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The Floating Dutchman

By Kerstin Schweighöfer
FUTURE PERFECT
December 2015

 

Koen Olthuis | © Architect Koen Olthuis, Waterstudio.NL

The Citadel is a floating apartment complex near Naaldwijk, Netherlands. | © Architect Koen Olthuis, Waterstudio.NL

 

THE FLOATING DUTCHMAN

In the tradition of his water-taming nation, Dutchman Koen Olthuis designs floating islands to dwell and live on – not least because climate change calls for new solutions in architecture.

A vacation doesn’t get more wonderful than this: a white sandy beach, a green-blue, glistening sea and an exotic underwater world to thrill any snorkeling enthusiast. All you have to do to explore it is jump into the Indian Ocean from your personal jetty, because the elegant vacation villa where you’re staying is floating on the water. In a Maldivian lagoon, this dream is currently becoming a reality as the construction of 185 floating vacation homes is currently underway. They’re arranged in the shape of a giant flower on the water. Hence the name of the project: Ocean Flower.

It was designed by Koen Olthuis, a Dutch architect who is considered a pioneer of what is called Aqua Architecture: “I build exclusively on the water,” says the 44-year-old with a strawberry-blonde mop of curly hair. His buildings are made to withstand floods and climate change because everything Olthuis designs can adapt to the level of the sea. It is not by accident that his office in Rijswijk near The Hague bears the name waterstudio.nl.

Bracing for climate change, without leaving a trace

In order to make such bold projects as the Ocean Flower a reality, Olthuis partnered with a fellow Dutchman, project developer Paul van de Camp, to found the company Dutch Docklands. It buys water properties all over the world to use them as building sites. This opens up completely new perspectives – not only for densely populated cities or countries where building sites are in short supply and hence, expensive: “It also helps residents protect themselves from the consequences of climate change.”

There is a reason Dutch Docklands launched its first project in the Maldives. It’s not just to cater to the recreational interests of spoiled tourists: The 300,000 inhabitants of the island nation will soon literally be up to their necks in water, because 80 percent of the Maldives are located barely a metre above sea level. The government had already announced plans to buy to land elsewhere in order to survive. Until Olthuis and van de Camp assured them that this was quite unnecessary: “We made the President of the Maldives understand that climate refugees can be pioneers of climate management,” said Olthuis. They understood immediately.

The Ocean Flower is just the beginning: Four more lagoons with floating vacation lodges are to follow, as well as a floating conference centre and one of the world’s most spectacular golf courses that will spread over several man-made islands to be connected by underwater glass tunnels.

And all this can be done without leaving a trace in nature or inflicting any damage, for Dutch Docklands is committed to what it calls the scarless approach: “Our units can float anywhere on the water for 200 years, yet if the area is needed for some other purpose, they can just be hauled away,” Olthuis explains. They will be gone without a trace.

The Dutch know how to live with the water

It isn’t surprising that the pioneers of Aqua Architecture are Dutch: Like no other people, the nation at the mouth of the Rhine River has spent centuries learning to tame the water or to keep it in check with dikes, dams and levees. As the proverb goes: “God created the world – and the Dutch the Netherlands.”

Whether it is in New Orleans or in Bangladesh: The expertise of Dutch hydraulic engineers and architects is in high demand throughout the world – today more so than ever, thanks to climate change, which brings swelling rivers, rising sea levels and more catastrophic floods around the globe.

The Dutch have long recognized that building ever higher dams won’t be enough. Therefore, the former nemesis is instead given more space: Polders are being flooded, retention basins are being built, tributaries being carved out and filled-up canals dug free again.

The old seafaring nation now has even less residential land available. Yet the Dutch discovered that the flooded polders and artificial water basins offer more benefits than just a controlled channeling of excess water.

Trend and challenge of generation climate change

As a consequence, aqua living has since become a trend in the Netherlands; all over the country, people reside in what is called waterwoningen. Their foundation consists of a concrete tub filled with Styrofoam, which is considered unsinkable. To keep them in place, they are moored to poles with rings so they can easily adapt to rising sea levels. Electricity and water lines are connected via hoses and cables.

