IBA Real Estate Investments Conference 2022, Amsterdam
The 12th Annual Real Estate Investments Conference for the International Bar Association (IBA) took place from 15-17 June in Amsterdam.
Howard Gill, Partner, and Sarah Bool, Senior Associate from our Commercial Real Estate practice spoke at sessions on Thursday, the second day of the conference.
Amsterdam – The New London?
Howard Gill moderated a panel of specialists and discussed how Brexit is influencing real estate markets in cities around the globe. Mariette Lafarre, Lafarre Law Firm, Amsterdam; Vice Chair IBA Real Estate Section, also moderated and the speakers were Richard Divall Director EMEA Cross Border Capital Markets, Colliers, London; S T Prashantha Kumar, Fox Mandal & Associates, Bangalore; David van Traa, Managing Director Zuidas, City of Amsterdam, Amsterdam.
Howard Gill’s key points from this session:
London remains well positioned for global real estate investors despite Brexit. Amsterdam (and it’s Metropolitan region) is not seeking to compete with London but has a number of significant attractions for international investors and companies, not least as a “bridge” between the UK and Europe as well as a highly educated young English speaking work force and great work/life balance. India sees Brexit as no impediment for international trade with the UK, the Netherlands and the EU.
The Sky is the limit: the city of the future.
Sarah Bool was one of the speakers at this session and discussed how the growth in city populations calls for a new type of urban planning, with an upward focus. The session was moderated by Maria Flavia Candido Seabra, Machado Meyer Advogados, Sao Paulo, Treasurer, IBA Real Estate Section, and Martin Holler, Giese & Partner, Prague, member of the IBA Real Estate Section Advisory Board. Speakers alongside Sara Bool were Gideon Maasland of MVRDV Rotterdam and Mariana Moschiar Almeida, Director at São Paulo Parcerias.
Sarah Bool’s key points from this session:
The cities of the future, like any development, will very much be a jigsaw – we are not always talking of the creation of brand new cities, but actually the modernising and upgrading of ancient ones. So we have to understand and consider the complicated interface between the old and the new. Densification of cities is the future but we will have to consider important issues such as rights of light, sustainability in our developments and utilising technology to best effect. Architects and developers are increasingly thinking "outside of the box" to devise innovative schemes to create buildings of different shapes, sizes and layouts compared to traditional buildings which will help facilitate the creation of closer communities.