Photo Credit: Haute Residence
Haute Design hosted a webinar on 'The Art of Indoor-Outdoor Living & Entertaining' with Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale's expert real estate and design team, including Kobi Karp, Fernando Wong, Fredrik Eklund and Louise M. Sunshine. Kobi Karp heads up the interior design of the stunning project with London-based Tara Bernerd; Fernando Wong with Outdoor Living Design has curated the entire outdoor landscape design; Fredrik Eklund has the crown jewel listing of the $35M penthouse; and Louise M. Sunshine serves as the strategic advisor for Fort Partners and the President of Sunshine Advisors.
The group highlighted how they have created the most sought-after and unique property located in Fort Lauderdale, and how they each work together to make the magic happen. Kobi Karp highlighted the interior design features of the property, as well as the penthouse, as Fernando Wong discussed the landscaping and outdoor elements. Fredrik spoke on why the penthouse is so attractive to buyers and why there is nothing else like it and Louise M. Sunshine touched on the prestige of living in a Four Seasons private residence property.
The insightful dialogue was hosted by Haute Residence Co-Founder Seth Semilof. Watch the full webinar below.
Highlights:
Kobi Karp - "Like Louise Sunshine always says, the opportunity with Fort Lauderdale is the Intracoastal and the beach, the Boat Shows, the multi-million and multi-billion dollar individuals who reside here and thrive here on an ongoing basis–it is really a unique and special destination. This whole block that I have been blessed to work with Fernando [Wong] on because he was able to bring the indoors and outdoors in together to create a symbiotic relationship."
"This is a very unique building that allows you to experience the beach and the sunrise and the bay with its gorgeous sunsets 360-degrees, all the way around. This was an opportunity that when it was presented to us, came like 'wow.' This is, for us in Fort Lauderdale—with what is going on with other locations here....you are living at the lap of luxury on the sandy beaches of this tropical, indoor-outdoor haven."
"The exterior spaces of this project are phenomenal. They are luxurious, emotional, sensitive and so important to create the design that inherently is the lifestyle of luxury barefoot elegance that we so desperately desire and need to have that does not exist in Fort Lauderdale."
Fernando Wong - "The idea behind the garden was to create a sense of shelter from a day you might spend on the beach. It invites you over. In the lobby, you can experience the gardens. You can go up to the pool terrace and you can enjoy a cocktail at the pools and surround yourself with wonderful service. That is the concept of this property."
"The site dictates how we were going to approach the layering of different stages—how we managed to do that was by means of staircase, ramps and plateau sections in between. All of these areas were concealed with landscaping at ground level. Past that level, we used trees as well as canopy that play a beautiful role as the day goes by. And then the afternoon and the evening as the sun goes down and the beach is dark, the whole landscape comes to create a view at night. The gardens are illuminated in such a delicate and elegant way."
"If you happen to experience the terrace of the pool, you will notice how the rustles of the palm trees are at ground level. You can hear them. You can feel the breeze. You can then interact visually with the waves while sitting up high and having a cocktail, enjoying your day at the pool....it's nice to enjoy nature and be catered to by the Four Seasons."
Fredrik Eklund - "This is arguably one of the top three penthouses in the United States, maybe even in the world. If this penthouse was located in a city like New York or L.A., which do not even have beaches like Fort Lauderdale, this penthouse would be somewhere between $100 and $200 million. Something like this will never come back, it can't be replicated."
"[The penthouse] is so large without being overwhelming. The connection to the Four Seasons is so important to note. Anything that you want at any given time, you can have with a simple text message or by picking up the phone."
Louise M. Sunshine - "Nadim Ashi always said he wanted this pool deck to feel like the South of France that you relate to the ocean and you're in your own special world there. And I think that came out to be true."
"The building is very special and we must remember that it is made more special by the services that are offered by the Four Seasons Hotel."
"In today's world, there is a great flight to single-family homes. The market is just flooded with buyers who want to buy single-family homes. At the FSFLL Private Residences, we are offering the nearest thing to a single-family home because the layouts are very gracious and the fact that you have this ability to live indoors and outdoors and have, in essence, your own backyard, it is a very appealing thing."
About the panelists:
KOBI KARP:
Kobi Karp is the Founder and Principal of Kobi Karp Architecture and Interior Design, Inc (KKAID). Kobi Karp founded the firm in 1996 and has been the Principal-in-Charge of design since that time. KKAID is a full-service architectural and interior design firm providing a vast array of services, ranging from the design of large-scale, high-rise condominium and hospitality projects to intimate, small-scale low-rise residential and commercial structures. Kobi Karp is a recognized member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and his firm was most recently honored as Firm of The Year for his multitude of award-winning designs and buildings. In Miami, Kobi is recognized for award winning projects such as Fisher Island’s Palazzo Della Luna and Sol and the Four Seasons Surf Club, Arte, Wynwood 25 and a multitude of other prestigious projects Mr. Karp is a licensed Professional Architect in more than 15 states and in Abu Dhabi (UAE). His firm has been featured in renowned national and local publications based on its major contributions to the profession of architecture.
Fernando Wong is an award winning internationally recognized landscape designer and a Palm Beach Landmarks Preservation Commissioner who has been called a “design genius with the soul of a poet” by Elle Decor “one of the most important landscape designers in America” by Architectural Digest and a “landscape legend” by Forbes.
Fredrik Eklund has been called many things: broker to the stars, the #1 agent of his generation, the two-billion-dollar-per-year man, Mr. Sell, Mr. NY, and now Mr. LA. In the summer of 2019, he relocated to Beverly Hills with his husband and two children – set to become the #1 broker in California. With his trademark high kick, his record-breaking sales, and his truly expansive vision, Fredrik Eklund is a real estate industry phenomenon. As the founder of the 80-member strong EKLUND|GOMES Team, Eklund and his business partner, John Gomes, have secured more than $14B in sales over the past decade with $2B in the last year alone. With the philosophy that no property or price point is too big or too small, Eklund closed 842 transactions in 2019 and has successfully sold more than 130 new developments over his career. The EKLUND|GOMES team has the exclusive listing for Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale's $35M Penthouse.LOUISE M. SUNSHINE:
Real Estate expert Louise Sunshine is currently the strategic advisor for Fort Partners and President of Sunshine Advisors - a company specializing in meeting the real estate challenges of today in new development. At Fort Partners, Louise has overseen the creation of both Four Seasons Hotel & Private Residences at The Surf Club and Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Louise continues to be an integral in achieving record-breaking sales for both developments.
