1. February 2016
M A L AY S I A
LIVING LARGEYOUR 2016 SELECTION OF PROPERTIES,
RESTAURANTS AND OTHER NECESSITIES
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2. 54
From their
pool deck, the
Kandarakis family
enjoy panoramic
views of Sentosa
Cove’s waterways.
Robb Report

3. P
ulling up to the
Kandarakis Residence in
Sentosa Cove, Singapore,
a visitor is immediately
struck by the property’s
generous frontage. Most plots in
thisgatedmillionaire’splayground
are narrow and deep. But it was
precisely this quirk that attracted
the Kandarakis to purchase this
patch of luxury real estate: they
wanted to erect a modern mansion
with a grand facade.
That, they got, by no less than
Canadian-born,US-basedarchitect
Richard Landry, whom The New
York Times dubbed The King of
theMegamansionin2015.“Heonly
designsfivehomesayear,forclients
like Steve Wynn, Gisele Bundchen
andMarkWahlberg,”explainsKara
Kandarakis, a Japanese-American
film producer and distributor.
“When we approached him, it
was around the time that the US
economy was slowing down, so he
agreed to put us down for the one
slot he had left.”
The Kandarakis would be
Landry’s first Singapore-based
Homeowners Michael and Kara Kandarakis sought the help of celebrated
architect Richard Landry to design their dream mansion.
MANOR OF MEANS
By AARON DE SILVA
55February – 2016

4. 56 Robb Report
clients. According to a press
statement, their brief was for a
unique modern home that stood
out from the modern homes they
were seeing throughout Asia.
They wanted a home with
clean lines and a contemporary
indoor-outdoor openness that took
advantage of the tropical climate.
They also desired a kid-friendly
home with access to the water. The
couple have two daughters, aged
four and 10.
Taking inspiration from the
1,115sqm trapezoid-shaped plot,
Landry incorporated trapezoidal
shapes onto the facade, plans and
elevations.Onasmallerscale,these
geometricmotifswereechoedinthe
floor tiles and wall panelling. To
serveasacounterpoint,softorganic
curveswereappliedliberallyacross
the interiors and landscaping.
Most of the built-in furniture,
for instance, sport voluptuous,
curvilinear shapes. Such features
lend insight into the extraordinary
level of detail that went into the
planning of this four-storey abode.
Upon entering the house, the
visitor encounters a dramatic
curvedmetalstaircasethatrisestoa
bridge, separating the second-level
Most of the built-in furniture,
for instance, sport voluptuous,
curvilinear shapes.

5. familyroomfromtheground-level
public spaces. A double volume
atrium, animated by a cascading
chandelier, opens out onto views
of the 20m lap pool, patio area and
waterwaybeyond.Totheleftofthis
centralaxisliesasprawling,sunken
livingroomandbarcounter;tothe
right, a spacious dining area set up
for 10 guests, as well as a dry and
wet kitchen tucked away in the
corner. A guest bedroom, neatly
tucked away behind the staircase,
and a powder room, also artfully
concealed on the opposite side of
the stairwell, complete this level.
Upstairs, the master suite
– comprising the master room,
ensuite bathroom and a walk-in
wardrobedividedintohis-and-hers
sections – is housed in one wing,
while the kids’ bedrooms and gym
is housed in another. The family
room, at the intersection of the
two wings, provides a convenient
meeting point for the entire
household. The space is anchored
by a custom-built banquette by
top Italian marque Giorgetti. Most
of the home’s loose furnishings
A double volume atrium
is animated by a
cascading chandelier.
A bar and wine
cellar, adjacent to
the basement home
theatre, provides
refreshments, akin
to a Hollywood
premiere.
57

6. 58 Robb Report
The master and
mistress of the
house awake to a
picture-postcard
view of the
surroundings.

7. 59February – 2016
The owners wanted a home with clean lines
and a contemporary indoor-outdoor openness
that took advantage of the tropical climate.

8. 60 Robb Report
are also by Giorgetti. In fact, the
company’s president/owner, Carlo
Giorgetti, was called upon to liaise
with Landry on the furniture
selection as well as the interior
colour palette, which consists
mainly of neutral shades.
A second staircase adjacent to
the family room connects to an
office on the third storey. This is
thedomainofMichaelKandarakis,
aGreeknationalwhorunsaprivate
equity firm. As he works from
home from time to time, Landry
thoughtfully designed a lift that
givesclients,businesspartnersand
other guests direct access to this
space from the ground level. And
shouldMichaelneedtotakeabreak,
he can step out onto an adjoining
open-air roof deck that overlooks
SentosaGolfClub’sTanjongCourse.
Thebasementholdsasurprise.
Hereinthisdarkened,subterranean
enclave is a sophisticated lounge
with a bar and walk-in wine
cellar (capacity: 1,000 bottles) that
wouldn’t look out of place in any
top-flight nightlife establishment.
Next to this, an audiophile theatre
linedwithacousticpanelsdesigned
by New York’s Rives Audio allows
Michael to indulge in his passion
for music, while Kara and the kids
binge on TV series and films that
have been downloaded onto their
100TB server.
These days, the family spend
most of their time in London, a
convenientbaseforMichaeltoserve
his European clients and for Kara
to promote her films at European
film festivals. They’re renting a
townhouse in Belgravia, though
they plan to buy a property in the
area soon. And when they do, they
will turn to Landry once again to
work his magic. ≠
Soft organic
curves were applied
liberally across
the interiors
and landscaping.

9. Upon entering the house, the
visitor encounters a dramatic
curved metal staircase.
61February – 2016
The main
staircase connects
the basement,
living areas and
bedrooms. A
separate staircase
leads to the office.