Olthuis has designed countless waterwoningen: transparent villas sitting elegantly on the water, such as in Aalsmeer, Zwolle, Leiden or Amsterdam, which received an entire floating neighborhood in 2012, the steigereiland. In Antwerp, Olthuis designed a floating boulevard on the Scheldt, in Paris he created a restaurant on the Seine. And in a polder between The Hague and Delft, he wants to build de Citadel, Europe’s first floating apartment complex on a foundation of 140 by 90 metres. “Technologically speaking, all of this is easy to do,” he stresses.

The technology developed and patented by Olthuis virtually eliminates size limits on foundations for waterwoningen. In other words, the foundation can be a platform large enough to accommodate entire blocks of houses, complete with yards and parking garages: “The larger an object, the more stable it is on the water,” the architect explains.

Olthuis is therefore convinced: The city of the future consists of floating platforms that can be moved around like floes of ice. “It will evolve one step at a time,” the bold Dutchman predicts: The next fifteen years will see churches, schools and sports fields move out onto the water, then in 50 years, we will have platforms as large as 200 by 200 metres, with houses, roads and parks – until a century from now, the city of the future will be a reality: a flexible delta-metropolis of floating elements. For Olthuis, this new type of urban design, this new flexibility is “the great challenge for the architects of the climate change generation.”

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Luxury Anywhere, Anytime! Floating Private Islands By Koen Olthuis

By Jesse James
Stupid Dope
August.2015

Traveling is fun and all, but sometimes you just want to be on your own private island; right? Well today we get a unique way to do exactly that, take a vacation on your own private island; The Floating Private Islands By Koen Olthuis. This unique and rather eye-catching design plays host to some creative concepts, which not only serves as some stunning spots to vacation, but also creates new underwater habitats for nearby sea life.

The design allows you to choose what type of home or facility you want on your island, as well as where it will be located. The customizable design offers luxury and an eco-friendly design that is sure to provide a unique and rather lavish retreat. Have a look at these sleek and quite bold concepts in the images below and above and speak your mind on it after the jump. For more information head over here immediately, and start stacking now!

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Real Estate Listings: First Floating Islands to be Up for Sale in Maldives, Dubai and Miami

By Staff Reporter
media@realtytoday.com
August.18.2015

 

HONIARA, GUADALCANAL ISLAND, SOLOMON ISLANDS – SEPTEMBER 17: The lodge and private beach where Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge are to spend the night on the island of Tuvanipupu on their Diamond Jubilee tour of the Far East on September 17, 2012 in Honiara, Guadalcanal Island. Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge are on a Diamond Jubilee tour representing the Queen taking in Singapore, Malaysia, the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu. (Photo : Chris Jackson – Pool/Getty Images)

Christie’s International Real Estate has taken luxury properties into a whole different level. The company is set to start Amillarah Private Islands, a floating island empire to be first established in the tiny islands of Maldives, which will possibly expand to Dubai and Miami in the years to come.

Forbes has called this venture by Christie’s as “The World’s First Portable Private Islands.” The New York-based company has partnered with Dutch Docklands, which also specializes in high luxury properties. The partnership is said to be on-strategy for both ends. Dutch Docklands are also experts in on-water structures.

Other than it being a private and man-made island, the project will also be eco-friendly, self-sufficient, and highly customizable. The companies has also partnered with Ocean Futures Society, which specializes in eco-vacations. According to Daily Mail, they have hired Jean-Michel Costeau to help with the design and research for the sustainable islands.

In terms of customization, CEO of Christie’s Dan Conn said, “The opportunity to literally develop a private island on a body of water is a testament to Dutch Dockland’s skills in this arena. Buyers are able to customize the size, shape and style of their residence, within the broadest range of locations, beginning with this first opportunity in the Maldives.”

Safety will be no issue in Amillarah. Christie’s has also hired specialists and experts and they guarantee that the land will be safe from rising sea levels. The new venture will give buyers the opportunity to truly make their own paradise that they call their own masterpiece.

