(CNN)When Sotheby"s listed a 32-bedroom house in Suzhou last month, it was the property"s price tag that made headlines.
Valued at 1 billion yuan (over $150 million), the 72,000-square-foot estate -- nicknamed "utopia" in Mandarin -- was heralded as China"s most expensive home.
The story led to familiar commentary about the country"s booming demand for luxury living. But it also represented a subtler trend among the super-rich.
Unapologetically Chinese
Despite having the trappings of a modern Western mansion, including a pool and wine cellar, the property was unapologetically Chinese in style.
These new demands are being felt in the real estate market, says Jon O"Brien, founder of luxury property development company Domvs London.
Less than 10 years ago, he was being approached to build European-style villages. Now his firm is considering a trophy "mega-development" near Hangzhou. As well as incorporating the principles of feng shui, the plan includes traditional pavilions on a man-made lake, and a "Chinese-inspired Great Wall" around the perimeter of the complex.
"Buyers are becoming more design savvy," O"Brien says. "As the Chinese market becomes more sophisticated, and [people] travel globally, they quickly learn that pastiche, ill-conceived, mock-Western "Disneyland" architecture has no longevity in terms of design or investment. That"s why there is a recent trend toward Chinese traditional exterior architecture, albeit with contemporary interiors and amenities."
Enduring appeal of a home abroad
But while China"s high-end buyers have a new taste for their culture"s old styles, design cannot trump the golden rule of property: 82% would pay more for location.
For the country"s super-rich, the most desired locations still lie overseas, which can often offer a better quality of life and access to top schools for their offspring.
The report found that 53% of respondents planned to buy their next property in Europe or North America so while mock-western may be going out of fashion, the trend is still being outpaced by demand for the real thing.
Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/28/architecture/luxury-china-homes-most-expensive/index.html
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