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One, a classic white Uruguay estancia with dozens of columns and a crimson roof perched

atop a hill overlooking South America’s most exclusive beach playground. The other, an

uber-modern sculpture of brilliant titanium and green glass smack dab in the middle of said

playground. One, a very casual, unassuming space blending gracefully with the

surrounding countryside. The other, a bold architectural statement

demanding attention from guests and passersby alike. One, a

rural cathedral to celebrate the boundless natural beauty of

Uruguay and the creativity of some of her brightest young artists and

sculptors. The other, a testament to man’s architectural genius and ability to

erect shapes that compete with nature for our attention. One, a place to unwind, feed the

senses and luxuriate in silence. The other, a place to cut loose and make some noise. One,

the perfect daughter who always behaves and strives to make you happy. The other, the

rebellious son who likes to push the limits and always stays out late. One, rooted in the soil

with the stoicism of centuries. The other, winged, wide-eyed and ready for liftoff. This is...

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A cavernous sixty-foot living room complete with a four-ton white sculpture, enormous geodes on the walls, a towering red stone fireplace and a purple-toned ceiling with a Google Map-inspired frieze of Uruguay. And that’s just the Living Room.

The Estancia Vik is as graceful and unassuming on the outside as it is bold and inspirational on the inside. Built six years ago as the sprawling cherry atop a 4,400-acre blanket of green, the Vik was transformed from private residence to a 19-room luxury hotel and opened for business in 2009.

This New Year’s Eve, when native New Yorkers and Europeans raise a champagne toast with the locals, it will mark the fourth anniversary of this iconic project built by Scandinavian tech entrepreneur and Xcelera CEO, Alexander Vik.

Vik, a Harvard graduate who grew up in the U.S., first discovered Uruguay at the age of 32, but in some respects, the country had been with him since childbirth. His mother was the daughter of a Uruguay diplomat stationed in Norway.

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Vik’s passion for Uruguay is manifest in the artwork that adorns every square meter of the guest rooms and the hotel common areas including a Dining Room, a 5,000-bottle Wine Cellar, a Game Room, a Gym, Spa, Pool & Gardens. The Parillero, a Uruguay BBQ room, is a brilliant space with paint-splattered walls, casual seating reminiscent of a gaucho’s dining table and a parrilla vent the size and shape of a Titan One rocket tip.

While the Estancia’s layout encourages exploration and casual encounters, guests will find equal parts solitude and creative energy in their private suites. 19 of Uruguay’s most celebrated artists and sculptors were charged with making every room of the Estancia Vik visually stunning, explains Vik Retreats General Manager Agustín Leone. Some of the featured artists include Carlos Barea, Jose Trujillo, Clever Lara and Pablo Atchugarry

Mr. Leone, the former GM of Robert Duvall’s House of Jasmines in Salta, is a gracious host and speaks about his two properties with the passion of a proud father and the art knowledge of a veteran curator. “We want our guests to feel the privacy of a luxury estancia combined with the comfort of a friend’s guest home. At Estancia Vik, we like to say the attraction is Nature Outside, Art Inside.”

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That same recipe of art, luxury and casual comfort exists just miles away on the beach at the Playa Vik, the avant garde oceanside complex with the best sunset views in José Ignacio.

The focal building or “Sculpture” features a fifty-five sliding wall of glass, five luxurious suites, a sculpted bronze “Door to Paradise” and Anselm Kiefer’s masterpiece “The Secret Life of Plants.” Six beautiful Casas surround the Sculpture in an L-shaped fashion with lush rooftop gardens. On-site amenities including the sprawling Parrillero Terrace are the perfect setting for relaxing and watching another afternoon in José Ignacio slowly slip away.

The Spring/Summer 2011 issue is a whirlwind journey from artist galleries and road races in Buenos Aires to private vineyards in Mendoza to luxury estancias and amazing sunsets in Jose Ignacio.

Spring means creativity is blooming, so we’ll tour the new Buenos Aires Tech District, travel to San Rafael for the Grand Opening of a revolutionary hamburger franchise, check out the new wave of condo-hotels being built in Argentina and Uruguay and find out what A-list celebrities are buying vineyards in the Uco Valley.

Third Story HeadlineVineyards, Estancias, Condo-Hotels & Other Properties For SaleInvestBA.com features a wide variety of unique residential and commercial properties for sale in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Uruguay. From private vineyards to luxury high-rise apartments to condo-hotels, our network of boutique brokers can help you find the perfect property. Contact us now and we’ll start searching. home@investba.com Twitter.com/InvestBA

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The average dollar value of real estate sold per month in Punta del Este and the surrounding beaches and towns of Maldonado. $2.8 billion since January 2009 alone. (Full Story)

Spring/Summer2011/12

Spring also means polo in Buenos Aires, and we preview the three jewels of the Triple Crown, look under the hood of the new Audi La Dolfina Q7 and count down the Top 10 polo players in the world including Argentines Pablo Mac Donough, Facundo Pieres and Adolfo Cambiaso. After a few chukkers, we’ll board a Pluna jet and fly back to Punta del Este. To top it off, we check-in for sunset at the Estancia Vik and find out how a luxury hotel and modern art merge to create a 4,000 acre shrine to the best of Uruguay.

On a macro level, the economic malaise and uncertainty impacting other corners of the globe continues fueling a flight to growth in Argentina and Uruguay. Locally, real estate remains the preferred asset for those seeking capital preservation and income-producing properties. From Buenos Aires condos to Mendoza vineyards to Punta del Este chacras, InvestBA can help you find the perfect property. And we are very pleased to welcome Uruguay’s Gasalla Inmobiliaria to our exclusive InvestBA family of boutique brokers.

Patrick ArcherCEO, InvestBA

The Premier Source for Real Estate& Other Investment Opportunities in Buenos Aires, Argentina & Uruguay

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Growth in foreign investment in Argentina during the first half of 2011, second only to Chile (20.4%) in Latin America. Almost 50% went toward new construction. (Full Story)

$100,000,000

Buenos Aires’ ranking among the 73 cities included in the 2011 UBS Prices & Earnings survey making BA one of the most affordable cities in Latin America. (Full Story)

$15,000,000,000Value of Chinese investment in Argentina over the past 3 years, an amount that will continue growing as the Chinese begin to invest in infrastructure and financing. (Full Story)

19%

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The Premier Source for Real Estate& Other Investment Opportunities in Buenos Aires, Argentina & Uruguay

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Sunset at the Playa Vik in José Ignacio, Uruguay