To everyone’s surprise, price tagged at $ 2 Billion, Antilla (named after the mythical island) is in India and is World’s First Billion Dollar Home. Indeed, like its name, it houses stuff that surrounds myth!
Owner is India’s richest, Mukesh Ambani of Reliance fame whose net worth was 43 Billion in March of this year and was the 5th richest in the world.
The only remotely comparable high-rise property currently on the market is the 70 million dollar triplex penthouse at the Pierre Hotel in New York, designed to resemble a French chateau, and climbing 525 feet in the air.
When the Ambani residence is finished in January, completing four years of design and construction, it will be 27 story and 550 feet high (height which normally houses 60 floors) with 400,000 square feet of interior space. Click on the picture to see the video.
However, all of this has not been without its share of controversies. Antilla is being built on land sold to Ambanis’ to be used as orphanage by Waqf Board.The land measuring 11793 sq yards was sold in 2004 by the trust for a charitable purpose of looking after the destitutes and orphan children belonging to the Khoja Mohammedan community. The land was given to the Maharashtra State Board of Waqf by Jivagi Raje Scindia in 1957. The MoU was signed with four companies namely Antillia Commercials, Saphire Realtors, Rockline Constructions and Baun Foundation trust.
The Waqf Board has told the Supreme Court that it sold the property thinking it was to be used for an orphanage and that commercial buildings are not allowed on Waqf land. Property having a market value of Rs 400 crore was sold only for Rs 21.05 cr to M/s Antillia Commercial, a company of Reliance group of Industries. Rs 16 crores were also paid to Waqf Board for No Objection Certificate.
The Supreme Court on Friday decided not to intervene in the construction of the building on Waqf board land in Mumbai and has directed the matter back to the Bombay high court.
Critics have also said that showing off such extravagant wealth in a country rife with poverty is insensitive and ethically questionable. This is excessive and ostentatious given that more than 65 percent of Mumbai’s 18 million residents live in tenements.
Features which have made it the world’s best:
- The first six floors will be reserved for parking alone, and that too for cars belonging only to Mukesh’s family. Space for a total of 168 imported cars has been earmarked here.
- Where possible, the designers say, whether it’s for the silver railings, magnificient crystal chandeliers, woven area rugs or steel support beams, the Ambanis are using Indian companies, contractors, craftsmen and materials firms.
- Elements of Indian culture juxtapose newer designs. For example, the sinks in a lounge extending off the entertainment level, which features a 65 seat movie theater and wine room, are shaped like ginkgo leaves (native to India) with the stem extending to the faucet to guide the water into the basin.
- The top floors of entertaining space, where Ambani plans to host business guests (or just relax) offer panoramic views of the Arabian Sea.
- No two floors are alike in either plans or materials used. If a metal, wood or crystal is part of the ninth-floor design, it shouldn’t be used on the eleventh floor, for example. The idea is to blend styles and architectural elements so spaces give the feel of consistency, but without repetition.
- Atop six stories of parking lots, Antilla’s living quarters begin at a lobby with nine elevators, as well as several storage rooms and lounges.
- Down dual stairways with silver-covered railings is a large ballroom with 80% of its ceiling covered in crystal chandeliers. It features a retractable showcase for pieces of art, a mount of LCD monitors and embedded speakers, as well as stages for entertainment. The hall opens to an indoor/outdoor bar, green rooms, powder rooms and allows access to a nearby “entourage room” for security guards and assistants to relax.
- On the health level, local plants decorate the outdoor patio near the swimming pool and yoga studio. The floor also features an ice room where residents and guests can escape the Mumbai heat to a small, cooled chamber dusted by man-made snow flurries. Each family member has a separate gymn here.
- For more temperate days, the family will enjoy a four-story open garden. In profile, the rebar-enforced beams form a “W” shape that supports the upper two-thirds of the building while creating an open-air atrium of gardens, flowers and lawns.
- Gardens, whether hanging hydroponic plants, or fixed trees, are a critical part of the building’s exterior adornment but also serve a purpose: The plants act as an energy-saving device by absorbing sunlight, thus deflecting it from the living spaces and making it easier to keep the interior cool in summer and warm in winter. An internal core space on the garden level contains entertaining rooms and balconies that clear the tree line and offer views of downtown Mumbai.
