The Coolest Apartment Buildings in the World

No matter our dwelling, be it a house or a condo, apartment building or duplex, the place we call home is our private sanctuary. These apartment buildings around the world are some of the coolest out there. And, some lucky people get to call these buildings their homes! Let’s take a look at ten of the coolest apartment buildings on the world.

The Kavanaugh Building – Buenos Aires, Argentina 

The Kavanaugh Building is located in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The apartment building opened in 1936 after a two year construction period. The design of the building combines art deco and modernism, with a rationalist approach. There are a total of 105 apartments and the upper levels have exquisite terrace gardens with spectacular views of the city. Corina Kavanaugh was a 39 year old millionaire at the time the building was erected. She sold two ranches to build her own skyscraper. She lived on the 14th floor in the largest apartment for many years. The 14th floor is the only floor that houses just one apartment.

Absolute World – Mississauga, Ontario, Canada 

Absolute World, also referred to as The Marilyn Monroe Towers, is residential condominium twin tower skyscrapers in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. The final two towers were to be designed by the winner of a competition held by the city. Out of over 600 registrants and 92 submissions from architects around the world, six finalists were picked. Yansong Ma from Beijing, China, was announced the winner on March 28, 2007. The towers are very unique rotating towers and tower one has six levels of underground parking. Tower 1 has 56 floors and tower 2 has 50.

Education Executive Agency and Tax Office – Groningen, Netherlands 

Designed by UNStudio, this modern building was built in 2006 and completed by 2011. This building is sure to stand out from the surrounding architecture. When UNStudio designed this building they really took into consideration the direction of the winds that hit the building, so that they wouldn’t affect the environment.

Perry West – New York, New York 

These two 15-story residential towers are located at the corners of Perry and West Streets. Designed by Richard Meier, they overlook the Hudson River and allow panoramic views of Manhattan and the New Jersey riverfront. Each floor is a single apartment of 1,800 square feet in the north tower at 173 Perry Street and 3,750 square feet in the south tower at 176 Perry Street. Perry West has housed a few well-known people, including Nicole Kidman, Martha Stewart, and Calvin Klein.

Linked Hybrid – Beijing, China 

This apartment building is named quite literally after its design concept. Designed by Steven Holl Architects, the building began construction in 2003 and was completed in 2009 when the doors also opened to the public. There are 21 floors in each building and a total of 2,500 inhabitants. Within the entire complex, there are 750 apartments, hotel, cinema, educational facilities, a kindergarten, and a Montessori school. Linked Hybrid has won several awards for its design. Not only does it look cool, it contains geo-thermal wells to cool in summer and heat in winter. This is one of the largest green residential projects in the world.

The Scotts Tower - Singapore 

This 31-story building located at 38 Scotts Road, Singapore, is another beautiful building designed by UNStudio. The building offers one, two, three, and four bedroom apartments with two different social areas. The building has also been said to be its own vertical city.

Eureka Tower – Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 

The Eureka Tower in Melbourne is a 91-story (plus one underground level) residential apartment building. Construction began in 2002 and by 2006 they were complete and had a hefty price tag of $415M for the finished project. Fender Katsalidis was the architect for the tower and the coolest part of this building has to be the observation deck on the 88th floor called Eureka Skydeck 88. The Skydeck is a glass cube that hangs over the tower called The Edge.

The Wave – Veijle, Denmark 

The Wave is a modern residential complex consisting of 115 luxury apartments spread out in 150,000 square feet of space. Designed by Henning Larsen Architects, it has won the prestigious architectural LEAF Award in the multiple occupancy category. It also won the annual Veijle Award in 2010 as Building of the Year. And yet another award in 2011 the project won at Civic Trust Awards.

I’Park City – Suwon, Korea 

I’Park City has a total of 88 apartments. Construction began in 2008 and the residential apartments opened in 2012. Another UNStudio design, this time the parcels were divided into a series of neighborhoods or zones. Each zone has a different name: City, Village, Field, Water, and Park are the names given to describe the different designs.

