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Profile: The A Group

“Design is a part of every aspect of our lives. It’s in the cars we drive, the homes we live in. Even the devices we use to communicate and work with. This has had a major impact on our everyday lives and lifestyle as a whole. There’s a much higher level of awareness and preparation now than even 10 years ago. Every sector has had to deal with this process of transformation by attempting to meet the requirements of an increasingly demanding client base. You only have to look at how the megayacht world has changed in recent times to see that”.

Richard Hein talking about the changes he sees as a huge opportunity for the sector. And he knows what he’s talking about as his expertise is unparalleled.  The naval architect and designer put his stamp on yacht design with The A Group and, between 1992 and 2004, was the brain behind the success of the likes of Oceanco, which remains one of the world’s leading megayacht yards.

Hein’s knowledge and experience give him a unique insight into the nautical scene. Spanning everything from A for The A Group to V for VegaYachts, Hein has made a major contribution to the nautical alphabet, endlessly applying his creativity to ensuring his clients get what they want and need in a world offering an increasingly dazzling array of options.

“We operate on several fronts,” adds Hein. “Looking after our clients’ interest is our primary goal: that means everything from selecting the yard to the design of the boat with all the technical, legal, financial and bureaucratic factors that a large yacht project involves. Now, seeking out quality has become an imperative for the sector too”. Because of its somewhat peculiar nature, the nautical sector cannot really be referred to as an industry just yet, unlike its aeronautical and automotive counterparts.

“The real challenge will involve incorporating increasingly strict standards, particularly with regard to safety and emissions,” continues Hein.  A process more of evolution than revolution with technological innovation one of the main drivers.  “Design as an end in itself no longer suffices,” stresses Hein. “Paradoxically, in the past, there was more space for manoeuvre even though there were fewer solutions on offer. But now the scenario is completely different and there is much greater availability particularly in terms of materials and technologies, so you really need the skills and technical training to do things properly”. Ultimately, this boils down to design – or form – following function.

I Dynasty, a megayacht stretching 101 metres, is the product of just such an approach. Her strikingly original exterior lines are the work of The A Group, while her interiors are by the Studio Massari. But it is not simply her good looks that make her such an accomplished design. She is also a powerhouse of technology.  In recent years, there has been something of a race to make yachts larger and larger, which means accommodating more guests.

These rapid changes ultimately led to the establishment of new sector standards in the form of the PYC (Passenger Yacht Code) which lays down the specific areas in which a yacht must be compliant to be permitted to carry between 12 and 36 guests. On paper, this might seem a relatively straightforward issue to deal with, but in practice, it involved a whole series of highly complex technical parameters.  “The challenge was to comply with the safety standards established by the PYC, particularly in relation to fire protection through the use of escape routes, fire doors and fire-retardant materials, for example” continues Hein.

“All this has to be incorporated without giving up on the idea of creating something unique and exclusive that will meet the client’s wishes. We found ourselves faced with a completely new scenario that demanded a change of mentality in how we approach projects,” he says, adding: “I don’t think that a designer can design a yacht this complex without involving the yard directly. It’s a process of constant revision, the most important part of the whole game is striking a balance between the various roles of builder, engineers and designer”.

A game in which Richard Hein looks sure to hold a winning hand.

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PROJECT APEX

• Length: 115m
• Beam: 18.5m
• Gross Tonnage: 8,000GT (approx.)

Developed in close collaboration with renowned yacht builder LloydWerft in Bremerhaven this yacht’s true go anywhere, explorer exterior is distinguished by her large open spaces aft, and vast interior volume, carefully designed to let the outside in.

As a design created with global exploration at its heart, APEX comes equipped with cranes for launching two 20m deck stored tenders, as well as three additional tender and watertoy garages, a fully compliant helicopter deck and dedicated hangar. A snowmobile garage with long reach crane adds winter land based exploring capacity.

The owner’s deck is home to a vast suite with dressing rooms and bathrooms, a private office and a lounge, as well as offering direct access to a party area and infinity pool. An extensive spa with gym and massage room, cinema/conference room, large hospital and dive centre are just some of the additional facilities onboard.

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The A Group

Based in the yachting capital of the world in Monaco, The A Group is an established and diversified architectural group with a multidisciplined team providing expertise in the areas of naval architecture, yachting, interior design and architecture.

The A Group has a special philosophy with which it approaches its multiple and varied projects in each sector. That is, to realise clients' dreams with dedication, skill and passion.

With a creative and talented team, The A Group knows it is integral to each project's success to never neglect the technical and constructive aspects. Using its wealth of experience, close network of companies and resources, The A Group takes a holistic approach to the multifaceted areas of aesthetics, time and financial considerations on each and every project.

This has brought the group much success in each of its applied sectors, and indeed The A Group has lent its skilful hand to some of the most iconic yachts and superyachts on the water as well as an array of various design and architecture projects. 

The A Group has worked on the design and architecture for ocean giants I Dynasty, Neom, Constellation, Stargate, and also provides project management services (for example on 96m Feadship Lady S). 

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Featured The A Group Yachts

Featured yachts, related news.

new design partner: the a-group

  Exciting announcement! We're delighted to introduce the A Group, our latest design partner.  Their creative signature incorporates fluid and simple lines along with innovative materials.

With a legacy of delivering over twenty yachts, The A Group epitomises yacht design at its core. Their DNA is intricately woven with a commitment to timeless design, complemented by a groundbreaking utilisation of materials that defines their studio's unique identity. Beyond creative brilliance, The A Group boasts a technical and shipyard heritage cultivated through the successful inception and evolution of Oceanco and subsequent ventures into new build and refit projects. This rich background ensures that every in-house project adheres to the latest standards in technology and construction. The overarching goal at The A Group is to surpass owners' expectations by offering innovative "Design to Build" solutions. Each project will then be a testament to unwavering commitment to excellence.

Project Absolute 60M, or A570, is a new design project full custom, designed with large opening windows on the main deck.  The design of this 60-meter sports yacht draws inspiration from luxurious sports cars, capturing the purity of their lines on the water. With a retractable roof and sliding glass windows spanning two decks, the interior seamlessly merges with the outdoors and vice versa. The yacht's interior features a pool, a gym, a beach club, and two tenders, 6m and 8m, as well as several jet skis and water toys. Brace yourself for some thrilling projects ahead—stay tuned for further updates!

