bali villas and phuket land for sale and lease

Beyond the inner circles of the property development world, it is rare for a design firm to make a name for itself in the public domain. Yet YOO, the international branding, design and investment property company co-founded in 1999 by Philippe Starck and John Hitchcox, has managed to do just that through a series of innovative, high-profile and successful developments. Today the firm is taking serious aim at the growing Asian market, evident by the recent launch of its first office in the region, in Hong Kong.

Yoo CEO Chris Boulton personally set up the Hong Kong office earlier this year, explaining to Property Report Thailand that the company plans to continue building on their global successes in other markets by targeting this "extremely dynamic and important" region. And keeping in line with the age-old adage that you don't fix what isn't broken, Boulton says YOO's core business and design philosophy will also apply to the Asian market.

"We offer high quality branded design that is focused on helping our clients and partners achieve higher prices and to sell more quickly," he says. "This is as relevant in Asia as elsewhere. Whilst architects that we often work alongside focus on the external aspects of a building we work from the inside out. Our philosophy is that good design need not cost more; it is about effective use of space and specifying the right materials that are attractive, durable and can be sourced locally if possible."

YOO has worked around the globe with international partners on a variety of buildings and large residential projects, with developments in Asia, Australia, Europe, North and South America and the Middle East. Currently, the company is involved in the development of more than 25,000 apartment units worth over US$10 billion.

Here in Thailand, YOO's involvement in Campbell Kane's Cape Yamu project in Phuket garnered much attention both domestically and internationally. The development is set on a wooded peninsula overlooking the limestone islands of the Andaman Sea. Starck and Jean-Michel Gathy, well known for his work with Aman resorts, created the villa development which includes elegant private residences with hotel services provided by GHM, the hotel management company operated by Aman resorts' founder, Adrian Zecha. Other Asian projects by YOO include JIA, a successful boutique hotel in Hong Kong's Causeway Bay.

Boulton says Yoo is now involved in many discussions for new projects in Asia - including another resort project in Phuket - but nothing he can talk about just yet. As for how to attract buyers in a market like Phuket, where most villa owners prefer traditional Thai and Balinese designs over modern and edgy concepts, YOO's designers are clearly able to mesh the firm's cosmopolitan style with the local surroundings to create a project that is both chic and in harmony with nature. Boulton says buyers of tropical homes generally seek designs that are compatible with the local environment and culture, but also want accommodation that is comfortable and inspirational to live in.

"It is a matter of blending external designs provided by the project or local architect with our input on the internal aspects of a building," he says. "As many buyers are international they feel comfortable with designs that cross cultural boundaries. However, we are sympathetic to local needs and have built up significant experience from our involvement in projects in the USA, Europe, India and South America."

YOO's Hong Kong office is headed by Managing Director Paul Dingley, and is focused on business development with strong support from the UK-based team. Boulton says design staff will be added when a project is secured.

"We have three basic design offers - Yoo Inspired by Starck, Jade Jagger for Yoo and Yoo itself. Depending on the team that is agreed with the client then Starck or Jade will be involved in the creative design of projects. John Hitchcox also gets involved, particularly at project launches."

Many view Jagger's involvement in Yoo - daughter of the one-and-only aging rocker Mick - as a good indication of the firm's creative prowess and style. Jagger holds the position of creative director at YOO, and works hand in hand with the YOO design team. Jagger has chosen four interior moods: Aristo, Boho, Disco and Techno, playfully reflecting different facets of her own eclectic, nomadic lifestyle. The Jade, her first design collaboration with YOO, is located in Manhattan's Chelsea district and provides a modern twist on New York's downtown loft tradition.

Much of YOO's success is based on its reputation, and few in the property development game can deny the boost a major brand can give a project. It's now evident throughout Thailand, with big names like St. Regis, the Four Seasons and the Shangri-La all launching projects that include units for sale. Boulton says this all fits in with demand for a lifestyle that living in a branded residence affords.

"We are aware that branded design is a global phenomenon," says Boulton. "People are not buying just bricks and mortar when buying a home but a lifestyle, which is often aspirational, and that is where the brand plays a significant part. As we work in collaboration with local architects we aim to blend the best of local design with international trends."

This means YOO is integrated in projects from an early stage to ensure they are able to work on all visual aspects and strong signature elements of the project - for example all communal areas, reception lobbies and project facilities, lifts, building facades, apartment floor plans, specifications, furniture plans/design & selection and overall interior design, as well as the development of the show apartment and sales centre design. The building is then endorsed by YOO and marketed as such in association with the partner's brand.

As for the future, Boulton says YOO plans to continue expanding in Asia, and will not be ignoring the massive growth happening in China's major cities as demand for stylish designs grows.

"Hong Kong was considered to be a central location for our business offering a pool of potential clients and employees although long term we can see other offices in mainland China and perhaps Japan," he says. "We are successful in our other two regions - the Americas and Europe, Middle East and Africa - and see the whole Asian region offering substantial opportunities. We are currently working in 21 countries and in view of the active markets in Asia - particularly high growth ones such as China - there will be a demand for the services we offer."
 

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