8 Tallet – Copenhagen, Denmark 

Built in the shape of the figure eight, 8 Tallet is Danish for 8 House. Designed by Bjarke Ingels, the building is mainly residential and about a quarter retail and office space. The apartments are on the top floors and the commercial spaces are on the lower levels. The concept behind this is that the commercial spaces are street level with people passing by and the residential spaces can benefit from the sunlight and fresh air. This is able to be because the shape of the 8 House is hoisted up in the northeast corner and pushed down in the southwest corner allowing light and air to enter the courtyard to the southernmost area. This design also allows for two courtyards. The building has won several awards, and we can see why!

Top 10 Best Places to Invest in Property Internationally

Algarve, Portugal

The Algarve, Portugal’s southernmost region, is known for its beautiful Mediterranean climate
and its beach and golf resorts. There are over 100 different beaches and over 30 hiking trails.  Word is you can find a three-bedroom villa with a pool for around £300,000. Or, if you’re more of the “oceanfront” kind of buyer, you could spend £6.2 million on a seven-bedroom home with gorgeous views of the Mediterranean.

Ambergris Caye, Belize

The largest island of Belize, most homes here are beachfront. Ambergris Caye is a highly sought after destination for many real estate investors and vacationers. 

Santa Barbara Historical Museum

The museum is located at 136 East De la Guerra in the heart of historic downtown Santa Barbara, built in 1965 by the Santa Barbara Historical Society. It features relics from Chumash, Spanish, Mexican, Yankee and Chinese cultures, including artifacts, photographs, furnishings and textiles dating as far back as the 15th century.

Mission Santa Barbara

The Santa Barbara Mission was founded by Padre Fermin Lasuen on December 4, 1786, the feast day of Saint Barbara, as the tenth mission for the religious conversion of the indigenous local Chumash-Barbareno tribe of Native American people. Today, the Santa Barbara Mission continues to serve the community as a parish church. It also contains a gift shop, a museum, a Franciscan Friary, and a retreat house. The grounds are a primary tourist attraction in Santa Barbara. The Mission is owned by the Franciscan Province of Santa Barbara, and the local parish rents the church from the Franciscans.

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is located in Mission Canyon, Santa Barbara, containing over 1,000 species of rare and indigenous plants. The garden sits on 78 acres and the purpose is the display California native plants in natural settings. There are about 5.7 miles of hiking trails within the garden. The Garden was founded by landscape architect Beatrix Farrand in 1926. There is a rock dam that was constructed in 1806 by Native Americans under the direction of the Spanish padres of the adjacent Mission Santa Barbara. The Garden became a Santa Barbara County Landmark in 1983. Part of the Botanic Garden was burned in the Jesusita Fire on May 6, 2009. Several buildings were destroyed by the fire and have not yet been replaced. Garden displays have recovered from the fire.

Santa Barbara Maritime Museum

The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum opened its doors in July 2000, inside the Santa Barbara Waterfront Center (formerly the Naval Reserve Building). There are many different events including lectures, tastings, celebrations, special gatherings, and private meetings and parties. The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum also offers educational programs such as: Marine Science Program – For two weeks, about 400 children from elementary schools and after school programs participate, many of whom have never been out on the ocean or on a boat. Another program is the Tall Ship Program. This program allows students to spend the night aboard a tall ship living the life of an 1830’s sailor. They also offer a Science Night Program and a Book Club.

Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum

The Karpeles Manuscript Library is the world’s largest private collection of original manuscripts and documents. David and Marsha Karpeles, California real estate magnates, founded the library in 1983. All of the Karpeles Manuscript Library services are free. There are 11 different Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum’s around the US. The world’s largest private holding of important original documents and manuscripts is located at 21 W. Anapamu Street in Santa Barbara, California.

El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park

The El Presidio de Santa Barbara is a former military installation in Santa Barbara. The Presidio was built by Spain in 1782. The park houses an original adobe structure called El Cuartel, which is the second oldest surviving building in California. The Santa Barbara Presidio was both military headquarters and governmental center of the region that is now San Luis Obispo County to and including the Pueblo of Los Angeles. El Presidio de Santa Barbara is located at 123 East Canon Perdido, between Anacapa and Santa Barbara Streets in downtown Santa Barbara. It sits across from the Santa Barbara Post Office.

Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara

The Museum of Contemporary Art Santa Barbara was founded in 1976 by artists and supporters seeking a venue that was dedicated solely to contemporary art. There is no admission fee because MCASB believes that the arts should be accessible to all audiences of all persuasions. There are several different education projects put on by the MCASB which can be found on their website www.mcasantabarbara.org/learn.

Casa Dolores

Casa Dolores, Center for the Study of the Popular Arts of Mexico is an art museum located on 1023 Bath Street in Santa Barbara, California. The museum is located in the Botiller Adobe house that was built in 1843, the oldest standing two-story adobe in Santa Barbara. The house was purchased by Linda Cathcart in 2007. The Museum houses art historian Linda Cathcart’s collection of over 6,000 objects in various media: clay, wood, ceramic, natural fibers, leather, paper, glass, clay, and tin. Some artists whose work is displayed include Josefina Aguilar, Teodora Blanco, Candelario Medrano, Abelardo Ruiz, Rosa Real de Nieto and the Linares family.

The World’s Top 10 Largest Companies in 2016

The FORBES Global 2000 ranking of largest companies bases the scoring from equal measures of revenue, profits, assets and market value. The companies that made the list for 2016 spread out over 63 countries and together total $35 trillion in revenue, $2.4 trillion in profit, $162 trillion of assets, and have a combined market value of $44 trillion. Let’s take a look at the top 10 below.

1.   Industrial and Commercial Bank of China                                   

Founded in 1984 in Beijing, China, this is the largest bank in the world by total assets and market value. It also holds the number one spot on The Banker’s Top 1000 World Banks. As of 2014 there were 375,354 employees. They have branches in Paris, Amsterdam, Milan, Barcelona, and in 2008 opened a branch in New York City. 

2.  China Construction Bank

The number two spot is held by China Construction Bank, founded in 1954, also in Beijing, China. They have 329,338 employees as of 2011. In 2005, Bank of America acquired 9% stake in this bank for US$3 billion. However, by the end of 2013, Bank of America had sold its entire stake in the bank. 

3.  The Agricultural Bank of China

Founded 65 years ago (1951), in Beijing, China, the Agricultural Bank of China is one of the “Big Four” banks in the People’s Republic of China, along with number 1 and 2 on this list. As of 2012 they employed 444,238 people at their nearly 24,000 branches.   

4.  Berkshire Hathaway 

Number four on the list was founded in 1839, 177 years ago, in Cumberland, Rhode Island. The company is known for Warren Buffett, who is Chairman of the Board, President, and Chief Executive Officer. Berkshire Hathaway employees 331,000 people as of 2015. The company started as a textile manufacturing company in 1839, and then ventured into the insurance world by 1967 when Buffett was in control. The textile operations were finally shut down in 1985. Today, the company wholly owns man well-known brands. GEICO, Dairy Queen, Fruit of the Loom, Helzberg Diamonds, and 26% of the Kraft Heinz Company, to name a few. They also have undisclosed percentages in Mars, Incorporated, American Express, Coca-Cola, Wells Fargo and IBM. 

5.  JPMorgan Chase

The largest bank in the United States, and the world’s sixth largest by total assets is a bank many of us bank with regularly. JPMorgan Chase was only founded 15 years ago in 2000. The number of people employed by the company in 2015 was 235,678. JPMorgan Chase is actually a combination of several other banks that you have probably heard of over the years, including Chase Manhattan Bank, JP Morgan and Co, Bank One, Bear Stearns and Washington Mutual.  

6.  Bank of China

Founded in 1912 by the Republican government to replace the Imperial Bank of China, it is the second largest lender in China. The bank is owned by the government of China and employees 305,675 people. Bank of China has two locations in New York, one on Madison Avenue, and the other on East Broadway. 