- Antilla’s shape is based on Vaastu, an Indian tradition much like Feng Shui that is said to move energy beneficially through the building by strategically placing materials, rooms and objects. At Antilia, the overall plan is based on the square, which is Vaastu’s basic geometric unit, and a garden level occupies the tower’s midsection, the point where all energies converge according to the Vaastu Purusha Mandala.
- The 27-story building is eco-friendly, with hydroponically grown plants cooling the building and filtering its air, limiting the need for air-conditioning. With vertical gardens, you can use the whole wall almost like a tree and increase the green area of the site by five or 10 times over what it would be if you just did a green roof.
The four floors at the top, just below the hellipad that provides a view of the Arabian Sea and a superb view of the city’s skyline, is where Mukesh with his wife Neeta, their three kids and Mukesh’s mother Kokilaben, will reside. Nearly 600 people would attend to the six in the family.
The residence tower stands on Mumbai’s Altamount Road on an acre site where real estate costs as much as $1800/square foot. Mumbai is the densest city of India with almost 30,000 people per square kilometer.
The architects, Perkins + Will and Hirsch Bedner Associates, the designers behind the Mandarin Oriental, based in Dallas and Los Angeles, were picked up by Nita Ambani, who was recently in news for being gifted a $59 million air jet by her husband on her 44th birthday! The jet, like their new home, was fitted with a plush bar with mood lighting, a master bedroom, showers and a state-of-the-art entertainment cabin.
The architects and designers say,”You are looking at the model for the buildings of the future.”
Original Article At–
Shape of Now: Antilla Stands High As World’s First Billion Dollar Home
A Quote from VP Cheney “SO?”…Who cares? Does he have a dungeon for his little boy toys?
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The pictures were wow indeed! But I felt kinda sick reading about how the land was obtained for its contruction. These Ambanis are rich indeed, so do they give back to the Indian society through charitable giving etc?
Jenga, Jenga, J-J-J-jenga…..
Give some to poor on strrets in India
this is nice and envioronmental positive
project.
2 billion dollar house in india. 43 billion worth in march… keep it up man… before you go to far ahead of the game make sure drop a just dollar for them who have no place to live and they sleep on sidewalks all night… some are just stay hungary help them out first dude…………….
please billion dollar man do something about india.. try to help those poor on streets. Thanks and keep indias name up and always stay ahead of the game.
Mr. Mukesh Ambani,
I really appreciate your ambitions to be the best in all walks of life. But, please may I request you to share a rupee or two with the millions of helpless, poor people in India?
I am sure the Ambani’s have done and are doing a lot to improve the eco of India. Can’t someone live up to their own dream and have a house he can afford and enjoy. Why does it always have to be about money and then charity? Let the man live. If you were to buy a house of $600,000 would you spend only $400,000 and give out the remainder to charity?
am from British Asian and lived all my life in Uk. was shocked to see the poverty in India. why build something so ridiculous why not be a hero like Bill Gates and donate your money to Charity.
veri krejzi
Dear Mr Ambani,
Why would you make such an expensive building knowing the fact that when you would die you would’nt be staying there you will be burnt so isnt it better to spend your assetts wisely and help poor and those who are in dire need,Im british asian,few months ago I had visited Mumbai with my Indian friends and have seen so many slumps where poor are living and the rich does’nt care, may I ask you who would take the responsibilty of those who cant even afford to live or breathe?
Please help save the world not just the India this world is ours as we all have to live here not just you or me…..I hope you would definitely do something…..
Muhammad
Fulham
hiiii i really congrates u
I really appreciate your ambitions to be the best in all walks of life. But, please Please help poor people in India?
Just proves that all the money in the world can buy either good sense or good taste.
hey, i was just reading the above mentioned comments. what i honestly feel is that,now if he is building a 27 or if after a few years he builds a 72 storried home for himself that is his lookout. he had the passion to earn and be india’s richest. also budding in him now can be the passion of being the world’s richest or renouncing everything! all this is something every personal. it is his passion that is making him walk this strength. now yes being a public figure one is always questioned by others if the feel that he is not working enough for the masses. but i have a question how many of us are ready to generate even 10%of our income regularly for charity. how many of us are actually coming out to do something??????????? none or atleast 5% not much. blame games and pointing fingers is easy but do we even care to look into ourselves? no or the easy answer is that we are’nt rich enough! its mukesh ambani’s money let him do what he wants to do with it. who are we to even expect something from a corporate giant who is nothing but a human who can eother be selfless or think for himself but why should we blame him why are we not thinking for others why do we only stop after saying the age old line that india is poor i feel bad about the slumps the rich just live in their world unaffected by all this!i say that if you feel so then go ahead and practice what you preach about! thats it
and three cheers to mukesh ambani to come up this long way. god bless you and may you grow beyond the skies!!
