Sanctuary: Where wealth meets wellness

Recording my latest podcast episode with Sally Forster Jones, founder of Forster Jones International, and Julie Faupel, founder of Realm, left me with a single word that continues to resonate: sanctuary. Our conversation took place inside the Rosewood Residences in Beverly Hills, yet the idea of sanctuary reached far beyond this remarkable property. It revealed how the very meaning of luxury is shifting for the world’s wealthiest clients. For decades ultra-high-net-worth individuals measured real estate by size, grandeur and location. Today, many of the younger UHNWIs I meet tell a different story. They still admire beautiful architecture and impeccable craftsmanship, but their ambitions have changed. Their most valuable asset is not a sprawling estate, but the feeling of a place that restores them. Many are searching for a sanctuary where life can be lived without constant performance. The instant recognition of home Forster Jones captured it perfectly when she told me, “My clients decide within seconds whether a property speaks to them. They know almost immediately if it feels like home.” Julie added that a true sanctuary “creates a timelessness that will always appeal to the affluent,” a quality that inspires trust more than any logo, or price tag. These insights mirror what I see globally in my strategy projects, our insights at Équité, and my research at Pepperdine University: the next generation of wealth wants emotional security more than another collection of grand features. This generation of wealth often lives across continents. Its members move easily from New York to London, from Singapore to the Mediterranean. They want homes that travel with them emotionally, places that deliver peace and security even when they are there only part of the year. That means design must be effortless: private entrances, seamless technology, invisible service, and management that handles every detail while they are away. A sanctuary welcomes them home without demanding their attention. Wellness is central to this evolution. Younger UHNWIs view health as the ultimate luxury and expect their residences to nurture it. Natural light, indoor-outdoor flow, air and water purification, spa-level bathrooms, meditation gardens and quiet corners for reflection are no longer rare extras. For many, they became essentials. Technology supports this by retreating into the background: lighting and climate systems that respond automatically, soundproofing that turns silence into a design element, and security that is felt as calm rather than seen as surveillance. Sustainability without compromise Sustainability has become part of the definition of sanctuary. But beware of greenwashing. The next generation of global wealth asks not only who designed a space, but how responsibly it was built. They care about materials, carbon footprint and the human stories behind the craftsmanship. A home that harms the planet, or ignores social impact cannot be a true refuge. For young UHNWIs, provenance and responsibility are critical. Freedom is another important aspect. Today’s ultra-luxury clients want to lock the door and leave without a second thought. They expect every service, whether concierge, security or maintenance, to operate invisibly so that their time is devoted to living, not managing. “Many of our buyers have several residences,” Forster Jones said. “They want to arrive and know everything is already taken care of.” A sanctuary is a place where life feels light. It does not ask for effort. It offers ease. Flexibility also matters. Homes are expected to adapt to changing lives: spaces that can shift from work studio to family room, wellness retreat to entertaining lounge. Outdoor areas that expand or contract with the seasons. Architecture that remains timeless as tastes evolve. The sanctuary grows with its owner and continues to feel personal even as circumstances change. Global sanctuaries rise to meet demand Across the world I see developments responding to these desires: branded residences in Asia and the Middle East that blend the privacy of a home with the service culture of top hotels; European villas restored with sustainable materials and discreet technology; mountain retreats where silence and nature become the ultimate luxury. These projects succeed not because they are bigger or flashier, but because they give their owners a deep sense of belonging and restoration. Faupel described it as, “the kind of environment that quietly tells you, you can exhale.” Rather than focusing on traditional markers of wealth, managers shaping the future of luxury need to consider how to create experiences that feel like sanctuaries. Ask how your brand can remove friction and anticipate needs before they are voiced. Think beyond the physical product and design for the emotional state it creates. The most successful brands in the coming decade will not only deliver beauty or performance. They will create the rarest luxury of all: a place, physical or emotional, where the world’s most discerning clients can finally feel at peace. This is an opinion piece by Daniel Langer, CEO of Équité, recognized as one of the “Global Top Five Luxury Key Opinion Leaders,” and advisor to some of the most iconic luxury brands in the world. He serves as an executive professor of luxury strategy and pricing at Pepperdine University in Malibu and as a professor of luxury at NYU, New York. Daniel has authored best-selling books on luxury management in English and Chinese, and is a respected global keynote speaker. Daniel conducts in-person masterclasses on various luxury topics across the world. As a luxury expert featured on Bloomberg TV, Forbes, The Economist, and others, Daniel holds an MBA and a Ph.D. in luxury management and has received education from Harvard Business School. Sign up for his online luxury masterclasses at the Jing Academy.

Sectors

Insights

Company

Sanctuary: Where wealth meets wellness