Get in touch with our sales department for more information: [email protected]

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Based in the yachting capital of the world in monaco, the a group is an established and diversified architectural group with a multidisciplined team providing expertise in the areas of naval architecture, yachting, interior design and architecture..

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The A Group’s Newest Superyacht Concept, Comète

With over 35 years of experience in yachting, interiors, design and construction, The A Group has been synonymous with superyacht design and world-class craftsmanship. Measuring at 272-feet, the newest superyacht concept by the revolutionary company has been dubbed, Comète. The project is a collaboration between The A Group’s designer Thibaud Le Merdy and yachting director Matt Pegrum who brought Thibaud’s vision (he first drew his dream machine Comète in 2017) to fruition.

Featuring dynamic and elegant lines and an expansive 1,800GT interior with living quarters (with seven cabins), Comète is set to become a true marvel on the water. Providing accommodation for 12 guests, along with 22 crew, along with its very modern design and unique elements, the magnum opus of the yacht is its forward exterior entertaining space crowned with a striking glass-bottom pool. 

The spaces were created to be the closest to the sea as possible and for the yachters to be immersed in what surrounds them, in a safe, protected and luxurious manner. The exterior portrays a refined overall shape, portraying a beautiful silhouette without any compromise. “We were keen to challenge the status quo of the traditional layout,” said Matt. The sleek design of the hull is made of lightweight materials as to reduce propulsion power requirements and present an effective way of controlling the environmental footprint of the yacht.

With a beam just over 49-feet and a draft of just over 11-feet, its cruising speed is 12 knots with its top-speed at 16 knots. Its design reflects its surroundings and the perfect balance between spaces open to the surrounding nature and refined.

“Comete is for an owner that is willing to breathe fresh air and being close to the sea at every moment. It is what makes this yacht unique. You just have to look at the exterior main deck saloon to understand that everything is nicer when you are closer to nature,” said Thibaud.

Other features of the yacht include:

•         Oversized garage: 2x10m tenders, 8 jet skis, 7m crew tender

•         Theatral welcoming stairs surrounding by two Jacuzzis

•         Forward Exterior salon 220m2

•         Front-facing Spa with bow view

•         Spacious 120m2owner private terrace

•         Upper deck bottom glass swimming pool 8x4m

•         Open sun deck with exterior cooking area for secluded diners

Matt and Thibaud are also proud of the R&D put into hydrogen fuel cells like this, “has the potential to radically change environmental performance by allowing zero-emission power generation,” says Matt. With this technology, not only will the yacht have an all-around efficient energy production and storage system, it also will feature batteries for peak shaving and waste heat recovery systems (for heating swimming pool and domestic hot water).

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Jarone Ashkenazi

Jarone Ashkenazi is a seasoned writer who covers: travel, luxury items and other lifestyle topics. View more work at www.jaroneashkenazi.com. Connect with him on Twitter at @JaroneAsh ... (Read More)

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6 Architects That Are Now Creating Designs for Superyachts

Posted: December 11, 2023 | Last updated: December 11, 2023

1.-real-lead-Symbiosis-by-Kurt-Merki-Jr_05

Exciting yacht design doesn’t require reinventing the wheel. But a fresh view always helps. That’s why more yacht owners are looking for land-based architects and designers for their new build and refit interiors, preferring a cross-pollination of ideas over the tried and true.

The first owner to shy away from the traditional yacht designer set was billionaire Lukas Lundin, who tasked Italian architect Cristina Gherardi Benardeau to design the interior of the 274-foot Savannah. The Feadship, launched in 2015, is largely remembered as the first superyacht with a hybrid propulsion package. But the interior is just as radical.

Benardeau, a designer of retail space for Giorgio Armani and Christian Dior Couture, gave the 262-foot yacht the world’s first “Nemo lounge,” or a bubble in the hull where the owners and guests could see underwater.  It also featured what looked like a floating superstructure, employing long strips of tinted glass inspired by skyscrapers. (The same visual trick was employed later in Oceanco’s 361-foot Jubilee.) Savannah was the first boat to receive full metallic exterior paint job to blend in with the ocean surroundings—an idea later seen on superyacht Kensho, when it delivered in 2022.

Since then, a number of owners and boatbuilders have employed residential architects to do interior designs, as well as offer exterior flourishes (though naval architects complete the structures and running surfaces.) Rome architect Achille Salvagni has done projects for Rossinavi and Azimut, Lord Norman Foster created a series that later became the YachtPlus fleet, Lazzarini & Pickering designed the Benetti Motopanfilo 37M, and next year, Matteo Thun & Antonio Rodriguez will show their talents on Azimut’s SeaDeck Series.

Even residential stalwarts like Zaha Hadid Architects can’t help but experiment with nautical projects. Following the 2016 reveal of the firm’s Unique Circle Yachts series, the studio collaborated with Vitruvius Yachts this year on Britain’s new “royal yacht” project. And more recently, the architects unveiled concept renderings for Oneiric, a proposed catamaran in collaboration with Italian shipyard Rossinavi.

From skyscraper to sea, here are six yachts designed by mainstream architects.

Amer F100, Architect Roberto Palomba

Architect Roberto Palomba has been designing houses for decades. His Milan-based studio, Palomba Serafini Associati, includes the Italian Consulate in Detroit, home décor and even tableware, among its past projects. His first yacht is the Amer F100, which features a unique “Glass Cabin” as the main salon. It was designed in partnership with Ludovica Serafini. “My aim was to change some standard boat elements to create something completely different,” Palomba told Robb Report during the yacht’s world debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival. “Certainly, our perspective offers a fresh look, an architectural vision rooted in the world of architecture and interior design, translated into the realm of yacht design.” The Glass Cabin is an architectural glass box that encases the main salon and formal dining area with windows that are larger than other yachts with similar dimensions. The garden creates openness, light and a continuous connection with the sea. Continuing the theme, reflective surfaces are used on the walls and ceiling across all social areas to bring more light in, while stairs joining the main deck to the bridge are topped by more glass, opening the heart of the yacht to blue skies.