7.  Wells Fargo

Founded in 1852 in New York City, Wells Fargo operates in 35 countries and has 8,700 branches. It is the largest bank in the world by market capitalization and the third largest in the US by assets. Henry Wells and William Fargo, also the founders of American Express, formed Wells Fargo & Company to provide banking services to California. William Fargo was also the Mayor of Buffalo, New York twice from 1862 to 1863 and again from 1864 to 1865. 

8.  Apple

Founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne, Apple has become the world’s largest technology company by total assets. Apple employs 115,000 employees as of 2015 and has 478 stores worldwide. The company had revenue of $233.715 billion in 2015. And, at the rate this company is going, they are sure to move up on next year’s list. 

9.  ExxonMobil

Headquartered in Irving, Texas, ExxonMobil was formed November 30, 1999 by the merger of Exxon and Mobil. Both of these companies, Exxon and Mobil, were directly related to Standard Oil who was established by John De. Rockefeller. In 1998, when the new company was formed by signing a $73.7 billion merger, they were the largest oil company and the third largest company in the world. Now they are the ninth largest company and still hold the title of largest oil company. 

10.  Toyota Motor

Toyota Motor Corporation was founded in Japan in 1937 by Kiichiro Toyoda. Toyota is the world’s leading manufacturer of hybrid electric cars. In 2015, the total revenue for Toyota was ¥29.79 trillion and 346,219 employees. Toyota is not only a car manufacturer. They also build robots and provide financial services through its Toyota Financial Services division. Today, Akio Toyoda is the CEO of Toyota Motor Company, a direct descendent of the founder Kiichiro.  

6 of the Most Unique AirBnB Listings from Around the World

We have all heard of Airbnb by now. And, if you haven’t, it’s time to get in the know. Airbnb is an online marketplace that allows you to find, list, and rent vacation homes all over the world. Airbnb has over 1,500,000 listings in 34,000 cities and 191 countries. You are sure to find some unique homes around the world. Let’s take a look at six of the most unique listings that Airbnb has to offer.

Cube Houses - Netherlands                                           

For $156 per night, you can stay in one of these yellow cube houses. All of them are two bedrooms and one bathroom, with three floors. Upon entering the house you have to take the stairs to the first floor where you will find the living room and kitchen. The bedroom is on the second floor. The top floor, as described by Airbnb, is a cosy chillroom with a 360 degree view.

These houses are right next to the train station and only a 50 minute train ride to Amsterdam. 

Nakagin Capsule Tower - Tokyo, Japan

This is a very interesting place. You cannot sleep over at the Nakagin Capsule Tower. The place you sleep is a two minute walk to another apartment down the street for $151 per night. You would first meet the host at the apartment down the street and then they will take you to the Nakagin room and give you a tour and then tell you the rule of Nakagin. After that, you are welcome to visit Nakagin at any time during your stay. You just cannot sleep there.

This historical tower was built by Kisho Kurokawa in 1972 during the Japanese Metabolism, a post-WWII art movement. In 2012, only about 30 of the 130 capsules remained in use as apartments. The others are used for storage or office space and some are simply deteriorating or abandoned. I would love to see this place restored. 

The Seashell House – Ilsa Muejes, Mexico                               

For $308 a night you can live out your dreams of being a mermaid for a night. With your own private pool and the ocean breeze, this is the place where vacations should happen. This unique house was designed by Edwardo and Raquel Ocampo, who also live right next door to their vision.

St. Pancras Clock Apartments - London

You can rent this apartment in the clock tower above St. Pancras International Train Station for $208 a night. The railway company had a competition back in 1866 and the winner was architect George Gilbert Scott. His design for the clock tower was the largest and most expensive. The railway company did revise his original plan by removing a floor completely to save money. George Gilbert Scott is famous for his style known as Victorian Gothic. 

Dairsie Castle – Scotland

Who doesn’t dream of living (okay, maybe just visiting if we’re being realistic) in a castle? I sure have! Well, it sure is nice to know that I can gather some of my closest friends and/or family and we can all stay a few nights in a real life castle! For $681 a night our dreams can become a reality. And, from reading the reviews on Airbnb it sounds like this castle did not disappoint. There are six bedrooms and five bathrooms and can accommodate up to 13 people. This one is going on the bucket list! 

