MIPIM’s hidden gems

As any property professional heading down to MIPIM knows, the week can often feel like a constant whirlwind of networking events, seminars and drinks.

For those looking to try something slightly off the beaten track, here are some hidden gems to keep an eye out for at this year’s event:

Get off to a flying start

Sweat out the drinks from the night before and #continuetheconversation at the MIPIM 2017 Property and Construction Networking Run along the Cannes coast.

Attendance is free and tickets are available via Eventbrite with the Group meeting outside Radisson Blue 1835 Hotel & Thalasoo at 7:00am. There are options of 30 minute or 1 hour runs, at a ‘casual’ pace.

Make sure you keep an eye out and say a particularly loud hello to Infinite Global’s very own Ryan McSharry who will be bouncing along the beach in training for the London Marathon.

Flexible Working

If the mere thought of running in the morning makes you break out in a sweat, then how about starting your day with some MIPIM mindfulness?

Property Yoga Networking meets outside Louis Vuitton at 7:30am (naturally…) before heading to a ‘peaceful’ area of the beach for a relaxing 30-minute session. All abilities are welcomed, however if you are a novice (speaking from experience), it’s probably best to #continuetheconversation after the session and concentrate on not falling over and/or kicking your neighbour in the face.

In Conversation with the actual Pete Waterman from Pop Idol

No this is not a chance for you to test out your karaoke skills but instead an opportunity to hear the thoughts of the ex-Pop Idol judge who also happens to be one of the UK’s biggest train fanatics and is particularly passionate about HS2.

He isn’t bringing along Simon Cowell et al but instead will be joined by Jackie Sadek, who will be talking about the Northern Gateway Development Zone. Details are available here and the event looks set to be an interesting discussion centred around the transformative power of infrastructure.

MIPIM is Coming

The Belfast at MIPIM stand has overthrown Cersei* (*spoiler…sorry) and claimed the iron throne for the week.

Take a break from the small talk, put your feet up and become King or Queen of the Andals and the First Men until you get ousted by either a revolution, a fire breathing dragon or the staff who politely inform you that it is someone else’s turn now.

Bright lights in the big (miniature) city

If you missed getting tickets to teamLab’s Transcending Boundaries exhibition, then make sure you head to the Istanbul pavilion which is housing a stunning 3D scale model showcasing the city’s historical buildings, real estate and infrastructure projects.

The 1/100 scale model, covering 96 sq. km of Istanbul, features a show complete with special motion, light and visual effects. In addition, all printed materials have been enriched with augmented reality (AR), allowing visitors to view new construction projects in 3D amongst other visual treats. You’ll need to use the Layar app to play with the AR; get it here.

A chip off the London block

If you’ve had enough of yachts and the French Riviera and are missing the familiarity of good ol’ London town then head for the trusty beacon that is The Shard. Despite not being made from glass nor dominating the Cannes skyline, this miniature replica is still suitably impressive being made entirely out of Lego, and painstakingly put together by the team at EG.

Bonus tip: If you guess the correct number of Lego bricks used to make the baby Shard then you could win a potentially much needed stay post-MIPIM in London’s Shangri-La Hotel. A photo is here if you want a head start!