‘Kensho,’ Jouin Manku

Kensho ‘s owner was a first-time yacht buyer who wanted a one-of-a-kind vessel. He looked beyond the pool of yachting talent for a designer who could create a signature statement inside the 246-foot Admiral. The owner eventually decided on Paris design house Jouin Manku, an experienced architecture and industrial design studio, without a single yacht to its name. Co-founder Sanjit Manku took the design brief and ran with it, eschewing traditional yachting layouts for high-volume and big sea views. Variations on the established interiors include lofty 8.9-foot-tall ceilings, open-plan cabin layouts (where the bathrooms are on display) and locating the owner’s salon—more akin to an observation lounge—to the upper deck where the captains’ wheelhouse is traditionally located.  “We drew on our restaurant design experience to create an ambience and furniture that is practical yet opulent,” Manku told Robb Report . “The dining chairs have ski feet that make it easy for guests to slide in and out, and we incorporated flattering lighting rather than ceiling spotlights.” The end result is a stunning, personalized interior that is unique in yachting. 

‘Carinthia VII,’ Bizzozero Cassina Architects

Refits are also getting design overhauls by non-yacht designers. Lürssen’s 318-foot Carinthia VII , first delivered in 2002 and designed by Tim Heywood, was sold in 2022 to a new owner. He called on Italian studio Bizzozero Cassina Architects for what turned out to be a major refit in a nearly record 300 days. The architectural studio is experienced in real estate, including a few of the owner’s private properties. But yacht refits are a recent addition to its portfolio. “The key to any project’s success is to know the person, their lifestyle and the way they think,” architect Paolo Bizzozero said. “Only with these three ingredients can you remedy a truly bespoke environment that works for them and for their life.” Key additions include a 1,334-sq. ft. sundeck, with a large dining table and teppanyaki grill. Equally impressive was the 39-foot-long glass-paneled swimming pool on the main deck (with two large televisions to view live sports), and a 968-sq. ft. air-conditioned gym on the bridge deck that also serves as a winter garden.

Contest G7CS, Bentley Interior

Bentley fans who dream of a book-matched yacht interior might look closely at the 67-foot Contest 67CS.  Commissioned by a private client and launched in November, it is the first collaboration between Bentley and Contest Yachts. with all the design flair Bentley could bring to a yacht. Conceived to match the luxe design of a custom continental GT coupe, the sailboat features the same materials, motifs and craftsmanship on its cars and home designs, including the same hand-stitching found on the Bentley steering wheel and the yacht’s Malvern Chair. Bespoke one-offs include a bar and vanity unit, the captain’s chair and “Egg” table, and a sofa which was hand-built at Bentley’s engineering facility and finished in its signature trim. The brand’s iconic diamond-quilted hides were also included across entire yacht interior. Small details like the tissue box and drink coasters were created from scratch to match the owner’s taste.

‘Entourage,’ Diego Burdi, Burdifilek

Entourage , the second hull in Amels’ 60 Limited Editions range, is the owner’s second yacht. He had clear ideas about the functional layout of the boat, so he appointed commercial design firm Burdifilek to realize that vision. The Toronto-based co-founder, Diego Burdi, adopted a “marine design” approach. “I believe strongly that you should feel like you’re on a boat,” he told Robb Report . That is apparent in areas like the the lower-deck staterooms where the bulkheads hug the curve of the hull. Carved and layered wooden ceilings—a detail introduced from the owner’s experience in real estate—add drama and tactility. Most significantly, Burdi reversed the central stairwell and tucked it into the perimeter of the yacht to create a wider walkthrough and, in so doing, a work of art.

‘Symbiosis,’ Kurt Merki, Jr.

The 279-foot Symbiosis is Studio KMJ’s nature-driven introduction to the world of superyacht design. Unveiled at the Monaco Yacht Show, the 3,000 GT concept speaks to a rising trend for biophilic design with 10 nature-driven features. These include a “tree of life” planted on the main deck aft that stretches across two decks, a 1,000-sq. ft. irrigated lawn tended by a gardener and intended for both play and picnics, and a life-sized herbarium called “The Sanctum” where herbs, spices and vegetables can be cultivated. The Swiss designer Kurt Merki Jr collaborated with Axel Massmann, CEO of Yacht-Green, who acted as a strategic advisor on best practices to “green” the superyacht lifestyle. According to the designers, the natural elements are fully buildable. All it needs is an owner willing to take a leap.

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Moscow's High Rise Bohemia: The International Business District With No Business

• Written by Dario Goodwin
• Published on March 17, 2015

The Moscow International Business Center (Also known as Moskva-City ) was meant to be Russia ’s ticket into the Western world. First conceived in 1992, the district at the edge of Moscow’s city center is intended to contain up to 300,000 inhabitants, employees and visitors at any given moment and, when completed, will house over 4 million square meters of prime retail, hotel and office space to create what the Russian government desired most from this project: an enormous financial district that could dwarf London’s Canary Wharf and challenge Manhattan . Twenty three years later though, Moscow-based real estate company Blackwood estimates that as much as 45% of this new space is entirely vacant and rents have plummeted far below the average for the rest of Moscow. The only press Moskva-City is attracting is for tenants like the High Level Hostel , a hostel catering to backpackers and other asset-poor tourists on the 43rd floor of the Imperia Tower , with prices starting at $25.50 for a bed in a six-person room. This is not the glittering world of western high finance that was envisioned back in the post-Soviet 90s; but what has it become instead?

As one might expect from a project of this sheer ambition, Moskva-City has a troubled past. The economic crash in 2008 hit Russia hard enough to evict the previous Mayor of Moscow , Yuri Luzhkov, who had been a cheerleader for the district, and replace him with the considerably more austere Sergei Sobyanin, who famously declared that the whole idea was an “urban planning mistake.” But as recently as 2013, the Wall Street Journal was triumphantly claiming that Moskva-City had risen from the dead, citing 80% occupancy rates and glowing quotes from industry insiders claiming that Moskva-City was the "place to be." Driven by record highs in oil prices, Moscow looked poised to become the next Dubai .

Instead, Moscow is now in the grip of an economic winter prompted by western sanctions and drops in the price of oil. The large financial groupings that Moskva-City was meant to shelter have been warned off by their inability to issue credit to international markets, for example - but Moskva-City isn’t just an Empire State Building left empty by the Great Depression.

