For many years London with its West End was a record-holder across world’s most expensive offices prices. But today the statistics says that the most expensive offices are in Tokyo’s Inner Central District. Space costs there $183.62 per sq. ft. For reference, a year ago office space in London’s West end was approx. $300 per sq. ft., while today that space goes for $172 per sq. ft. The third place takes Moscow where the office space goes for $170.24.

Some markets did record increases in costs over the last 12 months but these markets, such as Charlotte (U.S.), Marseille (France) and Perth (Australia), are very much the exception rather than the rule. Generally, these increases are either due to exceptional local market conditions, such as the completion of a top quality new building in a market where none was available previously, or simply that occupancy costs remain above the level of a year ago despite the fact that they are now falling. Such situations illustrate the uneven way in which the economic downturn is affecting different markets around the globe, according to the CBRE report.
Tags: new building pictures, luxury goods, most expensive

Via:  tradingmarkets 

Everything is different in Dubai, everything is the most expensive – shopping, cars, hotels, houses and even … bridges! Yeah yeah, world’s tallest and most expensive bridge would be built there. The bridge was envisioned by New York architecture firm Fxfowle. Total bridge’s expenses are $817 million. Dubai bridge will measure at one mile long and 670 feet tall.

Once complete, the world’s tallest bridge is expected to carry more than 2,000 vehicles per hour in each direction and a metro line will run across the middle. It’ll be completed in 2012. I think Dubai may soon own almost every single Guinness World Record.
Tags: new building pictures, luxury goods, most expensive

Via:  io9 

Tokyo Tower is as a stunning symbol of Japan’s recovery from the devastation of World War II when it opened on December 23, 1958. Though much has changed in the last 50 years, Tokyo Tower still faithfully performs its original prime function of beaming telecommunication signals across Japan’s largest city. To pay tribute to Tokyo Tower’s golden anniversary, jewelry company Ginza Tanaka makes 50 $510,000 24-carat gold replica built to scale, right down to the 4-story Foot Town shopping & dining center located beneath the tower’s supporting legs.

Weighing in at 5 kilograms or 11 pounds, “Golden Tokyo Tower” is the king of souvenirs and the poster-child for conspicuous consumption. The real Tokyo Tower stands 333 metres (1,000 feet) tall, just a few feet higher than Paris’ Eiffel Tower and quite a few tons lighter thanks to steel construction. The solid gold replica, on the other hand, has the ability to significantly lighten the purchaser’s wallet. However, there is no information about how many replicas of the monumental architecture have been made, but one thing is for sure, that it is an encouraging move in a time when the country is facing a high recessionary blow.
Tags: new building pictures, luxury goods, most expensive

Via:   inventorspot

Looking for the perfect gift? How about a $70 million dollar penthouse in San Francisco? Purchased for roughly $30 million as a raw shell in 2005, a real estate developer Victor MacFarlane has placed his huge St. Regis penthouse on the sales block for $70 million, a figure that would obliterate the previous record price tag for a San Francisco residence. Created by international award-winning interior design firm Orlando Diaz-Azcuy Design Associates, this exquisite two-story, grand penthouse designed for city living boasts floor-to-ceiling glass walls soaring 22 feet and incomparable 360-degree views of many San Francisco landmarks.

This luxury penthouse features over 20,000 expansive square feet, including 2,900 square feet of terraces – one of the largest personal residences in all of San Francisco. One of the largest and most luxurious properties outside of Manhattan, the Museum Tower Penthouse atop the St. Regis Residences in San Francisco is one of California’s premiere residences. The question isn’t who would pay $70 million for a penthouse in this sinking ship of an economy, but rather what should the common Californian be thinking about when their pension fund is being held and managed by a real estate investment fund.
Tags: new building pictures, luxury goods, most expensive

Via:  sfgate