Coming Home to Paradise

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Georgia Van Heyste, the developer behind the Pangia Beach project.

Pangia Beach Development

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Coming Home to Paradise ith increased connectivity and a higher profile on the international scene, Seychelles is no longer the isolated hideaway it once was. With more and more international eyes trained on the attractive lifestyle the islands have to offer, the property development industry has taken note.

But Seychelles’ newest luxury residential development has much deeper roots than one might think. For prospective buyers, Pangia Beach represents contemporary island living across 33 uniquely crafted apartments overlooking the Ste Anne Marine Park. For one Seychelloisborn interior designer, the project has provided a chance to reconnect with her past and fulfill a family legacy.

This month, POTPOURRI talks big-city careers, small-island dreams and sustainable development with 36-year old Georgia Van Heyste, the developer behind the Pangia Beach project.

What are your fondest memories about Seychelles from your youth?

I have so many wonderful memories of my childhood here in Seychelles.

I fondly recall being able to run around barefoot, play carefree in our garden and ride my bicycle around the neighbourhood of Turtle Bay. We never had to lock our front door. It was so safe in those days. I remember spending Sundays with friends hiking the various mountain trails, swimming in the waterfalls and having picnics on the beach. It was the most idyllic childhood.

Why did you want to come back?

We made the decision to move back to Seychelles over a year and a half ago following the passing of my father, Mr. Panos Papakokkinos, in August 2012. We wanted to be closer to Skychef, the airline catering business which he established in 1971, and also to fulfil his dream of creating a luxury residential development on Mahé. It was an easy decision as it is very important for both my husband and I that our children are able to enjoy the same wonderful carefree childhood that I had growing up here.

It has turned out to be the right move for our family, as we’re all enjoying being in Seychelles.

How has Seychelles changed?

Seychelles definitely has become more commercial and one can now easily find everything in the shops. Even if the price can sometimes be high, at least it’s available. I also can’t remember ever having been stuck in a traffic jam when I was younger. Unfortunately, our children won’t be able to say the same. At the same time, I’m happy to see that several spots, like Source D’Argent or Anse Major, haven’t lost any of their natural beauty and magic.

What is the Pangia Beach project about?

Pangia Beach is a limited collection of 33 beautiful high-end contemporary island-style beach apartments with stunning views of Saint Anne and Cerf Island. Spread over 4 buildings, each with their own lift, Pangia Beach offers a variety of property sizes from one to four bedroom freehold apartments, to spectacular three to four bedroom penthouses.

Set within lush tropical gardens homeowners will benefit from living in a conveniently located property halfway between the airport and Victoria.

The residential complex, which will have 24-hour security, encompasses several amenities including direct beach access, private mooring facilities, a club house with entertainment area, an infinity pool, 24-hour access to a modern gym, designated carports for each apartment plus optional garages.

At Pangia Beach we also have 4 stunning penthouses, which will

truly be one of a kind and unique in Seychelles. In addition to the features of a typical apartment, they will benefit from direct secure lift access, expansive wrap around terraces with infinity pools, 360 degree panoramic views, double height ceilings in the living area and master bedroom, as well as several other luxury design features.

Is there a meaning behind the name?

Yes, as Pangia Beach is a legacy project, the name Pangia is derived from the first three letters of Panos’ name, as he started the project, and the last three letters of Georgia, as I am finishing the project. For me, Pangia Beach is a story of eternal love, legacy and homecoming to my birthplace.

How did the idea come about?

Always a great admirer of the natural beauty of the Seychelles, my father leased a piece of beachfront property on Mahé. He obtained planning permission to reclaim the site in order to construct a beautiful residential development with private marina. Sadly my father passed away before making his dream a reality as such my husband and I are determined to bring this exciting beachfront development to life.

Have you been involved in property development before?

Yes, I have over 10 years of experience in the property sector. As an Interior Designer in London, I worked for Candy & Candy, the world renowned interior design and property development company that is famous for creating luxurious properties such as One Hyde Park in Knightsbridge. In New York, I worked for Kondylis Design, a well-known architectural firm largely responsible for designing Manhattan’s skyline.

Upon returning to London in 2009, I established Georgia Designs, my own interior design business specializing in high-end residential projects. Prior to moving to Seychelles, I completed several homes in London, Belgium and Cyprus.

What is your role in this project?

As the developer, I’m involved in all aspects of this project from design to sales. However, given my background as an Interior Designer, I am naturally very much focused on the design of the apartments, as well as on the sourcing of materials and finishes and also designing the bespoke furniture and joinery in the apartments. I have been on several trips already to source high quality materials, including Italian tiles, sanitary and tap ware. I will also be putting together furniture packs for clients who wish to buy a completely interior designed apartment that will suit the design aesthetic of the contemporary style architecture.

Tell us about who is helping you with this project?

Our in-house team consists of my husband and I, who as a team collectively have the drive, passion, and expertise to realise this project.

Vincent is not only my business partner, but also my companion for life, my rock and my voice of reason. With his 16 years of international investment banking and private equity experience in London and New York, his skills compliment mine. He is so remarkably disciplined and dedicated which is what is required to drive such a large-scale development project as Pangia Beach. Also part of the in-house team is Claire Jean-Louis, who joined us from the Four Seasons Resort, to assist with sales from our sales office in the Skychef building at the airport. We have surrounded ourselves with an excellent team of consultants, such as Equator Project Services and WNC, who we rely on for their expert and experienced advice. We are also extremely pleased to have Knight Frank the international real estate agency together with Gail Gavrill in South Africa as our international sales agents.

