By Lee Yan Li
Alya Kuala Lumpur offers the best of both worlds
Sime Darby Brunsfield Holding Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Amir Salleh expresses the company's aspiration for the Senada Residences as part of the master planning of Alya Kuala Lumpur, Sime Darby Property's new master brand.
IN times when more and more urbanites are moving out to the suburbs, Senada Residences@Alya Kuala Lumpur presents an even more attractive option for those who desire the best of both worlds.
Nestled amidst the lush foliage of Bukit Kiara, Senada Residences is one of the earliest launches of the newly introduced Alya Kuala Lumpur, a master development plan which marks the major brand repositioning of Sime Darby Property Bhd’s KLGCC Resort.
Living in the area meant one can be eight km away from Kuala Lumpur city centre, which translates to approximately a 10-minute drive on a clear day with little traffic, and is still able to bask in a natural setting with extensive green areas and facilities.
“As more people are moving further out to the outlier regions to pursue a larger living space or to escape the high-density urban life, this is where Alya Kuala Lumpur offers its unique position,” said Sime Darby Brunsfield Holding Sdn Bhd (SDBH) chief executive officer Amir Salleh.
“Alya Kuala Lumpur with its first release, Senada Residences, are surrounded by expansive natural environment. Our TPC Kuala Lumpur alone offers vast stretch of greenery, and we are talking about 360 acres of land when you add on Bukit Kiara forest reserve and Kelab Golf Perkhidmatan Awam Malaysia (KGPA), which together form a very large green lung at a very central part of the city,” he added.
Alya Kuala Lumpur comprises eight development parcels spanning across a total of 61 acres covering residential, commercial, retail and hospitality components.
The development has an estimated total gross development value (GDV) of over RM8bil and is set to be completed in 10 years.
Senada Residences provides an optimal environment for residents to engage in social networking.
Senada Residences: A life of urban greenery
Senada Residences, the latest launch of Alya Kuala Lumpur, will be developed by Sime Darby Brunsfield Resort Sdn Bhd, a company formed under the strategic partnership between Sime Darby Group and Brunsfield International Group.
“It will be a 4.3-acre mixed development comprising two residential towers and an office tower completed with a four-storey retail lifestyle podium.
“It is true that there has been a lot of retail and office development in the market but Senada is endowed with unique advantages in its location, positioning, value proposition and branding,” added Amir.
In fact, the location offers one of the most comprehensive road infrastructures with accessibility to Federal highway, Damansara-Puchong Highway (LDP), North Klang Valley Expressway (NKVE) and Sprint highway.
“We are bordered with very mature and sought-after neighbourhoods such as Bukit Damansara, Mont Kiara, Bangsar, Taman Tun Dr Ismail (TTDI), Sri Hartamas and Bukit Tunku, so we have this unique position in terms of location with very good infrastructure, ample facilities and amenities,” said Amir.
“Given the unique features that we have, it is our intention to create another international destination in Alya Kuala Lumpur,” said Amir.
Senada Residences offers a mixed development setting in the lush greenery.
.Alya Kuala Lumpur as an alluring international attraction
Senada Residences' target market includes a mix of owner occupiers and investors, especially those from the surrounding areas who are looking to upgrade or to stay in a resort-style development.
The project is also expecting to attract foreigners and avid golfers who enjoy staying in Kuala Lumpur's most affluent neighbourhood surrounded by two 18-hole golf courses bordering a forest reserve.
The 245-acre Bukit Kiara public park serves as a haven for joggers, hikers, bikers and wildlife enthusiasts.
“One of our key approaches is the inclusiveness of the area. We understand Bukit Kiara is not only enjoyed by residents of the area, as there are people who purposely drive there to enjoy the natural surroundings and activities that are offered.
“At the end of the day, Alya is not just a place for the local community, but also a haven that we would like to create for the population of Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley, which also serves as a tourism destination,” said Amir, who is also heading the joint venture management team in Sime Darby Property.
Part of the aspiration for Alya Kuala Lumpur is to become a must-see attraction for regional and international travellers. Alya further underscores Sime Darby Property’s continuing contribution to the growth and development of Greater Kuala Lumpur/Klang Valley to be the top-20 most liveable global metropolis by 2020 as well as one of the economic drivers under the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP).
Amir placed huge confidence in Alya's potential as an international attraction as the overall development has already successfully hosted a number of international events, including CIMB Classic, Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia and Maybank Malaysian Open.
“We had also hosted BMW Malaysian WTA Open 2016 for the first time and we have more of these activities planned, though we don't plan to restrict to golf or sports activities. Our plan is to enhance the area with cultural and entertainment events as well.