A fundamental problem that is holding Moskva back compared to the rest of Moscow is the simple fact that currently, getting to Moskva-City is nigh-on impossible at peak hours. Moscow has long been plagued with transport problems, ever since the government failed to match the dramatic expansion of the city with a dramatic expansion of the transport system after the Second World War. Despite being only 2.5 miles from the Kremlin , Moskva-City is only just inside the ring road that bounds the city center and which acts as the only real transport link to it (and as a result, is clogged by construction vehicles.) A railway and metro hub has been finished, but so far only runs a one-stop shuttle service to the closest Metro station that is actually integrated with the rest of Moscow Metro. The isolation of the outer districts is a large, negative part of the Moscow psyche, and it’s not surprising that this is driving away the globetrotting financial elite this project was meant to attract.

The project is managed by architectural practice No.6, which is a constituent part of the large Moscow based practice Mosproject-2 , which is itself a public corporation headed up by Mikhail Vasilyevich Posokhin, who is apparently the “People’s Architect of Russia.” Despite all this state involvement, the project has still managed to become bogged down in bureaucratic infighting - each lot is managed and developed individually, which has led to developers competing for occupants by slashing rates.

Much has been written about the way modern financial districts and towers that inhabit them can be unwelcoming, forbidding or even hostile by design, but the skyscrapers of Moskva-City seem even less friendly than usual. The site - a former stone quarry, chosen out of necessity as the only place in the city center where a new district could be plausibly constructed - is isolated both physically and visually, leaving the cluster a stark anomaly on the city skyline. Even the names seem more imposing than optimistic now: Imperia, City of Capitals , Steel Peak.

The Mercury City Tower , so far the tallest completed building on the site, is officially “a strong reference to Russian constructivism, [which] gives the tower a strong vertical thrust similar to the one found in New York's Chrysler building .” It would be easy to criticize the Mercury City Tower for picking ‘inspirations’ that are so totally opposed to each other - The Chrysler building the defining emblem of American pre-crash confidence and Constructivism created with the express purpose (especially architecturally) of extending the Bolshevik revolution into a social revolution - but the way they smash those two inspirations together is almost beautifully ironic.

Even though the High Level Hostel is less an asset to a financial district than it is a PR problem, it’s been a huge success since opening in September, already ranked 27th out of 766 hostels in Moscow by TripAdvisor. According to the management agency for Moskva-City , 58% of the new occupant signings this year have been non-financial, including a number of small to medium size businesses. Other areas of office space have been occupied by a restaurant and a culinary school, while another space has been redeveloped into a 6,000 seat theater.

While Moskva-City is failing to be a financial district that could take on the world, it’s inadvertently becoming a humanized space catering to the very groups that the Russian economic miracle left behind. Taking advantage of rents lower than the rest of Moscow , the world class facilities and the sheer desperation of the developers, the humanization of Moskva-City could well create the world’s first high-rise bohemia.

Of course, these are not spaces designed for a community, or even for people: these are spaces designed for money, and there’s little scope for changing something that seems so baked into the design of Moskva-City . The High Level Hostel is trading off of the irony of being a hostel in a banking tower, but it’s perfectly possible that at some point people will no longer find this joke funny (especially in a building that seems hostile to the very idea of humor). The isolation of Moskva, even though it allowed this community to spring up in the first place, is just as detrimental to a humanized district as it is to a financial one: even bohemians need to move around the city, or the district risks becoming a black-spot instead of a hot-spot.

Moskva-City’s isolation won’t last forever. The end of construction will open the roads up to traffic, and plans to properly integrate the spur lines of the Metro in this area into the wider system are well under way. The integration of the district will inevitably push up rents, and the Russian economy will eventually boom once again. When that happens, Moskva-City is prime territory to be reconquered by the giants of international finance, and it seems unlikely that the municipal or national governments would want to step in to protect this accidental district. For now, though, the towers capture perfectly this moment of Russia ’s schizophrenic understanding of its place in the world.

• Sustainability

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New Cape Coral Yacht Club designs: Most on council like a coastal, Key West vibe

Given three different design options for the new Yacht Club Community Center , most of the Cape Coral City Council is leaning toward a coastal, Key West-flavor architecture.

At a committee of the whole meeting on Wednesday, the city sought direction from the council on a design direction for the outside of the community building.

"It's a concept, just like we do with anything else, and as we are designing, things may come up that we want to shift and be nimble (on)," said Cape Coral City Manager Michael Ilczyszyn.

James Pankonin with Kimley Horn, a consulting firm focusing on public and private developments, presented the information about the look of the community building.

Cape Coral's Yacht Club Community Park, which includes a yacht basin, tennis courts, a swimming pool, a ballroom, and a beach, has been a popular attraction and staple for the city since the 1960s but is set to undergo major renovations after Hurricane Ian delayed the original plans .

The current plans include a new two-story community center to replace the ballroom, removing the tennis courts, rearranging the area to accommodate a four-story parking garage, a new restaurant, and a new resort-style pool.

The city is also preparing for the demolition of the Yacht Club and its facilities in April as it awaits permits.

No estimates could be provided for the price of the new building.

"It will really come into how much of certain materials are needed and construction methods," Ilczyszyn said.

The city will have that information once they have 30% of the construction design.

Two public meetings for the designs are planned for April 2 and May 7.

After getting public input, the city will vote to amend its contract with Kimley Horn to approve all these changes.

The plan is to have these changes approved or introduced before the summer hiatus.

Previous Coverage Demolition of Cape Coral's Yacht Club slated for April will cost almost $1 million

Cape Coral community news Courtyards of Cape Coral South sets bingo fundraiser for residents still affected by Ian

New Designs for the Yacht Club building

John Bryant with Sweet Sparkman Architecture and Interiors, a Sarasota-based design firm, said the goal with the new designs was to maintain the experience of the original Yacht Club.

The majority of the council preferred option one.

Design one:

Bryant described the first option as "coastal vernacular" and similar to the park buildings at Lake Kennedy and Yellow Fever Creek.

"So it's sort of informed by the current architectural work in 2024," Bryant said. "Kinda Key West."

