“The awfulness of the architecture that the Avengers use across the various Marvel films cannot be overstated.”
By tearing apart Earth’s Mightiest Heroes on Twitter, architecture critic Phineas Harper was guaranteed to get Diary’s attention. And we were far from alone, as numerous followers got involved in an in-depth discussion combining two of the absolutely best topics of all (in our humble opinion): real estate and superheroes. Beep Studio shared Harper’s disdain for Avengers Tower and the rest: “It’s not so much that it’s bad architecture – it’s more that it’s both witless and without character, devoid of any of the interesting spatial ideas that might reasonably stem from such outlandish clients.” Others pointed out the real buildings that served as jumping off points for Marvel Studios, including New York’s Pan Am Building (now the MetLife Building) and Norman Foster’s Sainsbury Centre in Norwich, while one noted that, in the comic books, S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Triskelion HQ was said to have been designed by Foster himself. Wakanda’s design sense won some praise, while talk turned to Star Wars as the benchmark for fictional architecture. But none of this changes anything. If Diary could live anywhere, real or fictional, it would be Tony Stark’s cliffside Malibu mansion (pictured). Even if it does have a tendency to get blown up.
Room with a view
“Location, location, location,” they say. So what price some of the most famous locations in the world? Astons, the “international experts on real estate, residency and citizenship”, has been in touch with its comparison of property values around some of the world’s most well-known landmarks. And the news is that London trails behind New York and Paris on this front. The French capital – and, specifically, the area around the Eiffel Tower – came top, with the average apartment in its environs coming in at £486,244. The Big Apple runs it a close second, with the possibility of glimpsing the Statue of Liberty out of your window setting you back £478,137. All of which makes Westminster, and living within earshot of Big Ben, seem like a snip at £464,547. But even more reasonable options await around the globe, such as the Sydney Opera House (£328,955) and Diary’s personal pick, the Colosseum in Rome (£250,678). Bargain-hunters might like to consider an apartment near Rio de Janeiro’s Christ the Redeemer (£52,893) the Taj Mahal in Agra (£29,706) or Cairo’s Pyramids of Giza (£27,431). With a bit of haggling, that could be flats with views of three modern wonders of the world for just a sniff over a hundred grand. All of a sudden, Big Ben looks like a total rip-off.
Pamper your pooch
Diary is a cat person, very much not a dog person. But, in the interests of readers who may not be quite so discerning, we felt obliged to share this image from luxury pet lifestyle brand and grooming parlour Love My Human, which has found what it describes as the “pawfect” home for a new townhouse concept on the King’s Road. Opening to the public in July, it will provide “three floors of dog-themed extravagance and care” and “the ultimate quirky, yet luxurious experience for dogs and their human owners alike”. This includes a dog-friendly café and deli, offering “human-grade dog food”, treats, puppachinos and dachshund-shaped sandwiches. It sounds like the absolute dog’s…
Get in the game
Thinking of getting into the resi rental market but want to dip your toes in the waters first, just to make sure you have what it takes? Then it sounds like you need The Tenants, a video-game landlord simulator in which you can buy, renovate, rent out and manage all kinds of properties in different neighbourhoods. “Become a landlord and deal with problematic tenants as you build your rental property empire,” the game’s blurb reads. “Decide how to react to annoyed neighbours or police interventions. Will you rent your apartment to a college couple or an older lady with four cats?” A tricky choice indeed. It all sounds a bit like The Sims, with a landlord focus. The Tenants is available now via early access on Steam, which will mean something to you if you know anything about video games, but sound utterly incomprehensible to you if you don’t.
Grow your own
Diary loves it when we get to talk to architects. Not that we don’t love agents, investors, developers and lawyers, of course. But there is always something extra in the conversation when you talk to a proper creative. The blue-sky thinking is really, really blue. But not in a crude way. Where else would a conversation about sustainability turn to Lego (a particular favourite of Diary’s), Meccano (don’t pretend you’re too young to remember playing with it) and the possibility of not actually building buildings, but growing them? It’s a unique approach to rewilding, but we like it. Click here to find out more.
