Chengal House is an ecologically friendly building designed with the surrounding community in mind, an open layout and 27-foot high ceiling allow in sunlight and promote natural ventilation
WINNING the FIABCI Prix d’Excellence Awards 2017: Silver Award in the Purpose-Built Category for Chengal House is indeed a feather in the cap for Paramount Property.
The building is inspired by the beauty and resilience of Malaysian hardwood. The iconic feature of the development is the purpose-built clubhouse of Sejati Residences, Paramount’s high-end residential development in Cyberjaya.
It is unique and possibly the only clubhouse in Malaysia constructed from 200-year-old upcycled Chengal wood in its fully natural state. In fact, 90% of the timber used in Chengal House is upcycled – a ratio very few buildings can emulate.
The wood, salvaged from an old factory, is among the oldest found in Malaysia and is nicely preserved thanks to being indoors all this time. Its age was determined by carbon dating done in the US.
As a standing tribute to the beauty and resilience of Chengal wood, the architects have ingeniously designed a community space that shows off the tactile surface of the wood, its honeyed hues and beautiful grain texture while making excellent use of its superior strength in structural application.
A very original concept for the development, Chengal House has become a talking point for guests and residents. Conceived as an ecologically
sustainable building and in keeping with Sejati Residence’s concept of ‘inviting the outdoors in’, Chengal House has an open layout and high ceilings that meld the outdoors with the indoors while minimising energy consumption.
Aesthetics aside, Chengal House also has educational aspects. It stands as an educational centre and features interesting information on Malaysian hardwood developed with the help of University Putra’s Forestry School and the Malaysian Timber Industry Board (MTIB).
Paramount Corporation Berhad Group chief executive officer Jeffrey Chew.
Working in synergy, each party in this tripartite provided expertise in different but complementary areas. According to Paramount Corporation Berhad Group chief executive officer Jeffrey Chew, “There were relatively few challenges working together, as the roles of each party were clearly carved out and the working relationship professional and enjoyable.
“We learnt a lot from each other and I know our Paramount teams particularly enjoyed their visits to the forest reserves managed by UPM and the wood factory MTIB arranged for us to visit.”
Several joint initiatives were created around this project. As an experiential learning venue, Chengal House has hosted learning tours for the Real Estate and Housing Developers Association (Rehda) Kedah and Perlis branches and Infrastructure University Kuala Lumpur.
In education, Sri KDU Schools worked with UPM on a forestry programme where UPM professors educated Sri KDU students on the breadth and diversity of our forest resources and their many uses in our lives.
Also, MTIB showcased Chengal House internationally, making it an educational tool as part of efforts to tell the world about the versatility of Malaysia’s wood resources as well as its use as decorative items.
The decision to upcycle the Chengal timber hinged on the company’s vision to be an innovative market leader in businesses that benefit society. This is at the core of what it does in its businesses of property development in education.
Chew explained, “It is natural to find a way to use the wood due to the innovation culture of our company and to benefit society through our action.”
He added, “Property investment and education are usually the two largest investments an individual makes in his lifetime and we believe it is critically important to derive the maximum value from both.”
In terms of property, this means the property invested in must appreciate in value over the years. When the project was first envisioned, it was purely as a business need.
A clubhouse needed to be created that the Sejati Residences community would see value in and be proud of. However, when the carbon dating findings on the wood came back from the US, the company realised it had the opportunity to create something special, not just for Paramount but also for all Malaysians.
Once the idea crystallised, it gained momentum. Paramount sought the advice of UPM, who was already involved in the carbon dating process and who in turn, helped establish a relationship with MTIB.
“It was the tripartite collaboration that truly made it a big idea. I have to thank the leadership of UPM and MTIB, without whom the Chengal House impact wouldn’t be as big as it is today,” Says Chew. Today, Chengal House stands as an iconic tribute to the beauty and resilience of Malaysian hardwood and something Malaysians can be proud of.
Chengal House has raised and enhanced the company’s name and reputation and is a good indication Paramount is going in the right direction.
Sales of Sejati Residences have actually increased and there has also been a lot of interest and sales of other developments under Paramount.
To find out more, log on to www.paramountproperty.my and www.pcb.my/chengalhouse
Follow us on Wechat or Facebook for the latest updates.
Download StarProperty.my e-Mag(bit.ly/StarProperty_Emag) for more articles.
Want to contribute articles to StarProperty.my? Email editor@starproperty.my. [slider id='81590' name='StarProperty' size='full']