Councilmember Dan Sheppard and Mayor John Gunter preferred option one.

Gunter said the design was the most pleasing for him.

Councilmember Keith Long liked option one and said he liked the Key West aesthetic.

Councilmember Tom Hayden liked option one.

Design two:

Option two is more informed by the current Yacht Club and would have a stone base and mid-century feel to it, according to Bryant.

"There's certainly opportunity to kind of further develop this option to have even more of the existing Yacht Club feel, but a different vibe, feel than option one," Bryant said.

He also said option two might be more expressive the closer they try to recreate the aesthetic of the old ballroom building.

Councilmember Jessica Cosden liked design two as it incorporated design elements of the old building though she lamented how similar it looked to the first design.

"I wish we could have done more, but I know it's hard with a two-story building, to make it look the same as a very unique one-story building.

Councilmember Bill Steinke said two would be his choice as well, but was wary of additional maintenance of natural wood products used in the design.

"As long as we can bring that aesthetic and keep the maintenance down, number two would be my choice," Steinke said.

Councilmember Robert Welsh said he could go either way, but he liked the look of two.

Design three:

This would be more contemporary and modern.

"Even with a more contemporary language, you can still have warmth, incorporating some wood elements and stone elements," Bryant said.

None of the council members expressed any favorability for the third design.

Inside the new community center

The Community Center will have an additional 10,000 square feet for a total of 47,000 square feet, a history room to remember the first ballroom building on the first floor, and more rooms for civic and community use on the first floor.

Additionally, the new ballroom has shifted slightly as the balcony area on the second floor has been expanded to wrap around the top of the building.

Private jet and yachts seized as three arrested in £76m luxury care homes raid

Three people have been arrested as part of a sting by the Serious Fraud Office into property developer the Carlauren Group.

Tuesday 12 March 2024 14:09, UK

A private jet and two yachts have been seized, as three people have been arrested, in a £76m raid on a group who ran luxury care homes.

Two sites were raided across St Leonard's, Dorset, and Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, as part of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) probe, supported by the National Crime Agency (NCA).

The investigation is looking into the UK registered property developer, the Carlauren Group, which collapsed into administration in November 2019.

When it folded, the SFO said that it led to some elderly residents being forced to move out, and left 600 investors out of pocket.

The Carlauren Group bought 23 properties across the UK, often former hotels including the historic Windlestone Hall in Durham, and allegedly claimed to offer annual 10 per cent returns to investors as it sought to turn the buildings into high-end care homes.

However, the SFO said only nine of these became operational and some continued as hotels instead of care homes.

Alongside that, the group allegedly purchased a number of supercars, including two Lamborghinis and a McLaren 570GT, a private jet and two yachts.

Nick Ephgrave QPM, director of the Serious Fraud Office, said: "This company's abrupt collapse has created turmoil and enormous anxiety for many, with elderly people forced to vacate their homes and investors left with nothing.

"Today's arrests are a major development in our investigation and a step towards getting the answers so many people need."

The group was said to have had 600 people and companies invest in the scheme through the purchase of rooms that were to be rented out to the elderly.

This was inside luxury facilities that boasted of swimming pools, room service and other amenities.

According to the SFO, the rooms were advertised and sold with a guaranteed annual payout and opportunity to sell the asset back for a profit after 10 years

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About Sony Group

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• Sony and Plastics - how Sony's technologies are contributing to recyclingand a circular economy

Sony and Plastics - how Sony's technologies are contributing to recycling and a circular economy

March 19, 2024

Due to its versatility, plastic is used in many of the products we use every day, enriching and becoming an indispensable part of our lives. At the same time, the waste amount of plastic is increasing in proportion to the growing production amount, posing threats, such as global warming and marine pollution, to our precious natural ecosystems. Amidst the urgent task of accelerating the circulation of plastic resources, Sony is working to overcome these issues and accelerate realization of a circular economy both through collaboration within Sony Group and with other companies.

Addressing plastic resource circulation through intra-Group collaboration

In the cycle of plastic resources, recycled plastics are essential. To give an example with Sony's products, the "Earth Blue" color of the LinkBuds S truly wireless earbuds uses recycled water bottle materials, while the soundbar utilizes a unique recycled plastic that is conducive to creating high-quality audio products. As part of these efforts, Sony is increasingly using SORPLAS™ , a flame-retardant recycled plastic with high durability, in products.

By incorporating Sony's original additive that exhibits high flame retardancy even in small quantities, SORPLAS achieves a higher utilization rate of materials recovered from the market than conventional flame-retardant recycled plastics. Despite this high utilization rate of recovered materials, SORPLAS can also retain the excellent gloss applicable to exterior parts of products which are usually difficult to be made with recycled plastics because of its certain quality control. Moreover, adjusting the mixing ratio of various additives allows for tailoring to specific capabilities such as high strength, impact resistance as well as high flame retardancy, enabling use in a diverse array of products.

"Aiming to expand the use of SORPLAS to reduce environmental impact while introducing it into large scale products as a means of helping us to achieve this goal, has truly been a continuous process of trial and error." said Akito Kuriyama, who oversees SORPLAS development as a technical leader at SORPLAS Business Office, Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation.

"Becoming able to introduce SORPLAS into large scale products like televisions could further reduce the use of virgin plastic. An important capability for large scale products is maintaining 'fluidity' so that it can easily fill molds with large surface area. On the other hand, formulating compounds that combine this with the equally necessary strength and flame retardancy is very difficult. We had to try many times to find the right balance between strength and fluidity, which are in a trade-off relationship." Through these efforts, SORPLAS was first introduced in 2021 to a selection of 4K OLED TV for the rear cover, the largest TV part. In addition, all 4K HDR Professional BRAVIA Displays released in 2023 adopts SORPLAS for a part of internal materials.

SORPLAS utilizes waste from optical disc production in Sony's own factories as part of source materials. "By recycling within Sony Group, costly waste is transformed into high added value, and we thought this would enable an approach toward reducing the environmental impact by the entire Group," adds Kuriyama. Accurately classifying waste is the most important step to convert it into high-added-value recycled plastic. According to Kuriyama, since the waste provided by Sony Group factories was well-sorted, contained no mixed different resins, and was of very high quality, it was easily incorporated into SORPLAS production.

