If owning Aston Martins is your thing, as it should be, then I suppose it makes sense to also live in a house that is also an Aston Martin, in a way. What would you expect from an Aston Martin home? The cars are very good, engineered to perfection and outstandingly beautiful (I am of the belief that the current V12 Vanquish is the best looking car on the road right now), so surely any home that carries the badge should be the same?
Many of us will have seen the renders of proposed developments in Miami and the UAE. But at the end of June, we saw a finished product in Tokyo, Nº001 Minami Aoyama, the first single home private residence in Asia designed by our friends from Gaydon in Warwickshire.
It is everything that you might hope it would be: clean lines, a moody Modernist exterior, lots of technology, and a two-bay gallery to present your Astons as the works of art they undoubtedly are. All in the very trendy neighbourhood of Omotesandō.
The four-storey property was designed and built in collaboration with the Japanese luxury residence brand VIBROA, and the project was led by Aston Martin’s executive VP and chief creative officer Marek Reichman. They say that ‘Aston Martin’s real estate projects bring the marque’s commitment to craft, innovation and dynamic, beautiful design to all facets of a modern living space’. It’s hard not to believe them.
‘Throughout the design and construction of N°001 Minami Aoyama we have worked closely with VIBROA to celebrate the influence of Tokyo's culture, history and style,’ says Marek. ‘The city has always held an important creative space within our design studio, and Aston Martin's increased presence in Japan and Asia has provided fertile ground for inspiration and collaboration.’
It should be no surprise that all of the four floors of this residence are the highest of high luxury, but the real star of the property is the automotive gallery. With room for two cars, the gallery not only provides valuable off-street parking, but also an elegant meeting space, with the cars presented like works of art. If I had two Aston Martins, I would like to look at them all day too.
The rest of the home stays true to Aston Martin’s desire of detailed design and luxury. Fixtures and fittings are of the highest quality throughout. A Bowers & Wilkins audio system is integrated within the walls and ceilings. Italian furnishings, lava-stone surfaces in the kitchen, and bespoke furniture. There is, of course, an Onsen pool.
It’s always odd to think of car manufacturers as property developers, but perhaps it shouldn’t be. There’s a lot of time, precision and craftsmanship that goes into an Aston Martin automobile. And don’t forget the luxury. I think it’s fair to say that I’d like all those things in my home as well. And for one lucky owner in Tokyo, they’ll get just that.
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