This home will probably be converted into government property whereby people in our coming generations will stand in line to see the exhibit inside. After Mr. Ambani passes away, the government will take this away from them thus evaporating Rs. 400 crore from their share of wealth. If maybe Mr. Ambani can donate and work with as a philanthrophist for the rest of his life instead of building this (well its now built already), he might get some fruit later on of good deeds that his father once visioned. But at last greed gets us all, and it got to him as well. He could live in the top floors and adopt 500 other poor kids to lavishly in the bottom floors, providing for their education, food, families and building their careers one day for the good of them and India. I dont think that thought ever crossed his mind!!
I was wondering about the world population and consumption of their daily needs are getting higher and out of their reach. Not enough food for a hard working, no place to live, no place to breath, and who to blame for poverty?
hi nita di
how are you
Arrey wotz the point of having a mansion in Mumbai? No matter where you live in Mumbai you will always have a view of poverty and slums. In fact it would make much more sense to spend a billion in abolishing poverty and slums and then build a plush house with a billion. Parking lot for 168 cars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In Mumbai therez so much of automobile population that sometimes I feel that even Planes must be having trouble getting out of Mumbai.
Mr. or Ms. Anonymous not everyone has the same opportunities in life to benefit from. His father Dhirubhai Ambani, a role model for many, made his billions by looting people and changing the government legislation to make insane profits. There was no corporate social responsibility then but now that his son’s business is expanding vastly in Mumbai I think it is time to give back to the city and part of his wealth to the poor. It is not a question about any of us donating because I am pretty sure nobody visiting this website would be making so much money. But I am certain that Bill Gates, the richest man in the world for years, has donated more than 5 Billion dollars in charity to countries like India because he feels that his money and efforts are worth more when they bring smiles on the faces of millions of children around the world. If being an American he is donating in a foreign country dont you think that a prosperous man like Mukesh Ambani, who has spent his entire life in Mumbai should give something to the poor.
This has got to be the height of materialism. All that accomplishment, all that money, and all that glamor, and all that bullshit will never amount to anything when you turn your back on the poor, especially your poor neighbors and your country as well. How could you possibly relax in your precious home when you are literally surrounded by many homeless people? Either you are too full of yourself or you’re just plain SELFISH. Good for you. Right now, there’s already a space reserved for you in the pits of hell. I just wish it was as big as your new home, with lots of possible torture grounds solely reserved for you for all eternity.
Guys!! I was reading through the comments posted. I felt pity on it . Mukesh Ambani have all rights to spent his money as he wants.. Who are you to talk on this!!. Its his money and he decided to build a house for his requirement, and you are advising him on how he could have build it in a more economical way and spared some money to help the poor. If he thinks that he is more interested in investing the money on his business than helping the poor, who are you to change him??. Think about the job opportunities he bought to the country. Think about the services his company is doing to the country. He is a person with a better vision . Spending the money on poor may have some immediate effect. But understand one thing, poverty is not something which can be wiped off from the country in a day. It needs planning in providing opportunities, lifting the living standards, educating the people etc. Give them bread for a day and they will remember you till they are hungry. Give them an opportunity they will remember you for a lifetime. And understand one thing charity is not about giving away money to the poor, but providing an opportunity to the poor..
At the end of it, Ambani wanted a house for him to stay, he made it for his requirements, and it costed $2 billion. Is there anything else written in the above article??..
hi.build even a greater home,show the world india doesnt consist only slumdog millionnaires but also real time full time millionaires.seek even more greater height,do great buisness,give indians more jobs and let some indians come out of their poverty and we hope at one point in future that one indian director might make a movie about countless slumdogs living in UK and US.
Your progress in terms of money is fabulous which adds one more crown to India….but I guess the poor people should also be given a part, so that India doesn’t remain one of the poverty stricken countries….and if you help India coming out of this atleast by ten percent….I would say your name would last forever as a one man army who helped India a great deal to come out of poverty….and making the lives of poor people a better life.