Looking at the back of BRAVIA® using SORPLAS, you can find an engraving beginning with "SPL". This is a marker to instantly determine whether a product is manufactured with SORPLAS, which contributes an important role in product recycling.

"We decided to make this special engraving after consulting with the TV design team," explains Kuriyama. "The goal is to reliably identify products containing SORPLAS when discarded televisions are collected." Planning the collection system since initial development phase is something Kuriyama had in mind, and he remains passionate. "With the aim of realizing the resource circulation of 'product-to-product' which is still rare in the world, we will steadily keep challenging step by step."

Achieving resource circulation systems with speed and accuracy through collaboration with other companies

Sony's efforts regarding plastic resource circulation have entered our daily lives in another form - the automatic bottle collection machines ("reverse vending machines") installed in supermarkets, convenience stores, and other locations. Developed and provided by TOMRA, a Norway-based company engaged in resource collection and recycling, the reverse vending machines boast excellent performance in identifying and reading data such as the shape, material, and barcodes of inserted a large number of beverage containers at high speed and with high accuracy, taking about 1 second for each bottle.

This high performance is made possible in large part by image sensors loaded with Sony's originally developed global shutter technology Pregius™ , which are equipped in the cameras used within the reverse vending machines to scan and identify beverage containers. While conventional CMOS image sensors produce distortion when capturing objects moving at a high speed, making it difficult to discern information such as shapes and text, the global shutter technology can output the electronic signals of the subject at all pixels simultaneously, enabling the capturing high-speed moving objects without distortion and with high accuracy.

Pascal Flament, who oversees semiconductor sales & marketing in Europe at Sony Semiconductor Solutions Europe, emphasizes the value of the image sensor by saying, "Thanks to our technology, PET bottles can be reliably sorted to avoid foreign object contamination from other waste. This smooths the recycling experience for TOMRA users and enables securing recycled resources of high quality suitable for recycling."

Sony's image sensors support the performance of the reverse vending machines with high-level speed and accuracy technology, and this contribution extends to the logistics system of collection vehicles. With conventional collection methods, plastic bottles discarded by consumers are collected by municipalities and then accumulated at intermediate processing facilities to separate them from other waste, which tends to make the transportation efficiency of resource collection vehicles rather low. However, with TOMRA's reverse vending machines, sorting can be done immediately upon collection thanks to the image sensors, eliminating the need to go through intermediate processing facilities. Furthermore, the ability to reduce the volume of collected items by two thirds allows for an increase in the amount of product that can be transported at one time. In addition to improving the operation efficiency of collection vehicles and lowering transportation costs, this also reduces CO 2 production of vehicles involved in the process.

While aiming to reduce environmental impact through resource recycling systems, TOMRA is addressing the dilemma of CO 2 emissions due to current system inefficiency. Introducing Sony's image sensors significantly contributed to the optimization of the logistics system, in addition to reusing resource value, supporting TOMRA's ongoing efforts to construct systems that are sustainable, both economically and environmentally. Flament remarks, "There are so many environmental challenges in our society. We are looking forward to working with partners like TOMRA, who are highly committed to solving these issues, so that our technology can make as much of a contribution as possible."

Beyond Sony's relationship with plastics, a steady stream of efforts to build an optimal resource recycling system is emerging, both within Sony Group and through cooperation with other companies. Sony will continue to take on numerous challenges in its efforts to realize a circular economy and ensure a sustainable society.

• *The key illustration summarizes Sony Group's efforts in plastic recycling as well as its vision for the future, as outlined in this article, in a single image.

Related Information

• SORPLAS | Post-Consumer Recycled Plastic Sony Products
• Sustainability in BRAVIA TVs
• Reverse Vending Machines by TOMRA Systems

• *Inquiry form is operated by salesforce.com Co.,Ltd. which is the agent of Sony Group Corporation.

CEATEC Exhibit Organizer Shares Insights on Sony's "Inclusive Design"

Starting October 17th, Sony will showcase its accessibility-focused products and services as well as its commitment to inclusive design at CEATEC 2023. We spoke to Aya Nishikawa from Sony Group Corporation's Sustainability Department to understand the background and purpose behind Sony's initiatives for inclusive design.

Supporting the Mental Wellness of Artists, Creators and Support Staff through "B-side" at Sony Music Entertainment (Japan)

Sony is dedicated to supporting creators, who are the source of generating kando. As societal instability has increased, so too has the importance of creating an environment in which creators can immerse themselves in their work in a healthful manner, both mentally and physically. In 2021, Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) launched the "B-side" to support the mental and physical health of the artists, creators and staff at each of its Group companies. For this edition of the Corporate Blog, we spoke with Airi Tokutome of Sony Music Labels, who promotes "B-side"

Sony Employees Introduce Projects for Accessibility and Inclusive Design

On September 14th, in conjunction with the "Sustainability Meeting," Sony hosted an exhibition at the Sony Group head office to showcase our latest efforts in accessibility and inclusive design. In this blog post, we will share a video in which the employees responsible for these initiatives introduce the exhibition's content. Furthermore, Sony will present these efforts along with additional products and inclusive design concepts at the "CEATEC 2023" exhibition starting on October 17th. We invite all who are in the area to visit the Sony Booth.

The spiraling 246m high Evolution Tower is located on plots 2-3 of Moscow-City high-rise business district on Presnenskaya Embankment of Moscow river. New multi-function center occupies the territory of 2.5ha in area, 2ha of which is a landscaped terraced civic plaza, the integral part of the new city piazza, the central open public space of Moscow-City business downtown.

ivic plaza includes 10m high ceremonial stairs (leading from embankment and pedestrian Bagration Bridge to the higher terraced levels) as well as landscaped areas with green lawns, trees, water features, travellators and feature lightboxes.

Evolution Tower

Location: Moscow, Russia

Typology: High-Rise, Office, Mixed-Use

Years: Construction 2011-2014

Status: Built

Height: 246m

Design team: GORPROJECT  (2011-2015), 

RMJM Scotland Ltd 

(original concept 2005-2007)

Under the piazza levels the 2-storey retail mall connects the Evolution Tower with metro station and pedestrian bridge over Moscow river, thus integrating the new development into the large Moscow-City district, the Europe's newest and most ambitious high-rise cluster (7 of 10 highest European skyscrapers ae located here), housing over 4 million square meters of office and retail areas with associated transport and engineering infrastructure.   