Potential buyers can check out their official website at www.amillarah.com. It is currently marketing itself as “Your Own Private Island: A piece of art you can live in.”

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Amillarah, een privé eiland die je zelf kan customizen

By Gewoon voor hem
August.2015

 

Amillarah, een privé eiland dat je zelf kan customizen! Jep, voor de superrijken gaan de mogelijkheden steeds verder en verder.

Volgens Amillarah, wat overigens staat voor privé eiland, zit er één groot nadeel aan het aanschaffen van een privé eiland; de locatie. Vrijwel altijd liggen ze erg afgelegen en zijn de meeste faciliteiten erg kostbaar. Dat is dus verleden tijd, de eilanden zijn geplaatst in een bepaalde zone met de faciliteiten die nodig zijn binnen handbereik. Verder zijn de eilanden te customizen qua indeling en formaat.

De eilanden zijn ontworpen om minimaal 100 jaar in top conditie te blijven, hebben totaal geen (negatieve) impact op de natuur en zullen tevens zorgen voor een prachtige onderwaterwereld die zich kan nestelen onder en rondom jouw stulpje.

Er worden er maar 43 gemaakt, dus zorg dat je er snel bij bent enne.. nodig ons ook even uit!


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World’s first portable islands will let super-rich create eco-friendly getaways anywhere on Earth

By Jack Williams
Mirror
August.2015

 

Amillarah Private Islands have released artists’ impressions of luxury getaways in the Maldives, Miami and Dubai, where work is already is already planne

Want to own your own island but can’t find one in your desired location?

Such issues could soon be consigned to history – for the super-wealthy, at least – after plans were unveiled for the world’s first PORTABLE islands.

These artists’ impressions show the self -sustaining, eco-friendly creations that will allow people to create their own getaways anywhere on Earth.

Each home will adhere to the customer’s every need – with the renderings including options such as swimming pools, boat docks and greenery.

 

Grand plans: Amillarah Private Islands is the company behind the getaways

Going green: The islands will be eco-friendly and self-sustaining

 

Amillarah Private Islands are the creative force behind the initiative, which will offer islands in all shapes and sizes.

Their renderings show properties in the likes of the Maldives, Miami and Dubai, where Amillarah islands are already planned.

Where would you park your private island? Have your say in the comment box below.

 

Bespoke: Each island will adhere to the customer’s every need

Custom-made: Designs feature swimming pools, boat docks and greenery

 

Amillarah is overseen by developers Dutch Docklands, who have teamed up with Christie’s International Real Estate for the project.

Dan Conn, CEO of Christie’s International Real Estate, said: “The opportunity to literally develop a private island on a body of water is a testament to Dutch Dockland’s skills in this arena.

 

Take your pick: Amillarah will offer islands in all shapes and sizes

 

“Buyers are able to customise the size, shape and style of their residence, within the broadest range of locations, beginning with this first opportunity in the Maldives.”

The designs were created by famed Dutch architect Koen Olthuis, who helped found Dutch Docklands, in 2005.

 

Island life: The designs were created by Dutch architect Koen Olthuis

 

Each island is intended to keep environmental impact to a minimum using state-of-the-art technology.

The company are already developing 10 properties with the Government of Maldives, which will create a lagoon 25 minutes from the nearest airport.

 

Tropical: Amillarah are developing 10 properties with the Government of Maldives

 

In Dubai, OQYANA Real Estate have signed a deal for 33 islands, while in Miami, 30 islands are set to be developed.

Paul van de Camp, CEO of Dutch Docklands, added: “We’ve not only created a new luxury global brand with ‘Amillarah Private Islands’ but also a new industry of private island development to cater to our most discerning clients.

 

In demand: In Dubai, OQYANA Real Estate have signed a deal for 33 islands

 

“In addition to our Maldivian project, we have new developments signed in Dubai and Miami, and are actively looking for opportunities worldwide.”

Rick Moeser, Senior Vice President at Christie’s International Real Estate, said: “Each of these homes is an eco-friendly work of art that can be lived in, allowing consumers to not only create, but enjoy whatever kind of paradise they desire.”

