Sensitively integrated within a historic maritime city, just one-hour from Turkey’s cosmopolitan third largest city, Izmir, this chic area at the western end of the Izmir peninsula is relatively undiscovered.  The luxury marina is an ideal base for exploring the nearby Greek islands of Chios, Samos and Lesvos, in addition to an estimated 300 other islands in the region.  It is a recognised port of entry into Turkish waters and acts as a gateway to the Aegean Sea.

Designed in classic Aegean style, this joint venture between Camper & Nicholsons Marinas and IC Holding offers superior shore side facilities. With 400 berths from 8m to 60m, chic cafés, fine dining restaurants and vibrant bars, this attractive waterfront is already a go-to destination for locals, as well as visiting yachtsmen and women.

Prevailing northerly winds during the summer make for ideal sailing conditions with warm breezes and constant sunshine well into the autumn months offering an extended season and excellent charter opportunities for owners seeking a second revenue stream.

The luxury Turkish marina hosted the first Aegean Link Cup in  2011, with 28 yachts and 200 yachtsmen taking part in the inaugural event from the Nautical Club of Samos and Aegean Athletic Club of Chios.  A full calendar of events is planned for 2012, including the prestigious Navy Cup.

The human form has two parts – body as the shell and thoughts as the soul. Architecture is similar, with the building envelope as the shell and nature as the soul.

The building envelope of this three-storey contemporary Bangladesh residence is a pure square, constructed of a single material, cast-concrete. The sphere, the universal celestial form, in this case is transformed to its terrestrial expression in the shape of a square.

Considering the socio-economic conditions of Dhaka, the architectural vocabulary is kept simple, with traditional spaces like the courtyard, pond, ghat  (steps to water) and ample green to merge together urban and rural typologies in this urban context.

Multistory buildings surround the site, so an introverted design strategy was adopted, placing a water-court as a swimming pool in the middle of the house to ensure privacy. It is the interrelationship between form and void which is at the heart of 18th-century mystic minstrel Lalon’s philosophy: “If one thing is not there inside the body, then it is not outside the body either,” which was the underlying inspiration for this building. The open quad at the centre depicts nothingness.

The south and southeast faces have been designed to bring in cool breeze during the hot, humid summer and the warmth of the sun during the winter. The central water court acts as a natural exhaust system, allowing hot air to escape and making the middle court a cool sanctuary.

A small boat waits by the ghat , green and light with its silence – and the space becomes a natural habitat within a man-made dwelling, with layers of understanding to unfold nothingness.

House Roces is a steel and glass structure. Perpendicular to the road, the elongated volume contrasts with the verticality of the trees. The glass box allows a panoramic view from each living space, and provides the experience of luxury living in a primal surrounding and maximum day lighting in a shady forest.

When the dwelling was being traced out, the floor height of 4.4m appeared to be difficult to capture. Two levels were formed, with bedrooms on each, joined by an inclined plane and a floating zinc stair. The high steel window frames with glass are the basic principle of the steel load bearing construction. This consists of a grid integrating the steel columns into the glass façade.

The wind bracing in the head of the contemporary Belgium property provides a certain privacy from the street, while the other stabilisers are hidden in the space divider between cloakroom and dining room, and between the bathroom and the children’s bedroom. The house is positively captured between space and construction and expresses transparency and corporality at the same time. The walls are a refined connection between constructive window elements that are as able as load bearing masonry to delineate space.

The interior floor covering of Basaltino or Roman lava rock extends the coolness of the glass in the interior spaces, while the concrete terrace elements contribute to the visual rhythm. Comparable to the way the enormous pivoting glass surfaces play with the transition from house to garden, the 53m-long afrormosia wooden wall with a ceiling-height double entrance door acts as a mediator between the cool steel construction and the vast forest.

From the moment you arrive it will become clear why the luxury French chalet is the most luxurious chalet in the Mont Blanc Valley. Nestled in woodland next to a mountain stream, the property combines pure luxury, tranquillity and comfort.

Each of the five en-suite bedrooms is designed and furnished to the highest standards using neutral fabrics to give a fresh and warm feel.

Wake to fresh coffee served in your bedroom, then enjoy a delicious breakfast and breath taking views of the Aiguille du Midi. After a day on the slopes, cosy the children into the cinema room and reward yourself with a massage in the superbly equipped spa with wonderful views of the forest. Alternatively, settle down with a glass of wine from the superbly stocked wine cellar.

The luxury French chalet may also be rented fully catered in conjunction with Chalet Baby Bear for parties of 14 or both Chalet Baby Bear and Baloo for groups of up to 24.