Mushroom Dome Cabin – Aptos, CA

For only $115 a night you can stay in Airbnb’s most popular rental. With five stars and at the top spot on the popular site, people keep coming back to stay in this sophisticated tree house. It’s not hard to see why. I’ve been looking for my next vacation spot and here it is! 

 America’s Top Colleges

1.       Stanford University

Stanford University was founded by Leland Stanford, the former Governor and US Senator, and his wife Jane Lathrop Stanford in 1885. Tuition was free until 1920. Not only is Stanford one of the best colleges academically, but, they are one of the top fundraising institutions in the country. They were the first school to raise more than a billion dollars in a year. A few noteworthy alumni are Tiger Woods, Reese Witherspoon, Herbert Hoover, and Larry Page.

2.       Williams College

Williams College was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. The college did not become co-educational until 1970, as it was originally a men’s only college. Williams sits on 450 acres in Williamstown, Massachusetts in the Berkshires. The original planning of the college had free standing buildings. Total enrollment is close to 3,000 students. Some of Williams College’s notable alumni include James A. Garfield, Elia Kazan, and David Strathairn.

3.       Princeton University

Princeton University was founded in 1746 and was then called the College of New Jersey. It is an Ivy League research university. Here are some of the reasons Princeton University sits at number three on this list: Alumni of the university include 41 Nobel laureates, 21 National Medal of Science winners, 14 Fields Medalists, the most Abel Prize winners and Field Medalists of any university, two U.S. Presidents, 12 U.S. Supreme Court Justices (three of whom currently serve on the court), and not to mention the many living billionaires and highly successful people. Some notable alumni, to name a few, are Woodrow Wilson, James Madison, John F. Kennedy, and Michelle Obama. 

4.       Harvard University

Number four on the list goes to the private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University. Established in 1636, this university is the United States oldest college or university. Harvard's list of alumni is very impressive. To name a few, President’s Theodore and Franklin D. Roosevelt, Nobel Peace Prize Winner Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, George W. Bush, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and President of the United States Barack Obama.

5.       Massachusetts Institute of Technology

In 1861, the private research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts was founded, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). MIT sits on 168 acres and spans a mile long sitting along the north side of the Charles River basin.   Buzz Aldrin graduated the Aero & Astro program in 1963 and then we all know where that brought him. Some other notable alumni include Janet Hsieh, Salman Khan, Claude Shannon, and Dolph Lundgren.

6.       Yale University

Yale University is the third-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States, founded in 1701. Yale is located in New Haven, Connecticut, and is especially known for its gothic architecture style on campus. Some of Yale’s distinguished alumni are Bill Clinton, Meryl Streep, Anderson Cooper, Paul Newman, James Franco, and many many more. 

7.       Pomona College

Pomona College is located in Claremont, California. It is a private, nonsectarian, liberal arts college that was established in 1887. The campus sits on 140 acres, with 63 total buildings. Some notable alumni include: Kris Kristofferson and Roy E. Disney.

8.       Brown University

Founded in 1764, Brown University is a private, Ivy League university in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown was the first college in the United States to accept students no matter what their religious affiliation was. Brown University has produced seven Nobel Prize winners, 55 Rhodes Scholars, and five National Humanities Medalists. Some alumni who’s names may ring a bell include: Emma Watson, John D. Rockefeller Jr., Ted Turner, John F. Kennedy Jr., Lauri Linney, Lisa Loebm, Bobby Jindal, and John Krasinski.

9.       Wesleyan University

Wesleyan University was founded in 1831 in Middletown, Connecticut. The university is a liberal arts college. Some names you may recognize that graduated from there are: Bradley Whitford, Joss Whedon, Michael Bay, Michael S. Roth, and Dana Delany to name a few.

10.   Swarthmore College

A liberal arts college located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, this college was one of the first coeducational colleges in the United States. The college was founded in 1864 by a committee of Quakers. Swarthmore is located 11 miles southwest of Philadelphia. Some of the famous Swarthmore College Alumni include Jonathan Franzen, Stephen Land, and Sally Ride.