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Plans underway to build floating luxury islands in the Maldives

Zaheena Rasheed
Maldives Independent
August.2015

 

The Dutch company that gained global media attention in 2011 for plans to build an 18-hole floating golf-course in the Maldives now plans to sell private floating islands in central Malé atoll,

The ‘Amillarah Private Islands’, by Dutch Docklands and New York based Christie’s International Real Estate, is to feature 10 exclusive villas on portable islands, complete with a private beach, a pool and a jetty to moor yachts.

The floating islands will be self-sufficient, eco-friendly and built to withstand rising seas associated with climate change, Dutch Docklands has said.

The company, which specializes in floating developments, was awarded five lagoons in Kaafu Atoll, all within 25 minutes of the airport as part of a joint venture with the Maldivian government in 2011. The five-lagoon plan also includes 185 over-water luxury villas and a convention center.

A Dutch Docklands’ official said the designs for the floating islands are yet to be approved by the tourism ministry. However, the company hopes to begin construction by the end of the year.

The luxury islands will be leased, the official said. The Maldivian constitution was recently amended to allow foreigners to own land for the first time, but a US$1billion investment is required.

Dutch Docklands has previously said the five-lagoon project will cost US$500million. The Maldivian government holds five percent in the joint venture.

Amillarah properties will be launched in Dubai and Miami next, Christie’s has said.

According to Forbes, the base of the islands will be built to last for over 100 years and designed to create a new underwater habitat for sea life. The project will be designed by renowned architect Koen Olthuis and will include design and research by Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society charity.

Dan Conn, the CEO of Christie’s International Real Estate said: “Buyers are able to customize the size, shape and style of their residence, within the broadest range of locations, beginning with this first opportunity in the Maldives.”

“We have not only created a new luxury global brand with ‘Amillarah Private Islands’ but also a new industry of private island development to cater to our most discerning clients,” said Paul van de Camp, CEO of Dutch Docklands, according to a press release.

On its website, Dutch Docklands said the project will be the biggest floating development in the world “diversifying Maldivian fame and turning rising seas into prime real estate.”

Hussain Lirar, deputy tourism minister, told The Maldives Independent that the Maldives welcomed innovative concepts in tourism. Floating developments add to tourism in central Maldives as there are no natural islands for resort development in central Kaafu, Lhaviyani and Alif Atolls, he said.

The five lagoons consist of 800 hectares of water. The environmental impact assessments for Dutch Docklands’ first project, the Ocean Flower, is complete and villas will be done within one and a half years. They cost upwards of US$1.5million.

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4 Reasons why you should buy your own personalised floating island

By Boat,
August.2015

 

1. You can customise your private island

The world of private island real estate could be about to dramatically change as Christie’s International has announced a partnership with Dutch Docklands to construct a series of atolls across the globe.

Looking for a secluded island paradise? Discover what Amillarah Private Islands will have to offer:

You can customise your island

Always wanted your own private island but never found one that quite fits your exacting criteria? Panic not as it is possible to customise your island to your wishes.

Dan Conn, CEO of Christie’s International Real Estate. “Buyers are able to customize the size, shape and style of their residence.”

Rick Moeser, the firm’s senior vice president, added: “Each of these homes is an eco-friendly work of art that can be lived in, allowing consumers to not only create, but enjoy whatever kind of paradise they desire.”

2. You can choose the location of your private island

Not only can you customise the design of your island, but you also get to decide where it is located. Maldives? Miami? Dubai? New York? Simply take your pick.

The project is going to start with 10 islands being built in Maldives in a lagoon, which is only a 35-minute transfer by boat from the airport. So whilst you’re exploring the Maldives next, stop by your own private island. In addition, there are already agreements signed in Dubai and Miami and other locations are currently being sought out.

3. Your island will be eco-friendly

With increasing threats to the world’s oceans, it is reassuring to know that the islands will be created using the latest state-of-the-art green technology.

