Breakfasts on the terrace, evening drinks on the fresh air, admiring sunsets and city panorama directly from your apartment - what more could one want?
For many of us, living in crowded and busy places has many disadvantages. Noise, traffic, uninspiring views - all that sometimes may make everyday life seem grey and depressing. So where to look for improvement? The answer may be in penthouses - the favourite choice of celebrities, who value the feeling of freedom and privacy.
Inglorious beginnings
The history of penthouses is quite interesting and wonderfully shows how human thinking and - consequently - architectural trends have changed over the centuries.
The term ¨penthouse¨, today associated with a luxurious, large flat with a terrace, once had a different meaning. In architecture, a penthouse is a structure located on the top floor of a building. As a rule, it does not occupy the entire roof area. In high-rise buildings these structures house the mechanical installations of the building, such as the lift machine room, heating and cooling control systems, etc. Initially they meant little more than simply an annex, and certainly not a desirable location for housing.
A catalyst for change
Until the mid-19th century, penthouses were the least attractive flats in a townhouse. The first floor was the most valued for its prestige. The subsequent floors were inhabited by representatives of the lower social class. What caused these unattractive flats to become a marker of luxury and style? The catalyst for these changes was... the staircase. As it turns out, such an arrangement, following the principle ¨the higher the poorer¨, resulted directly from practical considerations. Higher buildings meant a long way to climb the stairs, and therefore a greater physical effort. This is why, for example, servants, maids and kitchen staff resided on the top floors. The first and ground floors were occupied by senior citizens and therefore had a prestigious character. Their flats had higher ceilings were finished with sophisticated materials and had the best features that the building offered. In centuries-old townhouses, this division is reflected in the façades - in rich decoration, ornate cornices, and rustication.
Pioneers from across the ocean
In Europe, the potential hidden in the top floor of a building remained undiscovered for a long time. However, in American cities as early as the 1920s they were used for utility purposes. It was there that the idea of penthouses truly blossomed, and with time the popularity of this solution began to spread around the world.
The old order of floors in a building helped to re-organise a - not so new again - invention known to mankind since ancient Rome. It is, of course, the effortless lift, or lift.
This invention reversed the traditional distribution of floors - the lower storeys were no longer of primary importance, as even the top floor of a high-rise building could be reached without difficulty. As the height at which people worked and lived increased, new needs and opportunities began to emerge. The lower floors were less exposed to light, and since there was no problem with access to the top of the building, the scenic qualities of the highest floors began to be appreciated.
Living at height began to gain a new quality, as not everyone could enjoy a magnificent panorama of the entire city. Moreover, rising above the hustle and bustle of the street offered a rare opportunity to relax in peace and quiet on your own terrace.
The comfort of living "at the top"
After several decades of changes, today we can call a penthouse a luxurious flat, often located on the two highest floors of a building, having large terraces or gardens on the roof. Actually, we can say that a penthouse is like a suburban detached house placed on the top of a skyscraper in the middle of the city.
Until now the prestige with which living at the top was associated was connected with the fact that these flats were available only to the wealthiest, mainly show business celebrities. Fortunately, more and more developers decided to build such apartments and in many cases, the wide choice of penthouses and their affordable price make them financially accessible for a growing number of people.
Nowadays a penthouse is not so much prestige as a guarantee of a truly comfortable life. It is a combination of the best features of living in the city and beyond. One of the most exciting features of penthouses is that they provide an extraordinary visual experience - from the terraces, you can admire fascinating panoramas. In your own "garden" you can listen to the breath of the great city, which is right outside your door. The penthouse is a quiet oasis of calm above it all. At the highest. At the very top.
We have only one penthouse left within phase 1 of our project. Its specifications are:
⇨ 3 bedrooms
⇨Large open terraces and solarium of 215m²
⇨ Storage room and 2 parking spots
⇨ Air conditioning all throughout
⇨ Under-floor heating in the bathrooms
⇨ High ceilings
⇨ Floor to ceiling windows in living and dining area
⇨ Fitted kitchen and bathrooms
⇨ Golf membership at Marbella Club Golf included
⇨ Priced at €850,000
⇨ Ready to move in
Contact us for more details sales@marbellaclubhills.com