The Evolution Gallery mall houses food court and 6,000m2 family entertainment and educational center for various children activities (the first center of that kind in Moscow). 

The 82,000m2 office tower has 52 levels rotated 3 degrees each floor with overall twist reaching 156 degrees clockwise. With world’s largest innovative cold-bent glazing the tower façade provides seamless floating reflection that rotates the panoramas of Moscow skyline vertically, where the reflected clouds moving up enhance the dynamic visual impact of the twisted tower, an unprecedented optical effect in the world architecture.  The Crown with supporting steel structure made of two twisted arches provides the helipad at the very top as well as the open observation roof decks at Levels 51-52 featuring the best panoramas of Moscow riverside with views towards the historical center. 

From the very beginning the developer and architects have set an ambitious task to create a recognizable and symbolic tower, the new icon of contemporary Moscow.  The sculptural DNA-shaped twisting tower symbolizes the evolution spiral with the white façade ribbon wrapping over the roof in a form of 90-degree twisted infinity symbol, which speaks of philosophical concept of evolution and celebrates the development of human civilization. From spiraling onion domes of St. Basil to the iconic Tatlin Tower concept the Russian architecture was obsessed with idea of spiral. The simple and innovative design was based on principles of twisting square-shaped floor plates with vertical structural RC frame supported by a central core and 8 columns with continuous beams and 4 spiraling columns at the corners. 

The proposed structural scheme with cantilevered continuous RC beams and cantilevered floor slabs  picking up the overhangs from the twisted floor plates appeared to be simple, efficient and economical. The complex sculptural tower façade envelope was built using the innovative cold-bent glazing with flat double glazed units cold-formed in 3D within the aluminum frame under its own weight to avoid stepping in geometry. This approach appeared to be both more energy-efficient and more cost-efficient solution in comparison to the stepped curtain wall units previously applied in some twisted unitized facades. 

The multifunctional architectural glass by Guardian significantly reduces the solar gain whilst providing the double glazed unit thermal performance equal to standard triple glazed unit normally used in Moscow to withstand harsh winter conditions. The use of innovative TWIN elevators by ThyssenKrupp saved 2 shafts within the core (10 TWINs instead of 12 double-deckers in the original concept) and contributed to the overall project sustainability with lesser power consumption per passenger. Other sustainable design features include green roofs over the retail mall and integrated coil floor heating under landscaped civic piazza levels using the return water in winter to melt the snow and ice for the safety of pedestrians. The reinforced concrete formwork by PERI, including self-climbing ACS formwork specially designed for the twisting corner columns, allowed to achieve the impressive speed of RC frame construction of 6 days per floor due to perfect site logistics by Renaissance Construction as main contractor. 

All innovative design solutions and optimizations secured the delivery of this fairly unique skyscraper within the project plan and almost within the budget of the standard ‘benchmark’ high-rise building. This turned out to be a major achievement of the design and construction teams. 

The organic twisting silhouette dominates on its background of extruded glass towers greatly contributing into the overall composition of the high-rise Moscow-City cluster. The development delivered a significant open public space on the landscaped roof of the retail mall, thus providing the perfect mix of business uses with public and social activities of the civic plaza and the mall with its food court and core family entertainment function. The synergy of that mix with large underground car-park complemented by the direct link to the metro station and pedestrian bridge as means of main public transportation secured the successful project completion with the recent entire tower acquisition. Bold shape and timeless aesthetics as added values brought by its unique architecture materialized in a commercial success of this project with the tower being fully acquired for corporate headquarters even in the context of oversupply in the Moscow office market. The outstanding quality of architecture and its fine detailing, state of the art building services and communications of Class A office Tower together with the highest level of transport accessibility  (direct access to metro station from the lobby, large car-parking, proximity to boat pier and helipads) make this property very attractive for tenants and visitors. The beautiful riverside panoramas from offices are complemented by green roof and water features of the large 2ha terraced civic piazza as the main recreational outdoor space with direct link from the office tower lobby. 

The highest quality of façade cladding, glazing, vertical transportation and MEP equipment from leading European and international suppliers provided the truly Class-A office environment with the luxury of minimalist spirit in the architecture of the new landmark on the Moscow skyline. Even before its completion the sculptural spiral of Evolution Tower, more often appearing in commercials, posters and magazines, became a new icon for modern Moscow as the symbol of its business ambitions and fast development. The Evolution Tower also became the monument to the courage of its developer (Snegiri Group) and investors, who built the great deal of trust with architects, engineers and contractors by investing their efforts and funds in a challenging adventure of designing and building the unique and innovative skyscraper for the capital of Russia. 

Evolution Reflections

Philipp nikandrov.

Helldivers 2 boss says the Autocannon is "the team's best weapon design," actually

Director Johan Pilestedt is "overjoyed" to see the work behind the Autocannon get "the recognition it deserves"

Helldivers 2 is full of powerful weapons to smash up bots and squash bugs, ranging from satisfying firearms to explosive orbital strikes that often do more harm to you and your team than the actual enemies. Out of them all, though, one weapon stands out to game director Johan Pilestedt for having the best design.

The weapon in question is the AC-8 Autocannon, which can be called in as a Stratagem from level 10 onwards. Responding to a Helldivers 2 player on Twitter who praised the gun for its "interesting design," which includes an "oversized charging handle" and "top loading fixed magazine from stripper clips," Pilestedt says he's "overjoyed" to see it get "the recognition it deserves" from fans. 

"I think it's the team's best weapon design. I am overjoyed that all the hard work they put into it gets the recognition it deserves," he writes. 

"Massive shout-out to 'Frippe' [Fredrik Eriksson, animator] and Patrik Lasota [head of product testing] who were the main drivers for it, and everyone else that contributed [of course]."