Have you identified the architects and builders? If yes, is there any particular reason you made those choices?

We selected SAOTA, the award-winning architects based in South Africa, as we strongly believe that they are capable of bringing our vision of a contemporary, but yet island-style residential development using natural and durable materials to life. SAOTA have made their mark on

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Pangia Beach is a legacy project, the name Pangia is derived from the first three letters of Panos’ name, as he started the project, and the last three letters of Georgia, as I am finishing the project. For me, Pangia Beach is a story of eternal love, legacy and homecoming to my birthplace.

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all 5 continents and are symbolized by their modern and stylish aesthetic. To quote Stefan Antoni, the founder of SAOTA, he envisaged the architecture of Pangia Beach to be “a modern take on barefoot luxury” which I can confidently say they have succeeded in creating. We selected Laxmanbhai as our contractor since for us quality, finish and attention to detail are paramount. Laxmanbhai are synonymous with precisely that description. They are known for delivering on time and with the level of finish that one would expect from such a prestigious development.

What makes this development different from the ones we have seen surface in Seychelles in the past ten years?

Drawing upon my interior design experience of working on high-end projects in London and New York, I really wanted to set the trend towards stylish and modern, yet comfortable lateral living in a secure environment. In order to make the living experience easy, each building will have its own lift and owners will be able to park their car in designated carports next to their apartment blocks. In addition to being a beach front property with stunning views, this exclusive development is conveniently located close to Victoria and benefits from an array of amenities.

Pangia Beach is the ultimate when it comes to luxurious, modern, convenient living for those who either live in Seychelles permanently or just would like to have a pied-a-terre in paradise.

Talk us through the elements that are going to be part of this development.

The focal point of each apartment is the state-ofthe-art kitchen with the beautiful Calacatta porcelain slab countertops, light wood cabinetry and Miele appliances with a separate laundry room and ample

storage space. The open plan living area is ideal for entertaining especially with the floor to ceiling aluminum framed sliding doors which open out onto spacious terraces equipped with gas barbeques. This indoor-outdoor living experience is perfectly suited to the tropical climate of Seychelles.

The added benefit of living at Pangia Beach, a 24-hour secure complex, are the several high-end amenities, such as direct beach access, a club house with infinity pool, a gym and a private marina.

Will you be following suit in terms of styles we have seen? Structures and interiors?

It was our specific brief to the architects to create a contemporary style building using natural and durable materials both for the interior and exterior. Typically interiors in Seychelles are very dark or reddish wood whereas the Pangia Beach colour scheme is light toned. We would like the development to stand the test of time both in terms of design and material selection. For example, the architects have designed attractive aluminium shutters and decorative elements to the buildings which are unlikely to be eroded despite being close to the sea as opposed to wooden ones. We have paid a lot of attention to detail as we are 100% committed to seeing this project successfully completed. We are not typical developers, as for us this is a legacy project and we would like this development to be here for our next generation to proud of.

What is your target market?

Can buyers start buying in the meantime?

Yes, we recently started off-plan sales and our official launch party will take place in early November. The prices for an apartment at Pangia Beach start at $445,000. We are very excited about the positive responses to date. We have had several enquiries and potential clients ready to sign the sale and purchase agreement. For those curious to learn more about the project and get a feeling for some of the finishes, we welcome you to our sales office at the Skychef Office at the airport.

The world has become more sensitive to the carbon footprints of such development – is this a concern for you? How are you ensuring that the carbon footprint of this project is minimal?

Yes absolutely, we have incorporated several sustainable energy elements such as rain water harvesting for gardening use, energy saving lighting in the form of LEDs and individual Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) air conditioning systems. We are also exploring the use of solar panels on the garages.

What in your opinion makes Seychelles alluring for buyers?

The natural beauty, peace and tranquility of Seychelles are second to none. To own a piece of such a paradise is any buyer’s dream. After all paradise is only paradise if you’re there. Another important aspect is that owners will qualify to apply for residency in the Seychelles.

To date, we have had strong interest from Seychellois as well as foreigners, proving that the project appeals to a broad group of people. The apartments are targeted at people who look for a chic and elegant, yet easy and comfortable place to call home. We would be delighted if both locals and non-Seychellois bought an apartment at Pangia Beach.

Personally, what would you say catches your eye when you’re purchasing a property?

When will the project start and when do you expect it to be completed?

What is it about the apartments you think will win over the potential buyers?

We have Planning Approval for the project, as well as all the other relevant Government permits. Currently, we are finalizing the detailed design phase of the project and plan for the contractor to mobilize on site in the first quarter of 2016 with the aim to complete by mid-2017.

Location, location, location, combined with a stylish design and stunning views! Pangia Beach perfectly encompasses all of that.

The wow factor as one opens the door to each apartment is the breathtaking sea view. The architects have optimally positioned each building to maximize these stunning views and to avoid the excessive build-up of heat from the sun. We have intentionally not put any of the

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“Vincent is not only my business partner, but also my companion for life, my rock and my voice of reason .”

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apartment buildings at the back of the plot of land as it was our specific aim for each apartment to have spectacular ocean views.

After this, what’s next for you?

It’s important for my husband and me to deliver a successful project, so we will be very focused on Pangia Beach for the next 18 months. Thereafter, we will probably do another residential development on Mahé, but this time perhaps in the mountains rather than by the sea. We already have the site selected and the architectural vision for our next project is slowly coming together.

For those curious to learn more about the project and get a feeling for some of the finishes, we welcome you to our sales office at the Skychef Office at the airport.

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