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This is a valid restriction in most cases, to adhere to overall
development concept but it does not address one plain fact. Most
people who would invest several million baht into purchasing their
dream home, would want it to be unique and individually suited to
their own tastes and lifestyles. Individually designed houses is
Vichuda Hills' concept and buyers are allowed enormous flexibility.
Mr. Daniel Ruggeri, founder of Vichuda Hills stated, "I have
proposed drawings for all the houses but people can customize the
house to what they like. The general concept is Thai style and all
villas are going to have different designs. Different shapes, sizes
and designs. Why? Because when I see other projects every house
is the same, so there is no personal touch, no personality. Here
people can enjoy great flexibility, if they do not like the shape
for example. What must be constant is the roof style. All the villas
will have Ayuthaya style roofs. "
The development will feature seven villas built upon 13 rai of
prime land in the Layan area. Each villa will include over 500sq.
metres of living area and a minimum of 1000sq. metres of landscaped
gardens with a swimming pool and graceful carp ponds. Set up high
on a hilltop, sporting some of the best views of the Andaman Sea,
the underlying theme of Vichuda Hills is to keep everything simple
and to have minimal interference with nature. For this reason, each
villa has been designed to fit within the natural landscape by contouring
the construction of the house to the curves and crests of the terrain.
Each villa is guaranteed uninterrupted sea views and privacy owing
to the size of each plot.
Daniel and his wife Khun Vichuda, started off just looking for
a house to buy, or a nice block of land on which to build one. "My
wife found this spot but we went to many, many places; more in the
South of the island. I was ready to buy one house but decided there
was too much noise in the southern areas. The first time I saw this
it was just so natural and I thought OK. "Buffalo meandering
around an open, vivid green field, birds fluttering in the sky above
and butterflies busying themselves with tropical blossoms; this
is the scene that won Daniel's heart and this is what Vichuda
Hills offers above all else. Peace.
The property is isolated and insulated from the outside world,
yet is conveniently located just minutes from Laguna Phuket. The
untouched area did not even have an access road and Daniel related
his challenges in getting a road in to the property. "We've
had a lot of problems because it was not easy to make a road into
the property. No road, no electricity, no project. In the end a
few of the people who own the land in front said they would like
to have a road through the land and if I wanted I could build my
road through their land. So I bought the land for the road. I bought
750m X 8m and the road was built. It cuts through an old rice field
and took 250 trucks of soil to fill it sufficiently. We then started
petitioning for telephone lines and electricity. It took about 6
months, but now we are ready, we have a road and electricity, well
water and we are ready. "
The design of the villas makes the most of the outdoor areas. Extended
terraces, walkways, water-ponds and Thai sala make outdoor living
as comfortable as it is indoors. Daniel explained that "Most of
these villas have as much outside as inside because people who would
choose Vichuda Hills love nature. We have combined the best of Thai
architecture and interior design with Western amenities but another
strong point of the villas is in the materials used. What we are
using are very good quality materials, 80% of them are imported
to Thailand.
We don't use sandstone because it looks and is cheap. My finishes
are beautiful and use the finest quality products. We use teakwood
to trim the windows and we will buy the furniture from Chiang
Mai; all solid teak, not veneer. "In addition, each villa will
be built using imported glazed terracotta roof tiles and teak will
trim not only the windows but also the doors. Attractive ceramic
tiles will decorate the bathrooms and uniquely long, single pieces
of wood will be used for the flooring in all the bedrooms. Daniel
has travelled the region extensively, looking for these high calibre
materials and is pleased to say that many of the decorative goods
used are unique to this development.
"It will be about two more months before the first house is finished
and I hope to see construction of the other houses begin this year"
Daniel said with some hesitation. "The show house has been under
construction now for ten months, quite a long time. " Daniel's enthusiasm
for the project is huge and this standard period of construction
has tested his patience. However, Daniel is thrilled with the work
in progress and during a tour of the site he could not help but
beam with pride. The first house completed will be a show house
and Daniel's own private residence. Standing at the highest point
of the full balcony, Daniel's eyes glazed over as he stared out
to sea, distracted by the divine view. He smiled, let out a small
sigh and said in an understated fashion, "It is beautiful. Is it
not?"
It is. With all the infrastructure problems sealed in the past,
an untainted natural setting and a front man with an eye for excellence,
Vichuda Hills promises to be a very exclusive residential property.
With continued advertising and a property fair coming up in Hong
Kong, Daniel expects to receive even more interest from wise
investors.
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