The base of the island is designed to last for more than 100 years and will create a new habitat for sea life to live underneath. The project has teamed up with Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society to work out better ways to enhance these new ocean habitats.

4.Your island will be constructed using the best in Dutch design

As we know from the superyacht industry, the Dutch are pretty good at creating things that float. Founded in 2005, Dutch Docklands are experts in floating developments, concepts and infrastructure. Using The Netherlands’ experience from the battle against rising water levels the company will create the islands that will be “self-sustainable and safe from rising sea levels”.

“We have not only created a new luxury global brand with Amillarah Private Islands but also a new industry of private island development to cater to our most discerning clients,” said Paul van de Camp, CEO of Dutch Docklands.

All pictures courtesy of Christie’s International

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Christie’s to Sell the World’s First Portable Private Islands

By Jim Dobson
Forbes
August.2015

 

Christie’s International Real Estate has announced a new initiative to build self-sufficient and eco-friendly private islands around the world for consumers looking for a unique residential opportunity. The world’s first truly portable private islands.

Amillarah Private Islands will allow guests to make their own self-sufficient island and determine its location anywhere in the world. Brands often provide luxury services by adhering to the consumer’s every wish, and Christie’s, along with its partner Dutch Docklands, will be bringing both luxury real estate and customization to a new level with these islands.

“This partnership with Dutch Docklands fits in perfectly with our strategy,” said Michael Sherman, vice president of corporate communications, Christie’s International Real Estate, New York.

Amillarah Miami Island rendering

Amillarah Miami Island rendering

A private island to call your own may sound like a fantasy or a lifelong dream, but with Amillarah Private Islands it is a reality.

Amillarah has created unique tailor-made floating residences designed by famed Dutch architect Koen Olthuis, who was named one of the most influential people by Time Magazine. These completely self-sustainable floating islands are free from environmental impact, safe from rising sea levels, and will create a new underwater habitat for sea life.

Create your own private paradise wherever you want. Not only can you customize the size, shape, and style of your floating residence, but you get to choose where you want it to be located. Miami? Maldives? Dubai? New York?

Amillarah Miami Island rendering

Amillarah Miami Island rendering

Amillarah is the creative vision of expert developer Dutch Docklands. Founded in 2005 by Paul H.T.M. van de Camp and Koen Olthuis, this innovative company is based on hundreds of years of Dutch expertise or “Know-H2OW” in water defense technology and management.

For hundreds of years the Dutch have lead the world in water defense technology, which is why Amillarah Private Islands’ developers Dutch Docklands was the perfect fit to develop these luxury, floating islands. Working globally in cooperation with Christie’s and famed oceanographer Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society charity, this is the ultimate team.

Amillarah Private Island rendering

Amillarah Private Island rendering

Whether you prefer a romantic styled island surrounded by natural green, your own tropical island with white sandy beaches or a modern urban contemporary styled island, it is up to the buyer.

Amillarah Private Islands are self-sufficient, scarless developments with the latest state-of-the-art green technology, which keeps their environmental impact at a minimum.

Completely stable on the water, the base of the island is built to last for far over 100 years and will create a new underwater habitat for sea life.

Amillarah Maldives Island rendering

Amillarah Maldives Island rendering

MALDIVES

In one of the most beautiful lagoons in the Maldives, the company is developing in a Joint Venture with the Government of Maldives 10 Amillarah Private Islands. The breathtaking lagoon is only a 25-minute boat transfer away from the airport. The islands will all be designed with a maximum of privacy and luxury in mind, giving the owners the ultimate get-away-from-it-all.

Amillarah Dubai Island rendering

Amillarah Dubai Island rendering

DUBAI

The company has signed a deal with OQYANA Real Estate for a total of 33 Amillarah Private Islands within the OQYANA WORLD FIRST developments on ‘The World Islands’ project in Dubai.

The deal was inked in Dubai between Ali O Alghannam, CEO of OQYANA Real Estate and Paul van de Camp, CEO of Dutch Docklands, in the presence of Zeyad Abdullatif Janahi, the Chairman of OQYANA Real Estate Company.