“Alya Kuala Lumpur has garnered considerable attention among those who follow golf through CIMB Classic events for the past five years,” said Amir.
While admitting the current market condition and the globalised business environment might make the development more attractive to international buyers, Amir believed Alya Kuala Lumpur presents a unique opportunity for local residents and the development will be able to drive quite a significant local interest.
Senada Residences' shaded cabana by the pool side.
A strategic location
Despite the issues of affordability and traffic congestion, Amir believed the strategic location and comprehensive offerings of the vicinity place Senada Residences at a most advantaged position.
Traffic impact studies have been conducted as part of the development process, and the company is serious in taking necessary measures to mitigate Alya's impact on traffic in the area.
“Traffic congestion is a reality that everybody has to accept and embrace as a modern-day dilemma, but Alya Kuala Lumpur is better placed than most other areas because of its robust transport infrastructure, and with the government trying to improve the public transport infrastructure, it will help the situation,” said Amir.
Besides the retail offerings of the development itself, Senada Residences will be surrounded by shopping destinations such as Plaza Damas, The Curve, One Utama, Ikea, Bangsar Village, 1 Mont Kiara Shopping Centre and Bangsar Shopping Centre.
Nearby educational institutions include British International School, Garden International School, Australian International School, Help University and University of Malaya.
Alya Kuala Lumpur will be the last development of this nature that can be found in this sort of location within Kuala Lumpur.
“We have fantastic road infrastructure, upcoming rail infrastructure, as well as all the facilities and amenities that were developed over many years, along with all the mature neighbourhoods.
“In this particular location, I believe many people will accept that Alya Kuala Lumpur is a sought-after location with high value, and hence the ability to offer affordability is constrained.
“Having said that, we do not shed our responsibility to provide affordable housing, as SDBH has development projects located in other areas that are tiered to meet this particular challenge in the market,” said Amir.
Artist's impression of the drop-off point for retail and residence.
SDBH: A strategic partnership
While SDBH will be focusing on Senada Residences in the master plan of Alya Kuala Lumpur this year, the company is planning to launch another parcel closer to TTDI entrance side with primarily residential units, complete with some commercial and retail components.
The rest of the development parcels in Alya will subsequently comprise residential developments such as bungalows, condominiums, town houses, serviced apartments, as well as commercial, retail and hospitality components.
Among the other high profile projects developed by SDBH are Kenny Hills Residence and Oasis Damansara Linear City – an integrated community development consisting of Oasis Square, Sime Darby Plantation, Oasis Corporate Park and Oasis Autonexus.
“Oasis Damansara is the flagship project as well as the first major development that sees the collaboration between Sime Darby Property and Brunsfield International Group, with Oasis Square being the first development parcel that was launched.
“Oasis Square, Sime Darby Plantation and Kenny Hills Residence are recently completed, while Oasis Corporate Park and Oasis Autonexus are approaching completion.
“While all our projects are important to us, Alya Kuala Lumpur represents a new master branding of Sime Darby Property. We have high aspirations for it as this development is a visionary plan to reach beyond the needs and wants of the community. Hence, it carries a special significance for us,” said Amir.
Artist's impression of Senada Residences' living room.
Senada Residences: launching soon
Senada Residences will be launched on this coming Saturday and Sunday (September 10 and 11) at Alya Property Gallery, TPC Kuala Lumpur (formerly known as KLGCC). Its completion date is set in 2020.
The development holds a commercial title that includes two towers with 429 units of residential serviced units. Tower A will consist of 259 units while Tower B will offer 170 units with built-up areas ranging from 700 sq ft to 1,900 sq ft.
Offering one, two and 3+1 bedrooms with choices of dual-key units, the prices of the units range from RM978,800 to RM2.9mil.
The design concept of Senada Residences is derived from its immediate and regional context as a direct extension of the golf course, highlighting the contrast between natural and man-made forms, while drawing inspiration from shelf mushrooms that grow on the trunks of the trees in Malaysian forests. The interplay of reflective and non-reflective glass to the facade simulate the reflections of water under the setting sunlight.
This concept manifests as an elegant series of organically shaped undulating slabs of concrete. Rising from the earth, the smooth glass crystalline towers are contrasted against the sky terraces and shade fins.
“In its Arabic origins, Alya means ‘sky, heaven and divinity’. It is a development that forgoes the business as usual approach, which transcends the mere measurement of density and square footage. It is an experiential journey for the country and for the city which offers something different from what has been seen in the past,” said Amir.
For more information, visit www.alya.com.my/senada or call +603 7843 9898.
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