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This is a tale about a turtle who lived in a very large pond full of cool, clear water. For many years, he was quite content swimming lazily around the large pond, or basking in the sun on top of one of the big... |
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We introduced a new feature to our new autumn / Winter brochure, a Small square barcode called a QR-Code (Quick Response Code). |
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On Friday the 21st of October First Mallorca, the leading Mallorca estate agency, celebrated the opening of their 5th and new office in Port Adriano together with the launch of their new autumn/winter brochure... |
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First Mallorca will celebrate an event together with three other strong brands from the island – Port Adriano Marina, Macià Batle and Marc Fosh – and the response to our invitations does not stop... |
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A few days ago, we took part in an event held by Banco Sabadell in the Hotel Castillo Son Vida. During this event, the President José Oliu made a clear remark, "We do not live in times of crisis any longer, we live in a new market reality"...
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The Spanish construction industry is in a sorry state, with real estate sales stagnant - or so the news papers tell us almost daily. But there are one or two exceptions, notably on Mallorca... |
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Mallorca offers a great selection of international schools totalling 10. Amongst them there are British, French, Swedish and German schools, teaching in their native language but incorporating Spanish and in most cases additional languages... |
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It may not look like it, but…
we open in September! First Mallorca clearly on an expansion course has recently promoted Alex Schmitz to the office manager of their 5th office on the island. |
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After our last market report a friend and client commented to us, "Your report appears like a summary made for the share holders of a multi-national company. Why do you feel the need for this?" ... |
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It was the perfect atmosphere for a perfect event and even the sun smiled broadly on Saturday, 16th of April when First Mallorca presented its excellent new brochure with the curiosity arousing title "Tasty Properties"... |
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The mezzanine level in the main room
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Living in a Loft
By the conversion of an old cinema in urban and modern units, designed for a single individuals or young professional couples, architects Boris Pena and Javier Olivier have been awarded “The Palma City Award for best Architectural Project of 2008 by Guillem Sagrera.” But lofts in the sense of the word do not really exist in Mallorca.
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Steel stairs, handrails and floor beams give an industrial flair
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Beautiful loft ready to move into, with views to the Bay of Palma”, thus is the announcement of a local estate agency on the Internet: Loft, this word boasts the last statement in design with a fresh and bright environment feel. The photos on the internet can be appreciated but in reality there is more : what seems to be a supposed loft has resulted in a 35m2 studio apartment. The only similarity between the loft and mini apartment is the kitchen and open plan dining area.
Living in a loft is fashionable, and because of this it is a useful advertising slogan for sales and rental marketing of the properties. The usual understanding of the word “loft” in Mallorca is in fact poorly interpreted:- “In actual fact here we almost have no Lofts” explains architect Boris Pena of Palma, because there are practically no adequate industrial units in existence on the island… The very few factories which could have been converted for this purpose have already been knocked down, and in such few cases where there are warehouses remaining on urbanized plots it is more profitable to demolish them for the construction of new traditional apartment blocks instead the painstaking task of renovating , according to the architect.
In spite of this he and his partner Javier Olivier launched themselves into this venture: Together they have converted an old cinema ¨Doré¨ on Calle Nuño Sanz in Palma into modern loft type urban dwellings. And for this they have been awarded “The Palma City Award for best Architectural Project of 2008 by Guillem Sagrera.” Our intention was to create a living environment in the town for singles or couples, who did not want to live in typical developments with families and children and who preferred living within a stone´s throw of boutiques, winebars and shops, in a central location.
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Many details, like the house number, remind of the former use as a cinema
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The architect believes this neighborhood where the old cinema is situated, near the Plaza España, is an up and coming area . The building dates back to the thirties and the original façade is from 1952. It is because of this and in view of the fact that this is listed building with historical value, that the designers were unable to reconstruct the façade. Nevertheless behind this antique frontage they have created a whole new structure with two patios and ten duplexes, with their respective parking’s. It is still not about a classic loft with huge open spaces, high ceilings and little furniture.
Thanks to the materials and choices of glass bricks, metal pillars in the interior as well the outside and with the help of the clever distribution and the interior architecture they have created extraordinary dwellings with the appearance of Lofts. Many original details such as the street number and the post boxes evoke memories of gangsters, cowboys and Hollywood beauties which were on display here in the past.
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Some walls are made of glass bricks.
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The apartments are designed with comfort and practicality in mind. On
the top of the open kitchen and dining area they have allowed for a
mezzanine level for a day bed or a small library. When one speaks of typical Mallorquin loft, it means a duplex with open spaces distributed in several levels”, says Heidi Stadler, the managing director of the real estate agency First Mallorca. Her company is marketing the awarded loft conversions from the old cinema (an apartment of 100 m2 costs for example 320,000 Euros) This type of dwelling is mainly found in old reformed palaces in the old town of Palma. These usually do not have this industrial touch, but properties with a beautiful architecture and historical background with their various uses can be found, with ample open plan kitchens, dining areas and living rooms. Sometimes the bedrooms are in the attic space. These lofts within the small palaces also breathe “an energy, a modern air”, as Heidi Stadler explains and have a propitious and well planned distribution . Generally the decoration consists of contemporary furniture of design emphasizing the character of the lofts. Her clients usually do not demand for Lofts . When one looks for an apartment in Palma, the requirements are usually a modern apartment in a reformed historical building. “The patio at the entrance is very important”, says Heidi Stadler. And by all means the kitchens and the bathrooms.
Tel.: +34 971 425 262
published in Mallorca Magazin 06/09
Text © Mallorca Magazin 2009
Fotos © First Mallorca 2008
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