VISTA LAGO WINS “WORLD’S BEST RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT”
By Mas Property
on Thu Mar 03 2022
Vista Lago has won the award “Best Residential Development in the World” at this year’s prestigious International Property Awards. Up against more than 500 other developments from every corner of the globe, Vista Lago also won “Best Architecture in Europe”.
How to define excellence? Say it yourself and it means little, because excellence cannot be self-defined. Other people must say it, and when those other people happen to be the 80 independent judges in the International Property Awards, one of the most prestigious property competitions in the world now in its 28th year, you know you have a healthy relationship with excellence.
Although it may be surprising that a residential development company tucked away in a small corner of Southern Europe may have won such an award, it is not totally unexpected for the company itself, or for those who have a special interest in property development throughout the world, because, along with their partners UDesign, they won the award “Best Architecture Single Residence, Europe” for their 2019 entry, Villa Alcuzcuz. Add to this the award for “Best Architecture in Europe (Multiple Residence)” for Vista Lago and “Best CGI Company in the World” for UDesign in the same awards this year, and a defining pattern for this partnership begins to emerge.
If Vista Lago were a film, The developer would be the producer and UDesign the artistic director, each with their own skillset. Indeed, a luxury development of this kind is not that far removed from the making of a full-length feature film: a huge investment in a project that requires detailed planning from the start, whose inherent risk factor has to be managed by an unusual level of professionalism, creativity and dedication.
As developer, one of Michael’s tasks is to keep the project on an even keel, financially speaking. This means being good at business, but to achieve the success he now enjoys, he must also have a comprehensive knowledge of design and the rare ability to always know exactly what will work where. Quite simply, there is no room for mistakes at this level.
“We’re businesspeople,” he says, “and we have to ensure that the figures work. But this business, the creation of homes, should not be directed from a spread sheet. We design our homes around the resident and the spaces they will be living in, and that’s the most important of all. That’s what brings the concept to life.”
And what a concept it is! A rare meeting point of exceptional creative design, luxury construction, state-of-the-art sustainability and a location second to none, providing the best views over the Mediterranean Sea and North Africa from virtually every room in every one of the 18 villas that make up the development. When Michael first stood on the virgin plot and looked around him, his imagination went into overdrive. Now, looking at the same views from the same place, he has the satisfaction of knowing that dreams can come true if you work hard enough on them. “For me it is a labour of love,” he says, “and in spite of the hard work involved, it’s a real pleasure to see it all come together.”
The boutique development is situated 365 metres above the Marbella coastline, where each villa, although built to a style that maintains unity of design throughout, is quite different. Generous space all around and strategic use of existing landscape ensures complete privacy for each villa, while also allowing for uninterrupted views to the sea over infinity pools from almost every room.
Winning “Best Residential Development in the World” is also a win for the entire property industry in Southern Spain, because such an award reflects a level of excellence unusual in Europe as a whole, and pushes this southwestern corner of the continent closer to the forefront of world residential architecture and design.
Vista Lago Residences
Architecture by UDesign and González & Jacobsen
Interior Design by UDesign
For more information on Vista Lago visit our information page or contact the Sales Team on (+34) 951 20 30 35 or email: info@masproperty.com