Seychelles's Morne Seychellois National Park

Laurence Grigorov is an experienced mechanical engineer with over two decades of experience. Having previously worked for Unilever and PPR Performance Filters, he now serves as the director of Laurence Martin Developments. During his free time, Laurence Grigorov enjoys traveling and has been to several places in and around Southern Africa including Seychelles.

Seychelles is a 115-island archipelago located in the Indian Ocean just off mainland East Africa. A popular tourist destination, it is particularly famous for its white-sand beaches, clear topaz waters, and lush hills. There are several world-famous beaches in the country including Anse Takamaka, Anse Marron, and Anse Source d'Argent. 

Seychelles is more than just a beach lover's paradise, however. Mentioned in the Lonely Planet guidebooks' list of top experiences in Seychelles is the beautiful Morne Seychellois National Park. Located in Mahé, this sprawling nature sanctuary encompasses 20 percent of Mahé’s total land area and contains a wide range of natural habitat types. These include coastal mangrove forests and the peak Morne Seychellois, which, at 905 meters, is the highest in Seychelles.

Australian Cricket Coach Quits Amid Ball-Tampering Scandal

As director of Laurence Martin Developments, a residential property development company based in Johannesburg, Laurence Grigorov has a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. This assists his ability to have a deep technical understanding of the construction and engineering aspects of the residential projects Laurence Martin Developments undertakes.

Laurence Grigorov enjoys watching and following various sports in his down time and has recently been following the Australian tour of South Africa, which unfortunately has been marred by ball-tampering allegations.

An emotional Australia cricket coach Darren Lehmann said on Thursday he was stepping down after this week's test match against South Africa due to abuse he and his family received over a ball-tampering scandal that has rocked the sport.

His voice choking with emotion at a news conference on the eve of the Johannesburg test, the last of the four-match series against arch rivals South Africa, Lehmann said his decision to quit was tough but voluntary.

"My family and I got a lot of abuse over the last week," said Lehmann, a burly former test player known for his no-nonsense approach on and off the field. "Speaking to my family, it's the right time to step away." He conceded that he should take some blame for the aggressive culture that has developed in the Australian team during his time as coach. "Ultimately I'm responsible for the culture of the team. Been thinking about my position for a while, despite telling media yesterday that I'm not resigning," he said.

Watching axed captain Steve Smith break down repeatedly at a news conference on his return to Australia removed any final doubts about quitting, he said. "It's only fair that I make this decision," he said.

Former players had been calling for Lehmann's head, suspecting that he might have been involved in the ball-tampering plan that led to the sacking of Smith, vice-captain David Warner and opener Cameron Bancroft.

Television footage showed Lehmann sending a message out onto the field before Bancroft dropped the piece of sandpaper he was clandestinely using to rough up the ball down his trousers.

However, Cricket Australia cleared Lehmann of wrongdoing, with the organisation's CEO, James Sutherland, saying Lehmann was as surprised as the thousands of spectators in Cape Town's Newlands stadium and millions more watching the images at home.

Laurence Grigorov is pleased South Africa have been able to turn the series around and now currently lead Australia 2-1 with the final game to be held at the Wanderers in Johannesburg

Words and photo courtesy of Supersport.com

Springbok Rugby Coach Allister Coetzee Sacked

Allister Coetzee

As director of Laurence Martin Developments, a residential property development company based in Johannesburg, Laurence Grigorov is involved in all aspects of the development process, including land acquisition, rezoning applications, architectural design as well as the finance and legal components of these complex projects. Laurence Grigorov enjoys watching sport in general and rugby in particular.

The Springboks, which is the South African national rugby team, has been in turmoil over the last 2 years with poor results and a lack of a clear game plan. Laurence Grigorov has been reading with interest the changes that appear to be happening to try and reverse the decline of the team.

As reported in the Associated Press recently, the departure of Coetzee was described by SA Rugby as by mutual agreement but it was widely reported it was seeking to sack Coetzee following another dismal showing on the tour of Europe last November and December. Coetzee and SA Rugby agreed to terminate their contract two years early. In a statement, it quoted Coetzee as saying "Now is the time the team and me strike out in new directions."

Rassie Erasmus, the former Springboks loose forward and ex-director of rugby at Irish club Munster is expected to take over. He returned to South Africa in November as the union's director of rugby.
Coetzee won just 11 of 25 tests in charge since taking over in early 2016, an unacceptable win ratio for a team that believes it should be the best in the world, or at least the No 1 challenger to fierce rival New Zealand. Instead, the Springboks became a laughingstock under Coetzee, collecting a string of unwanted records.

Coetzee's team lost to Ireland for the first time at home in his first test, lost in Argentina for the first time, was beaten 57-15 by New Zealand for its worst defeat at home, and was even beaten by minnow Italy, also for the first time ever. In all, South Africa lost eight tests in 2016, the team's worst season ever just a year after the Springboks finished third at the Rugby World Cup and pushed New Zealand close in the semi-finals.

