As symbols of Mammon go, the property developer appears a perfect fit. So too, perhaps, does the high net worth individual. Yet many of today’s homes built by developers for HNWIs are inspired not only by profit but also by faith.
This is because many of the growing number of HNWIs (now up to 12m globally according to research by Capgemini and RBC Wealth Management) will be among the world’s estimated 2.2bn Christians, 1.6bn Muslims and 1bn Hindus (figures from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, a US-based independent think-tank).
The forum estimates there are 4,000 organised religions in the world, many of which use domestic religious symbols in their homes.