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Designing The RiverAn energetic man who holds a great passion for design andarchitecture, Andreas Savvides who is the Design Director ofRaimon Land, walks towards me with a refined step. He lookssuitably debonair in his crisp white shirt and light brown slacksthat match perfectly with his classic-brown shoes – of which,he says, belonged to his father. I immediately feel at ease withAndreas’ friendly and approachable manner as he unfolds hissleek interior concepts for Raimon Land’s newest development,The River.The River is the newest Raimon Land property that is situatedright on the beautiful Chao Phraya, known as the ‘River of Kings’.The River’s two grand towers feature curved glass facades thathave magnificent views of the glistening Chao Phraya. “Workingnext to the river is an incredible feeling, I find it very calming andit gives me positive energy,” Andreas says.Andreas believes the core principal in his line of work is: “To keepone’s eye open and never let anything around you be ignored. Ibelieve in detail because it’s all the details that make the workspecial.” “When you look at the elements and start appreciating it,it becomes a completely different world around you,” he adds.As I look at the beautiful interior details of The River, I understandprecisely what he means and I begin to notice both form andfunction throughout the room. From the strong oak doors, to theItalian tiled floors, every element and structure has been elegantlyplaced together in harmony, giving the inner-city residence aluxurious homely feel.The River’s interiors are optional and flexible, allowing a buyerto decide what is right for their home. “The River apartments arelike a canvas for people to colour. We don’t want to control lives;you have to respect a person’s home,” Andreas states. “Everyoneis an individual and they need to express themselves and that iswhy we started the concept of flexibility,” he adds.Behind the Man of DesignDescribing himself as possibly being the only Cyprian in Thailand,this 47-year-old London University graduate holds a MastersDegree in what he loves best – Architecture. In 1991, he flewto Sydney with his wife and made a stopover in Thailand. Afterspending three days in the kingdom, Andreas was hooked and16 years later he still loves living in Thailand. Andreas had spentmany years working with Raimon Land and today, he continues topour his passion into creating stunning interiors for the companyincluding developments such as The Lakes, The Lofts Yenakartand The Legend, just to name a few.And of course, a man who creates elegant homes for othersmust have a beautiful abode himself? Andreas replies: “I have ahappy home full of music, a very nice terrace and big trees whereI wake up with the birds every morning.” Yes, everyone can havea place to live, but it’s all the details that make it a home. /The RiverRaimon Land Head Office: +66(0) 2651 9600Sales Office at Chaophraya TowerShangri-La Hotel: +66(0) 2237 9927www.theriverbangkok.comTHE RESIDENCE. THE LIFESTYLE. THE ADDRESS.ADVERTORIAL53