The high-end housing sector has consolidated as the main industry currently on the Costa del Sol. This is the main outcome obtained from the celebration of the III DOM3 Strategic Forum. Reflection or successful formulas in high-end housing were discussed at an event, organized by the Association of Entrepreneurs for Housing High Quality DOM3 held on Friday April 26 at the Felipe VI Auditorium Theater in Estepona.
For DOM3 there is a clear and differentiating prerequisite. A high-end villa is one whose construction value is at least one million euros. Adding the various costs of land, taxes and others, the final figure can easily be placed at 3 million euros. “This type of housing is the one that, from the DOM3 Association, we defend and monitor so that the maximum quality is maintained in all the lines of the process, from the urban planning of the floor to the last decorative details. The rest, many of the things that are also marketed on the Costa del Sol, is another line of business, but it is not high-end housing.” That was how forceful was the president of the DOM3 Association, the landscape painter Laura Pou in her inaugural speech of the III Strategic Forum.
The latest data analyzed by the DOM3 Association estimate that during the year 2018 the high-end housing sector accounted for a turnover of more than 450 million euros, with the construction of more than 100 high-end villas and more than 400 apartments, which meant the creation of some 5,000 direct jobs and another 15,000 indirect ones. “The spectacular growth registered in recent years makes us expect better figures for this year,” said Pou.
More than 300 people including professionals, businessmen and experts from the real estate sector related to the different business lines of high-end housing have gathered at the Felipe VI Auditorium Theater in Estepona, where the event was held. The mayor of this town, José María García Urbano, was in charge of officially inaugurating the day. Urbano thanked the Association for the effort it takes by organizing activities such as this, which undoubtedly contribute to the improvement of the cities and to the reflection on the model of city that is to be offered, as well as to building for the future.
A program of reflection and debate
The program was developed by the organizing committee of the III Strategic Forum DOM3. Reflection or successful formulas in high-end housing has sought to answer several questions that are posed to the partners of the Association of entrepreneurs for high-quality housing DOM3 and whose answers will undoubtedly contribute to improving the quality and level of the sector. Is there a type of architecture to defend in the DOM3 zone? What is happening in the real estate development on the coast? How do the new actors in real estate development work? Is the current construction process adapted to the technological vanguard? These are just some of the questions that have been answered during the celebration.
The first issue addressed was the current situation in real estate development in the DOM3 area. In this section the participants have addressed the existence of new scenarios and new actors in real estate development. The Territorial Director of AEDAS Homes, Silvia Sánchez, explained to the attendees how a young and modern promoter that manages an investment fund works. For the traditional part in the real estate development, attendees heard the representative of La Zagaleta, Ignacio Pérez, on how the real estate is developed from one of the main brands representing the highest exclusivity. The Director of Residential of Knight Frank, Carlos Zamora, spoke from the real estate sector about the trajectory of the market and how these diverse actors affect the commercialization of this type of housing. The session was closed with a round table that also involved the manager of the real estate NVOGA, José Carlos León and the promoting director of LAINER, Antonio Huertas.
After the coffee break, it was the turn of the construction process in high-end housing. In this section, the founding partner of DOM3 and general director of Proinsermant, Roque Justicia, made a reflection on the position of the association on the matter. In this sense, Justicia pointed out that there are four variables that are already changing the constructive process: digitalization, with the change in BIM project management systems, innovation, with the implementation of R + D + I, energy efficiency and continuous improvement, industrialization, with 3D digital prefabrication, robotics and dimensional simulations such as augmented reality; and finally, sustainability, with the reduction of energy, water and waste consumption; healthy interior environment and adaptation to the needs of users.
For DOM3, argued Roque Justicia, “we must be able to break cultural prejudices and broaden our horizon of vision, to identify those craft processes that really add value to other industrialized processes. And finally, we must be aware that despite the inclusion of industrialized processes, the hand of man and his specialization is vital in our construction process in which one of the most considered variables is the exclusivity of each home and the work done to measure.”
The professor and researcher of the UMA María Jesús García Granja spoke about the BIM Methodology and its implementation for the modernization of the construction industry. The Director of the Labor Department of the National Confederation of Construction, María José Leguina, addressed the current situation of the Job Market and Vocational Training for Employment in the construction sector, highlighting the urgent needs that are registered in this area.
Finally a round table took place with participation of José Mora, Technical Director of the company MV-BIM, Jesús Sánchez, Technical Director of JAMENA, construction partner associated with DOM3, as well as Marcos Román Director of External Carpentry and Marketing of Roman Windows & Doors, and the Technical and Training Director of UPONOR, Israel Ortega.
An architecture model to defend
Architecture as a transforming element of the landscape. The section has been presented by the architect and also founding partner of DOM3 Juan Salvador Shvartzberg, who explained that something new has begun to appear in the area of performance of DOM3: modern architecture. Shvartzberg explained that the reflection is to adopt the good of this architecture but without losing the elements that are part of the constructive heritage of this place: the patios, the porches, the handicraft materials…
After the introduction a video was showed based on the work ‘An Urban Case Study’, created by journalist Michel Cruz, photographer Wayne Chasan and architect Luiyo Vázquez, who explained the reason for this work: a view by foreigners about the architecture of the last 20 years.
The professor of the University of Seville, Mar Loren, spoke about the History and criticism of the occupation of the coast. With quality contributions in this residential proposal, the presentation led to an interesting debate in which besides Juan Salvador Shvartzberg and Mar Loren, the architects Alejandro Giménez, partner of DOM3, Manuel Ruiz Moriche, of ARK Architects and Marcos Sainz from MSD Architecture participated.
For the president of the DOM3 Association, Laura Pou, the III DOM3 Strategic Forum is an event that highlights the commitment of all members of the association to exercise vigilance and care of the sector in the area of influence of the association, in order to maintain the maximum quality of the area, a fact that undoubtedly benefits everyone. Therefore, she said in her closing speech, it is necessary to ensure involvement and contribution of all administrations with everything related to the sector being adequately managed, and above all, she highlighted the importance of adequate professional training.
A group of companies committed to excellence and quality
DOM3, Association of Business Owners for High Quality Housing, is a group composed of thirty companies related to the design, promotion, construction and marketing of high-end homes located in Marbella, Estepona and Benahavís. The objective of the entrepreneurs associated with DOM3 is to create initiatives that promote the improvement of the competitiveness of companies in the sector and influence public administrations so that quality, in the broadest sense of the word, is the engine of the industry in the area.