The very first thing in all the comment is that, donate to the poor, India is poor, ther are more slums in Mumbai…..
these comments passed by the spectators, cant you see for yourself, this is what India has been and improving since independence.. am sure most of you must be either from that era or late 70’s or 80’s….. what exactly have you done in ur life or acting like a philanthropist?… have you given 10rs as donation?, least when its some special occasion , have you visited any charities or orphanages?. have you thought of ever improving financially in your lives?… No all you ever did was find where money is made easy, by any means… to some who blames Ambani for corrupting the legislative systems?, have you not given a bribe when traffic police stops you?, have you not paid bribe when you wanted to buy a property or build a home as per councils approval?…. who spoils the system and who uphold the system?… why don’t you all who point your fingers at this home built by Ambani realize, that its his hard earned money, whether he earned it by hook or crook…. he had vision as his dad n leading a very big empire where a place like Gujarat, around where his factories are located, looks anywer like American cities…. the jobs, the wealth, the fame he got for every Indian should never be forgotten….. The cellphone that every single farmer also holds in their hands is Shirubahi Ambani dream which his sons fulfilled…. Where did the Waqf board go when the land was sold?…. The construction is something which is seen and been published in papers for long.. If everything hasn’t gone legal, why will someone sell a 400 crore property for 30 plus crore…. ?. think you all people before you jump the guns,,,,, Bill Gates charity and to India, why so he can employ more Indians at a wage where an average american would refuse to do the work….. or if he has done charity, well he gets the blessing but it doesn’t necessarily mean that if someone doesn’t do it then he goes to hell….. This Antilla is a dream of one man how he wants to live his life, mark of success, pride of one man’s ambition to live liek none other….. We all cant be Ambani, but we could try to be one, if we could all believe in it, then India is no more a poorer nation, cause we all who believe will make it richer in every way……… So I sincerely advice all Indians not to mock or give comments such as poor nation but feel elated and hope one day we all can live a life what we define as standard of life… and day is not far if each of us realizes what we are capable of…. Jai Hind!!!!!!
Folks,
i hear you all. why be jealous of Ambanis? I know family lil too close than people on blog. i believe in capitalism and poverty is also part of society. we have room for every person in society., rich or poor. I still don’t understand why should i help poor? Ambanis were born in low income family. Mr. Ambani work hard to generate fortune for him and other investors. No one gave him money or help for free, No one help him because he was from low income family as part of charity.
we must grow up and learn now. we should not expect capitalism turn socialism. if you want to help every poor in india be my guest. But at same time don’t expect every capitalist should live as socialist.
Mukesh ji
It’s really giving a thrill to hear that 10000 crore rupees house in india. Keep it up.
Good Job, seems really interesting. I would like to get an opportunity to see this. And why so much fuss about doing charity rather than building the house. Charity and social service is good but why should he sacrifice his dreams or wishes? He and his family has worked hard to earn that wealth and they have full right to use it in any way they want. They have enough money and it would be nice if they do some social service but they have as much right to spend it on any luxury they want. And this building would be hopefully a gift to whole world as an exquisite and excellent site. Would increase tourism too as people would come to see the building. And whatever, I appreciate that our Indian guy is doing such a great thing…. Good Luck!!
well done Ambani. your home will generate money by attracting tourists.
Nice to have such house! Dude but isn’t it my Tax money that is burnt in it? When was the last time, this guy paid tax honestly?
Mumbai’s slum “dharavi” is among “The LARGEST SLUMS OF THE WORLD”….55% of mumbai’s population live in slums
In the same mumbai now v have “WORLD’S RICHEST HOME”….”ANTILA”
i don’t know how far it makes sense but it is a perfect example for unbalanced economy in india…
i lost my respect towards ambani…
i pray god to convert dharavi to antila and vice versa
And who says Ambani’s are not doing charity …. in India we say whatever you give with one hand towards charity other hand should not know…….. What abt App 280 lack corores of Indian money lying with swiss bank……. what they do with that ……… This money can build thousands of homes like antillia ….
India is not remained a poor country dear ……
[…] seem to stopped it from being put in place.You can read more about Antilia at Wikipedia, while this blog post has much more detail and a number of pictures of the interior.The building was named after a […]
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how much place does a man require to live (happily). by building such huge house (mansion) you are giving the world the wrong indication that india is not a poor country. government should STOP giving tax exemptions to such people.
the name of the house is wrong it should have Been “GODZILLA” inplace of “ANTILLA”.
YOU SHOULD HAVE CONSTRUCTED AN HOUSE OF 31 FLOORS SO THAT YOU CAN LIVE IN ONE FLOOR ON EACH DAY.