The lowest point came in 2017, a 57-0 hammering by the All Blacks in New Zealand for South Africa's worst loss anywhere, ever. After that, Coetzee couldn't shrug off doubts over his suitability for the job. The last straw was the record 38-3 loss to Ireland in Dublin in November to start the Boks' end-of-year tour.

It was widely reported in South Africa that SA Rugby would force Coetzee out of the job, with just a possible compensation deal the only complication because he still had two years left on his contract. The relationship turned sour, with Coetzee reportedly sending a letter to SA Rugby criticizing management and saying he was "set up to fail."

The 45-year-old Erasmus has filled various roles at SA Rugby and has been linked with the Springboks coaching job previously. His role as SA Rugby director is to oversee all elements of the national team, and Coetzee reportedly said he was unwilling to work under Erasmus, calling it an "indignity." Asked if he was willing to coach the Springboks, Erasmus said he would do what was best for South Africa.

Croatia – A Mediterranean Fantasy

Croatia

Laurence Grigorov, director of Johannesburg based residential property development company Laurence Martin Developments, is an avid traveller and finds much motivation when travelling abroad to visit foreign countries. Not only does this provide relaxation for him, but it also provides inspiration and creativity for residential projects and developments.

Laurence Grigorov is due to travel to Croatia this year and is excited by the prospect of visiting this diverse and historic country. If your Mediterranean fantasies feature balmy days by sapphire waters in the shade of ancient walled towns, Croatia is the place to turn them into reality.

Croatia's extraordinary island-speckled coastline is indisputably its main attraction. The first thing that strikes you is the clarity of the water. When it's set against a dazzling white pebbly beach, it sparkles with a jewel-like intensity in shades of emerald and sapphire. There are long sandy and shingly stretches too – perfect for lazy days spent lounging and devouring trashy holiday novels. If that all sounds too relaxing, there are myriad water-based activities at hand to lure you off your sun-lounger – snorkelling, diving, kayaking, windsurfing and sailing, just for starters.

Precariously poised between the Balkans and central Europe, this land has been passed between competing kingdoms, empires and republics for millennia. If there's an upside to this continual dislocation, it's in the rich cultural legacy that each has left behind. Venetian palazzi snuggle up to Napoleonic forts, Roman columns protrude from early Slavic churches, and Viennese mansions face off with Socialist Realist sculpture. Excellent museums showcase treasures that cover the gamut of European history, from the prehistoric to the post-communist, telling a story that is in equal parts fascinating and horrifying.

Shift your gaze for just a moment from the glittering waters, and chances are an almighty mountain will loom into view. The Dinaric Alps, which stretch all the way from Italy to Albania, hug much of the coast. The limestone karst has bequeathed a wonderland of craggy peaks, caverns, river canyons, waterfalls and ridiculously picturesque lakes. Head further inland and things flatten out again into rolling farmland.

Sharing food and drink plays a big part in the culture here, which speaks both to the nature of Croatian hospitality and to the quality of local produce. Simple home-style cooking is a feature of family-run taverns, but increasingly a new breed of chefs are bringing a more adventurous approach to the table. Meanwhile, Croatian wines and olive oils are making their mark on the world stage, garnering top awards.

Exposure to these different cultures and styles from around the globe offers exciting new possibilities in architecture and design for Laurence Grigorov. This allows Laurence Martin Developments to develop and evolve their residential products.

MAD's mountain-shaped tower complex nears completion in Beijing

MAD's mountain-shaped tower complex nears completion in Beijing

Laurence Grigorov, who is director of Laurence Martin Developments, often looks for inspiration from international architectural design trends. This allows Laurence Grigorov to continually keep the development projects that the company is involved in, fresh and current. Laurence Martin Developments is a luxury residential development company in Johannesburg, South Africa.

A new project which is Laurence Grigorov believes is shifting modern architectural trends is the new commercial and residential complex based in Beijing which is based on rock formations.

MAD's Chaoyang Park Plaza is a 120,000-square-metre complex of skyscrapers, office blocks and public spaces is located in Beijing's central business district, which sits on the southern edge of Chaoyang Park – one of the largest parks in the city.

In building Chaoyang Park Plaza, the architects intended to create a "city landscape" by referencing the lakes, mountains and stones depicted in traditional Chinese shan shui scenic paintings.

The project is modelled on Shanshui City, the architectural model created by MAD's founder Ma Yansong for an urban development in Guiyang, China. Yansong's vision is intended to rethink how cities and their inhabitants can reconnect with the natural world.

