Called called Antila, after a mythical island in the Atlantic Ocean, the world’s most expensive home has just been completed after seven years of construction. Billionare owner Mukesh Ambani, his wife Nita and three children are set to move into the opulent 27-floor building after an housewarming party on October 28, which boosts a guest list of India’s elite that reportedly includes Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and star cricketer Sachin Tendulkar. The 37,000-square meter home, is bigger than the Palace of Versailles, London‘s Telegraph reported. And with a wait staff of 600 and six floors of parking for 168 cars it may feel more like a hotel to some. But it is not.
Antilia was built in consultation with US architecture firms Perkins + Will & Hirsch Bedner Associates. American architects have had a major hand in shaping India’s new skyline.
Just above the six floors of parking is the is the lobby, with nine elevators servicing the building. On the eighth floor lies a 50-seat movie theater since the Ambanis can’t readily go to a commercial cinema show, given their celebrity status. Another floor consists of a ballroom that has a ceiling mostly covered by crystal chandeliers. Other floors contain a health spa with a gym and dance studio, swimming pools, lounges, a vehicle maintenance area and, of course, guest rooms. The Ambani family will reside on the skyscraper’s top four floors with breathtaking views of the Arabian Sea on one side and the back bay on the other.