Amillarah Maldives Island rendering

Amillarah Maldives Island rendering

MIAMI

Connected to the Inter Coastal and the Ocean, a 175 acre Lake will be the scene of the first Amillarah Private Islands in the United States.

30 Amillarah Private Islands and a VIP amenity island will service the rich and famous of the Miami upper crust while providing the ultimate bragging rights.

Private boat service, butlers and a well-trained island staff ensure a luscious stay at one of the world’s most talked about developments in recent decade. The Miami islands will be surrounded by the upscale nightlife, restaurants , shopping and entertainment this ultimate destination has to offer.

Amillarah Dubai Island rendering

Amillarah Dubai Island rendering

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An island of my own

By Zoe Dare Hall
The Daily Telegraph
July.2015

 

 

An island of my own

Your own private island cheaper than the average London home

An island might be the ultimate status symbol but 65 per cent are on sale for less than £350,000

In the rarefied world of trophy homes, there’s little that says “I’m absurdly rich” like having your own private island.

Johnny Depp has one in the Bahamas without even a house on it. “That’s a growing trend among island owners, especially celebrities, who like the idea of camping out and not leaving a footprint,” says Kate Everett-Allen, co-author of Knight Frank’s “Island Review”, which looks at the latest trends in island living.

Others prefer to share their private islands, such as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who recently paid around $100 million for a chunk of Kauai island in Hawaii.

And a growing band are renting rather than owning, giving them the freedom to island-hop according to the seasons. Knight Frank calls them “wealthy millennials”, while Farhad Vladi, founder of Vladi Private Islands, who deals with many of the world’s island sales, refers to them as the “Facebook generation who like the excitement of island living but not the responsibility of ownership”.

There are currently a few hundred islands for sale ranging from wild, untouched outcrops to luxury hideaways with palatial homes or exclusive resorts. Most expensive is the 222-acre Cave Cay in the Bahamas on sale for $90 million (£58.4 million) with a deep-water harbour, private airstrip and house – plus permission has been given for 38 more properties and a hotel. Or, if you have $62 million, you could buy Halls Pond Cay, which would make Mr Depp your neighbour, both through Vladi Private Islands (0049 40 33 89 89; vladi-private-islands.de).

But 65 per cent of private islands are on sale for less than $500,000, according to Knight Frank, and some are positively cheap if you don’t mind forsaking the warm-watered idyll for something a little nippier on the toes and off the beaten track.

There’s Porcupine Island in Nova Scotia, for example, which Vladi is marketing for just under £30,000. There’s nothing on it, but you get a house on the mainland 800m away as part of the package.

The growth of technology – and the use of private jets – is making islands an increasingly attractive work-and-play option for the super-rich. “It’s much easier if you can work somewhere you enjoy spending time, and with Skype and video conferencing people can work from their islands, as Richard Branson does on Necker,” says Edward de Mallet Morgan from Knight Frank’s international residential department. He’s marketing Yadua island in Fiji with a guide price of $2.5 million-$3 million (020 7629 8171; knightfrank.com) – currently undeveloped but with permission to build overwater and island properties.

Accessibility isn’t a problem for Yadua; it’s 10 minutes by helicopter from Fiji’s main Nadi international airport. But if there’s one issue that is deterring prospective island buyers, it’s the prospect of having to start from scratch, building the infrastructure, installing utilities and finding someone trustworthy to run your empire when you’re off-island.

Buck Island in the British Virgin Islands – price on request through Knight Frank – removes much of that hassle as it already has a 12-bedroom clifftop house surrounded by 43 acres of tropical beauty. “It’s ready to go and with Beef Island’s airport a quick helicopter trip away, you can be master of your own domain but you’re close enough to get away if you need to,” says de Mallet Morgan.

Or easier still is to join the growing band of ultra-rich who are happy to sacrifice being the sole king of the castle in favour of buying into exclusive island resorts – which are driving the 69 per cent increase in private jet flights to island destinations in the past decade, according to NetJets. In that period, the number of private flights doubled in Antigua, Ibiza, the Greek Islands and Majorca. For the super-rich who slum it by flying commercial, the rise in the number of routes to the Balearics has done wonders for their desirability.

