Move over jodi apartments. Luxury housing demand in Mumbai has now shifted to vertical duplex units with more height and large floor area, say realty experts
Move over jodi apartments. The latest trend that has caught on in Mumbai is that of duplex and triplex homes. Experiencing ‘villas in the sky’ instead of combining two apartments into a ‘jodi unit’ is the new norm, especially among luxury homebuyers who are looking at upgrading to bigger homes.
Advertisements that call out for experiencing ‘the lavish lifestyle with cost-effective duplex flats in Mumbai’ or ‘beautifully designed 4BHK duplex apartment with a private terrace for sale in Bandra. Apt for a large family’, therefore don’t come in as a surprise. Vertical instead of horizontal spread is the in thing and Mumbaikers are going all out to grab a slice of this luxury living.
Jodi apartments, balconies and now duplex housing units
If it was the jodi apartment concept or for that matter the trend of balconies gaining ground in Mumbai earlier, it’s now the turn of duplex and triplex apartments. For the uninitiated, jodi apartments are a combination of two or more housing units into one unit. Both the jodi apartments and now the duplex/triplex units provide greater space and privacy to a large family living under one roof. Buyers willing to pay a premium are now looking at upgrading their lifestyle by moving into duplex or triplex apartments.
Suraj Estate Developers, a Mumbai-based realtor, is offering duplex units in its 42-storeyed tower ‘Ocean Star’ in Prabhadevi, spanning almost 5,000 sq ft.
“As for the 50-storeyed project ‘Suraj The Palette’ in Dadar (W), we currently offer individual floors. However, we can always amend the plan in case there is a demand for the duplex units on our upper floors,” said Rahul Thomas, Wholetime Director at Suraj Estate Developers.
The company’s projects Ocean Star, Tranquil Bay and Mangrish, offer duplex apartments spread across an area between 2600 sq ft and 5000 sq ft.
“From a Mumbai’s buyer’s perspective, the trend towards owning duplex and triplex apartments reflects a shift in preferences. Most high networth individuals prioritize spacious living over price,” he told HT Digital.
Sky bungalows feature double height living spaces
“We have identified that there is an inclination towards duplex apartments, with individuals desiring ‘sky bungalows’ that feature double height living spaces with a ceiling height of 24 feet in the living room – a feature you normally get only in villas,” he adds.
HNIs in Mumbai are today looking at upgrading their lifestyle to duplex and triplex apartments. “These residences aren’t just investments, they are a lifestyle statement,” said Parth K Mehta, CMD, Paradigm Realty, adding that prices of these units start at ₹12.5 crore and can go as high as ₹100 crore, he adds.
Redevelopment projects catering to demand for duplex and triplex units
According to Ritesh Mehta, Senior Director, and Head (North and West), residential services and developer initiative, JLL India, the trend for duplex and triplex is on the rise in Mumbai especially since redevelopment activity has increased in the city.
“Many of these redevelopment plots are small land parcels and there is not much scope to turn a 1000 sq ft into a 3000 sq ft apartment horizontally. Rather than jodi apartments, demand has now moved to vertical units with more height and large floor plates,” he said.
“Sea-facing duplex and triplex luxury housing units generally command a premium of 10% to 15% in terms of prices,” he said.
Architects are of the view that design preferences of Mumbaikers has undergone a change since the pandemic. Many buyers now want to move into housing units that are spread out vertically rather than horizontally. They’re now looking for more floor height.
“Even if you combine two apartments into a jodi, the ceiling height remains the same. People want more volume in terms of height, they are looking for double height homes that offer larger space as well as high ceilings which may not be possible in a single floor,” architect Hardik Pandit, director, APICES Studio Pvt Ltd told HT Digital.
The number of duplex and triplex units in a building depends on the number of storeys and the location of the property. “We initially plan for two to three such units in a building but may decide to increase the number on the upper floors depending on the demand. These units are generally located on the higher floors of a sea-facing building and command a premium in terms of prices,” he said.
Will duplex replace the jodi apartment concept?
Asked if this concept is expected to replace the ‘jodis’ trend in Mumbai, he said that the demand for ‘jodi apartments’ will not go away as it is dependent on the age factor. “If a family consists of a young couple and children, they may prefer to go in for a duplex or a triplex for that bungalow experience within an apartment but if the buyers are elderly people, they may want to go in for a large ‘jodi’ apartment.”
One should also remember that duplex and triplex apartments tend to sell only in certain locations. “If you have too many of such units, the pace of sales may in fact go down as these are expensive. Besides, these will do well only in certain locations, especially sea-facing buildings. Many of these units come with design elements such as viewing decks and terraces,” he adds.
Also Read: Luxury homes priced above ₹50 crore and above witness a 1.5X y-o-y increase; Mumbai dominates demand
