Be Lagom is a select community of villas that represents a new way of thinking about property development, and as such becomes a novel lifestyle offering on the Costa del Sol.
Marbella properties have always been about lifestyle as much as about the homes themselves, so this is an area where integrating the two concepts has a long and proud history. Among the many styles and trends that have shaped the local urban landscape and its real estate market, the most recent ‘wave’ was all about integrating the latest technologies, mod coms and architectural designs within the unique setting of this region.
Now the market has reached a new crossroads, where those with the vision to dare are introducing new ideas from abroad and adapting them to the local market, conditions and tastes. Ours is a year-round destination and city, but in contradistinction to many of the large urban centres it is also a place where leisure and entertainment play a larger role, and this certainly has to be reflected in the properties it offers.
For this reason, elements such as views – especially sea views – pool areas and entertainment rooms are of prime importance, yet they have to increasingly be incorporated into homes that offer space, comfort and 21st century amenities. The result is a certain style of property that has become the new trend on the Costa del Sol now – and in relation to which novel projects such as Be Lagom are offering an exciting alternative.
Harmony and Balance
Be Lagom is different because it was born of a different concept; one in which harmony and balance are central elements that begin with the location, the design and construction, decoration and amenities, to in the end offer a unique lifestyle proposition. Keen to differentiate themselves from the norm, its creators have worked hard to come up with a property concept that provides Marbella glamour and elegance while also being in balance with nature.
“Be Lagom is a project that transcends simply building and selling villas,” says José Carlos Léon, founder and CEO of Nvoga Marbella Realty, the exclusive commercialising partner for the development. “It is a gated community of 13 luxurious villas set within a panoramic hillside location near La Alquería that not only offers fantastic views and modern luxury and style, but is also designed to provide the ideal setting for a balanced 21st century lifestyle.”
Indeed, indications are that those who buy here don’t come just for the sun, sea and beaches, or even only for the glamour, golf and jet-set scene. Increasingly, owning a home and spending time in Marbella is equated with getting away to a saner, healthier, more congenial way of living where the pace is gentler, nature close by and the sun caresses your skin. It is this new interpretation of lifestyle in the form of time, peace, privacy and harmony that is the new luxury.
Modern Homes as the Embodiment of a Life Philosophy
Working together with Nvoga, the developer has sought to match such new trends to its own concept of creative property development, and the result is a project whose villas are, in the end, the embodiment of a new approach to living. Leading Marbella architect Rodolfo Amieva, who led the design team at González & Jacobson, has taken this brief to heart, dropping the austerity of white angular designs to embrace an altogether more organic path.
Fitted with water-channelled under floor heating, full climate and efficient home automation systems throughout, the four-bedroom villas measuring around 700m2 are distributed over three levels and find themselves embraced by 5,000m2 of landscaped greenery. The latter is not only made up of indigenous, water-efficient species, but also of specially selected flowering shrubs and herbs that add fragrance to the air and blend in with the private and communal organic gardens.
These form a rather unique feature in Marbella, and along with the spacious private gardens and swimming pools of each villa, are maintained by the community’s own specialist gardener. The resulting produce is delivered to owners, with the communal ‘harvest’ being available at the little community clubhouse that forms the hub of this development. Owners will park on the upper floor, which also boasts a large, panoramic terrace with the option of creating a rooftop chill-out zone with Jacuzzi.
A level down are three private bedrooms, with two sharing a modern bathroom and the master suite incorporating a spacious, luxurious dressing room, bathroom and terrace. The main floor features an open plan distribution with Siematic kitchen and Neff appliances, as well as a spacious living room that leads out onto the terrace and swimming pool, where a sunken seating area with firepit is another lifestyle option.
The basement level provides the opportunity to create your own combination of spa, heated indoor swimming pool, bar, gym, entertainment area and additional accommodation or staff quarters. But above all, it is the style and attention to detail that makes the Be Lagom villas stand out, for they feature Adobe-inspired earth tones, stone and wood cladding, brises soleil and many other details that further enhance a natural lifestyle setting that seeks to improve environmental balance and create a setting in which to enjoy true luxury in the modern sense of the word.
WORDS MICHEL CRUZ PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF NVOGA MARBELLA REALTY