Agree. I think it's the team's best weapon design. I am overjoyed that all the hard work they put into it gets the recognition it deserves.Massive shout-out to "Frippe" and @PatrikLasota who were the main drivers for it, and everyone else that contributed ofc. https://t.co/ZJP6yvzBGQ March 15, 2024

It's not just the aesthetics of the AC-8 Autocannon, which the Helldivers 2 devs love. Back when the game's first big balance patch was rolled out, one of Helldivers 2's designers pointed to the Autocannon as a "good example of a well-balanced weapon," noting that its power and range is counterbalanced by the need to "carry an ammo backpack or have a friend assist you." As such, it wasn't one of the weapons nerfed in the patch, unlike the Railgun and Breaker, which both saw significant changes. 

In other Helldivers 2 news, Pilestedt recently responded to a popular fan request to add a Guard Dog Flamethrower to the game – a companion robot that would have the power to spew flames at enemies (and potentially friends) automatically. The director warned us to be "careful what you wish for" as he revealed that other devs at Arrowhead Game Studios are rather excited by the idea, even if they expect that it would bring absolute chaos to the game thanks to friendly fire being turned on at all times. It's not been confirmed if it'll actually be added, but if it is, we can probably expect to fry a lot of teammates by mistake.

Our top 10 Helldivers 2 tips are perfect for helping you spread Managed Democracy on behalf of Super Earth. 

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I'm one of GamesRadar+'s news writers, who works alongside the rest of the news team to deliver cool gaming stories that we love. After spending more hours than I can count filling The University of Sheffield's student newspaper with Pokemon and indie game content, and picking up a degree in Journalism Studies, I started my career at GAMINGbible where I worked as a journalist for over a year and a half. I then became TechRadar Gaming's news writer, where I sourced stories and wrote about all sorts of intriguing topics. In my spare time, you're sure to find me on my Nintendo Switch or PS5 playing through story-driven RPGs like Xenoblade Chronicles and Persona 5 Royal, nuzlocking old Pokemon games, or going for a Victory Royale in Fortnite.

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gandia blasco group 2024 catalog makes room for indoor-outdoor furniture exploration

Gandia blasco group outdoor 2024 annex.

The Gandia Blasco Group presents its Outdoor 2024 Annex with a rich lineup of contemporary furniture reimagining the convergence of indoor and outdoor living spaces. With a focus on fluidity and boundary-breaking, this year’s Annex explores the dynamic relationship between intimacy inside and the vast diversity of any outdoor space. Featuring its iconic brands GANDIABLASCO, GAN, and Diabla, the catalog introduces an array of collections and renowned designers, including Patricia Urquiola ’s PET -recycled seating range and Todd Bracher ’s modular sofa. 

all images courtesy of Gandia Blasco Group

Mediterranean family enterprise , Gandia Blasco Group is  renowned for crafting outdoor furniture and rugs made with particular attention to craftsmanship, material exploration, and notable designer collaborations. Originating in Valencia, Spain, the Group operates through its three distinctive brands, GANDIABLASCO, GAN, and Diabla, each contributing a distinct persona to the company’s offerings.

GANDIABLASCO’s puffy comfort

Under the GANDIABLASCO umbrella, the ERNO collection pays homage to the renowned Hungarian designer Ernő Rubik, translating the playful essence of the Rubik’s cube into a series of versatile poufs. Crafted with quilted, grid-shaped fabric, the modular ERNO pouf system encourages dynamic seating arrangements suited to both indoor and outdoor spaces. Complemented by backrests and armrests, these pieces offer plenty of possibilities for creating adaptable environments. For outdoor arrangements, their quick-drying Gravidry® foam padding is breathable and highly moisture-resistant due to its draining qualities.

Additionally, the GANDIABLASCO GBmodular extension stands out for its flexible construction technique, leveraging the clipping ability between extruded recyclable aluminum profiles to mix and match units. Complemented by an aluminum knot mechanism and stainless steel bolts, the system enables the creation of diverse configurations, from armchairs and two-seater sofas to low tables, mirrors, bookshelves, and sideboards. Designed to suit a variety of environments, the GBMODULAR collection emphasizes durability, resistance, and ease of maintenance. Utilizing technical fabrics from esteemed brands like Kvadrat and Sunbrella, along with 100% recycled and recyclable PET fabrics from Reviva, each piece ensures both aesthetic appeal and sustainable longevity.

GAN: celebrating versatility

Another brand in the Gandia Blasco Group, GAN, celebrates the art of versatility with its MANGAS OUTDOOR collection, conceptualized by renowned designer Patricia Urquiola. Drawing inspiration from hand-knitted wool jumpers, the MANGAS series translates the warm vibe of knitted wool to outdoor environments through the use of braided recycled PET fibers. Both the square poufs and seating modules are constructed entirely from recycled PET sourced from plastic bottles, filled with quick-drying foam rubber of varying densities. Engineered to withstand outdoor elements such as humidity and UV rays, these pieces boast removable covers for easy maintenance, ensuring longevity and practicality.

Jorge Garaje’s inaugural collaboration with GAN, the CITRUS collection, is a vibrant tribute to three iconic members of the citrus fruit family. Crafted from 100% recycled and reclaimed PET fibers in India, where all GAN collections are meticulously handmade, these outdoor kilims showcase the essence of oranges, limes, and lemons in intricate detail. The rounded contours of the fruits are layered to create a captivating sense of depth, accentuated by a graphic grid reminiscent of the mesh bags traditionally used for their display.

Diabla: the theatrical side of outdoor design

As the youngest brand in the Gandia Blasco Group, Diabla channels the enchantment of movie theaters into its outdoor designs. Creative Director Alejandra Gandía-Blasco draws inspiration from the golden years of cinema, infusing the PATOSO seating collection with a sense of nostalgia and whimsy. Inspired by the iconic Daisy Theater in Memphis, Tennessee, the PATOSO seats combine harlequin charm with exceptional comfort. Adorned with vibrant fabrics inspired by Commedia dell’Arte, these 4-legged poufs add a touch of theatricality to outdoor settings, earning recognition from the NYCxDesign Awards, DNA Paris Awards, and Archiproducts Awards.

ARP design Made Studio for Diabla

project info: 

name:  Outdoor 2024 Annex 

company: Gandia Blasco Group | @gandiablasco_group

brands: GANDIABLASCO , GAN , and Diabla

catalog: Outdoor 2024 Annex

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