Construction started on the project in 2012 – with the main focus being a pair of asymmetrical 120-metre tall skyscrapers modelled on the natural shapes of rock formations. "Ridges and valleys define the shape of the exterior glass facade, as if the natural forces of erosion wore down the tower into a few thin lines," said the architects.

The irregular silhouettes of the two towers are formed from multi-level terraces populated by public gardens where people can look out over the city. The ridges are embedded with sustainable technologies, using internal ventilation and filtration systems to draw the natural breeze indoors.

A 17-metre-high glass lobby creates a transitional area between the two towers – sounds of flowing water are played throughout the connecting space to "make the lobby feel like a natural scene from a mountain valley," said the studio. The firm's concern with connecting the urban environment with nature is demonstrated by its use of greenery interspersed throughout the towers.

Laurence Grigorov is highly influenced by modern design trends and endeavours to instil these inspirations in the company’s architectural style.

Abland and Tiber Join Forces to Develop Sandton Gate

Abland and Tiber have joined forces to develop the Sandton Gate precinct, combining their respective strengths to deliver a carefully conceived, and ultimately well-executed, product. The sizeable site on which the precinct will unfold, has been assembled over several years by Tiber.

Situated on William Nicol Drive between Sandton Drive and Republic Road, Sandton Gate will be right on the doorstep of South Africa’s economic business centre. The precinct is easily accessible via a number of major arterial routes from Sandton, Hyde Park and the N1 freeway as well as finding itself alongside the current S5 Sandton – Fourways Gautrain Bus Route.

The site provides 130,000 square metres of developable floor area made up of approximately 80,000 square metres of offices, 400 residential units and a variety of lifestyle and smaller retail amenities.  This will include a health club, restaurants or cafés, and other smaller format convenience amenities which will contribute to the overall appeal of the precinct.

The concept of a mixed-use precinct is strongly aligned with the new urbanist principles of creating pedestrian friendly, live-work-play environments. Such environments are also more eco-friendly in that they reduce people’s commutes and carbon footprints. Building on these important sustainability goals, the intention is for every commercial building in Sandton Gate to obtain a minimum Four Star Green Star SA rating.

The first phase of Sandton Gate will include all the necessary infrastructure, plus 10,000 to 15,000 square metres of commercial office space, and a residential component which will commence in the latter part of 2017. The commercial buildings will be developed as high-end A-Grade and P-Grade buildings offering maximum flexibility to accommodate large, medium and smaller users. The residential units will be available for sale and/or leasing while the commercial buildings will be available for leasing.

The joint venture’s ability to expertly manage the development process from inception to completion is a major strength. Tiber’s track record is evidenced by some of South Africa’s most iconic buildings which can be seen dotted along the Sandton skyline. This, blended with Abland’s pedigree in responsibly developing best-in-class, innovative and sustainable developments across the country, lays the foundation for the delivery of an inimitable world-class precinct development.

Savings achieved through efficiencies in the development process can be passed on to occupiers, who will benefit from highly competitive rentals in a prime node. This factor, combined with Sandton Gate’s safe, secure and attractive precinct nature, its easily accessible location, and its focus on sustainability, are sure to make it a highly desirable location to live and work in.

Ambitious and exciting projects such as these offer insight to Laurence Grigorov and the team at Laurence Martin Developments for future projects and developments that the company may benefit from.

The South African National Council for the Blind

Laurence Grigorov has been a supporter and donor of the SA National Council for the Blind for over a decade. He regularly donates to the charity organisation and feels strongly that the support of such organisations is critical for the improvement of South Africa’s society and the upliftment and assistance of the underprivileged.

Laurence Grigorov is director of LaurenceMartin Developments, a residential property development company based in Johannesburg, South Africa. The company specialises in modern, luxury apartments, cluster units and bespoke homes. In his spare time, Laurence Grigorov enjoys reading and exercising as well as travelling abroad.

The South African National Council for the Blind, through a network of over 100 member organisations, serves, supports and facilitates the prevention of blindness, rehabilitation, community development, training and education of South Africans with visual impairments.

The Council was established in 1929 with the objectives of co-ordinating South African organisations for the blind, being the national blind representative body, advocacy and the promotion of the rights of persons with visual impairments. There was also emphasis laid on the prevention of blindness, which led to the establishment of the Bureau for the Prevention of Blindness in 1944.  Since then the Council has grown exponentially – adding education and rehabilitation (1985), a centre making assistive devices available in 1986 as well as entrepreneurial development and support (1991) to its list of services.

Council is a national organisation and comprises nine provincial structures and some 100 member organisations. It is also affiliated to international organisations including the Africa Union of the Blind (AFUB) and the World Blind Union (WBU). The Council comprises four core business areas, namely Social Development, the Bureau for the Prevention of Blindness, Education and lastly Fundraising and Public Relations. These divisions run efficiently with the help of Finance, Administration and Logistics and Governance and Project Services.