“Until 2012, you couldn’t even get direct flights in winter to Ibiza. Now Ibiza and Majorca have an ever-increasing number of direct flights all year, good IT connectivity and sought-after international schools, making them an ideal place for the work/lifestyle balance for young professionals,” says Everett-Allen.

The Caribbean islands of Mustique and Jumby Bay are rare examples of wealthy island communities whose villa owners own a share of the island. “They feel like private villages rather than commercially run operations and Mustique now has fibre optic across the island so it’s easy to work remotely,” says de Mallet Morgan.

You’ll need deep pockets to join them. Many of Jumby Bay’s properties are like mini-resorts with their numerous pavilions, hotel-like leisure facilities and private stretches of beach. The eight-bedroom Ty Molineux, set on eight beachfront acres, is Jumby’s biggest and priciest home, on sale for $28.5  million through Knight Frank. Annual running costs notch up a further few hundred thousand dollars a year (though you can recoup that through prime-season rentals).

On Mustique, the Balinese-style Mandalay – built in 1969 for David Bowie to include his recording studio in a pavilion hidden in the tropical gardens – (pictured below) is on sale for $20m (£13m), also through Knight Frank.

The appeal of luxury island life is also on the up in Bali, which had the greatest price growth in 2014, up by 15 per cent according to Knight Frank, followed by Mustique and Ibiza, in which property prices increased by five per cent. In Ibiza, Calaconta – where the huge, modern villas cost from €2.95 million (£2.10 million) through Knight Frank – has brought a new touch of luxury and concierge services to a peacefully remote spot on the south-west coast.

Barbados, meanwhile – whose properties had one of the highest number of online viewings among island markets last year, according to Knight Frank – may be too developed to offer the sense of getting away from it all, but its property is reaching ever more incredible heights of luxury to cater to the super-rich crowd in search of its inimitable brand of West Coast island luxury.

New to the market is Palazzate, a 75,000 sq ft beachfront mansion near Speightstown with an unprecedented price tag for the island of $125  million (001 246 262 8112; palazzate.com), while a little further down the coast is Platinum Bay, a new development of five beachfront villas that cost from $25  million (020 7647 7667; platinumbaybarbados.com) and come with “bespoke” concierge services tailored to each owner’s demands.

It’s not just the prospect of the hard work and continual expense that is leading to the world’s wealthiest steering away from buying their own private outcrop in favour of a ready-made, like-minded island community. They also face stiff competition from governments, NGOs and environmental organisations who are snapping up undeveloped islands to preserve the natural habitat.

“Ecology is becoming the buzzword for private islands and governments are landbanking them, partly to conserve them but they can also be an electoral winner,” says Knight Frank’s Everett-Allen.

The Canadian government is on an island-buying spree, currently purchasing 100 land masses in Nova Scotia. “It’s also happening in Europe and the Caribbean. There are no privately owned German islands left on the ocean now,” says Vladi, who calculates there are around 12,000 private islands in the world and only about 1,000 of them are developed and likely to remain privately owned.

“As soon as you build a marble palace on your island, it will be out of reach of the nature groups and remain in private hands. But undeveloped islands such as Ginger Island in the BVIs, on sale for $16 million, are ripe for purchase by the local government or conservationists,” he adds.

But while islands in private hands may be dwindling in number, new ones – despite what Mark Twain once famously said about investing in land – are starting to emerge.

Volcanic eruptions are creating new islands each year in Tonga, Russia and Japan, according to Knight Frank, and the growing need for “aquatecture” (homes that will withstand or repel flooding) is leading to the creation of new floating islands such as Amillarah, newbuild, eco-friendly private islands with villas priced from $10 million in Dubai, the Maldives and Miami (0096 033 36664; amillarah.com).

Whether you want to lord it alone over your own land mass or join a select group, whether you buy or rent, build a mansion or camp out like Johnny, there is no lack of luxury island living on offer around the world. And this is one trophy purchase for which you don’t even need to be a billionaire.

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