Being one of the newest players in the property arena has not stopped TA Properties Sdn Bhd (TAP) from entering a game that its more experienced contemporaries are now in the thick of playing.

Following its successful launch of Damansara Idaman, a gated-and-guarded enclave near the Tropicana Golf and Country Resort in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, the group recently gave PropertyTimes the first look at its latest project in the form of Idaman Residence, a highrise condo smack in the heart of Kuala Lumpur’s Golden Triangle, where the who’s who of real estate are showcasing their latest talents.

“Idaman means aspiration and it’s a theme we’re adopting for our latest luxury development off Jalan P. Ramlee,” said TAP’s executive director Rabindran Thaver.

How fittingly so. With a Gross Development Value of RM260 million, the project is envisaged to be a 34-storey tower featuring 248 units that aspire to be home to those who can afford its prices averaging RM650psf.

At cursory glance, the value might appear intimidating … until it is put into perspective. It puts absolute prices from RM565,000 to RM1.4 million for the standard units; RM680,000 to RM1.4 million for the garden units; and RM2 million to RM4.8 million for the nine duplex penthouses.

And suddenly, the cost to live the high life near the Petronas Twin Towers just became a little more affordable. Unlike the other up-and-coming projects in the vicinity that emphasise on copious amounts of built-up space for their occupants, Idaman Residence stands almost apart in accommodating units of more “intimate” sizes.

With standard units ranging from 845sq ft to 2,170sq ft, it sits in a niche that does not pit it headlong with other projects, insofar as pricing is concerned.

Nevertheless, being the latest gem to take shape in an area that is heralding the era of prestigious inner-city living, it is prepared to do battle in the luxury stakes.

Among those which will see Idaman Residence as “the competition”, said Rabindran, are KLCC Bhd which is offering The Binjai, pegged haughtily above the RM1,000psf mark, as well as Bandar Raya Development Bhd, which is upping the prestige level of the area to celebrity status with its much anticipated The Troika designed by Lord Norman Foster.

Despite being in the presence of the big boys, Rabindran is comfortably confident of his project.

“Anyone who builds anything here is a competitor. And to them, we are a competitor. But we have unique features that will distinguish our name.”

Elaborating, he said the project’s architect, Ken Yeang of T.R. Hamzah & Yeang Sdn Bhd and Datin Alicia Tiah, executive chairman of TA Enterprise Bhd, TAP’s parent company, have given a great amount of attention to personalising Idaman Residence.

For instance, he said, “Datin Alicia played a major role in its concept, creating the super pool and water wall idea”.

Besides these elements, Idaman Residence, spread over 1.45 acres of freehold land, will also earn the distinction of being an “ecologically green project” that will bring out the best in tropical living.

This is where Yeang comes into the picture. Being a world-acclaimed maestro in making such a concept come alive, Rabindran said it was the obvious choice to appoint him.

The architect’s achievements span Europe, the United States and Asia, and at home, they include the 24-storey Menara IBM in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, KL, as well as the 15-storey Menara Mesiniaga in Subang Jaya, Selangor.

On Idaman Residence, Yeang said “it will have its own unique personality”.

“I want to introduce three qualities to the project: It will be beautiful to look at, pleasurable to use and prestigious to own,” he said.

The charm seems to have already taken effect, with a 30 per cent registration already recorded for Idaman Residence since it was opened for registration on June 27. The official launch is scheduled for September.

Rabindran said most of the buyers will be professionals in the 25 to 45 age bracket, and pointed out that their decision to purchase will be either for investment or owner-occupation.

According to him, everything looks like it is right on schedule.

“We applied for the Development Order two years ago, and since we got it in November last year, we’ve been working closely with Yeang to create a condo that’s different from the others.

“The layout had to give a sense of green not only in its design, but in the way it treats airflow and light.

“It’s façade also has to complement the skyline - being close to the Petronas Twin Towers means it has to look the part.”

With TAP letting Yeang do what he does best, what emerged is a floor-plan that is unique and unlike any other in the locale.

“Being green means two things - it will use less energy and it will be naturally ventilated,” Yeang said, adding that “even the staircases will be naturally ventilated, as will the basement car-park and restrooms”.

“Every unit will have a corner window to allow for natural cross ventilation and light, while the balconies will come with sunshade features to counteract the midday heat.”

As a result of his input, the tropical skyscraper will relate well to the climate in terms of sun and rain, but yet retain a modern Zen feel with its clean, simple and sleek features.

Its “oasis in the city feel”, as Yeang describes it, will be complemented by a super pool - 70ft at its widest - as well as a water wall feature. Cascading water flowing from the ceiling to the ground will grace the naturally ventilated entrance lobby, which is also designed along a stretch of water walk.

The four garden units of Idaman Residence, located on the 6th floor above the car-parking levels, will boast extensive gardens with extra large balconies while the duplex penthouses will have roof gardens, in line with the green theme.

A key selling point for Idaman Residence will lie in its accessibility from two entry points: Jalan P. Ramlee or Jalan Ampang.

A stroll away from many of KL’s upscale shopping, fine dining and entertainment outlets, one thing’s for sure - its occupants will be living in a 21st century dream.

- Property Times 09 July 2005 issue -

<< BACK ...............................................................................