Fok Corp spokesman.
For the latest listings in Concourse Skyline, click here