Properties from a feng shui perspective: Part 115
By David Koh and Joe Choo | Nov 12, 2009
Feng Shui: Gardens at the city
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The Gardens’ location beside a hugely successful Megamall does not guarantee success.
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Last week, we looked at the environology factors of the hugely popular Mid Valley Megamall and concluded that it was very well designed, either by happenstance or intent. The entire property is embraced like a pearl in the “oyster shell” of the Klang River and the Federal Highway-Jalan Syed Putra. (For Google map reference, please log on to http://maps.google.co.uk/ and search for “Kuala Lumpur”.)
The embrace was further enhanced by Lingkungan Syed Putra which encircles the complex. As traffic goes round and round in one direction, it generates additional energy given off by humans (the Chinese call it “human chi”) as well as entraps earth energy (its effects are similar to that of a river).
Traffic congestion is a regular feature for Lingkungan Syed Putra, and that is another lucky happenstance as a “slow-moving river” like this is more conducive in generating and preserving energy compared to fast-moving cars that can disperse the surrounding energy.
There are three ingresses feeding into this circle and up to recently, only two exits. This also helps create a positive balance to the energy pool, constantly adding on to it and infusing the complex with more energy. This is highly attractive to living beings and thus, people are drawn to it.
To exit via Jalan Maarof, traffic must still make a circuitous trip around the west side of the Megamall. The newly opened Seputeh exit expands on the original “Volvo exit” to provide an easier way out to the Federal Highway.
We then looked at the sister development located next to the Megamall. It is reasonable to expect that the Gardens at Mid Valley City (as it is officially called) would benefit from the crowds generated by the Megamall. If anything, the Gardens would be a simple extension to the 430-shop Megamall, offering shoppers additional “therapy” and more choices for food and entertainment. With the surplus of space, they can even target upscale customers by making it more exclusive.
What a brilliant concept! To cement its exclusivity, the Gardens also comes with apartment suites and a six-star hotel.
Location, location, location – in this case, beside a hugely successful Megamall – does not guarantee success, as seen by the stark contrast in visitors to the Gardens. Perhaps the shopping outlets here are too far upmarket to interest the crowds who may prefer something more mid-range and affordable. Perhaps the rich do not like shopping locally, preferring the added snob factor of shopping in Hong Kong, Paris, Milan or New York (or whichever is the fashion centre these days).
Perhaps, visitors are not aware of its existence because it is not easily noticeable. From Lingkungan Syed Putra, motorists only see the Gardens Residences and hotel, and then some foundation pillars. From the Megamall, the view is blocked by the Boulevard.
We pointed out the possibility of another factor – environology – that could have contributed to its present situation. An ideal orientation for the Gardens would be west, to face the embrace of the Klang River. This flies in the face of logic, of course, as it makes better sense to face east towards the Megamall. How else will visitors access this new shopping experience?
Multiple access
There is no shortage of access points. There is a covered bridge linking the two buildings. At ground level, a canopied walkway is provided. Below ground level at the food court, there is also a tunnel that connects them. Yet, the results remain unchanged.
Of all these options, we believe the tunnel must be the worst idea of all. Tunnels are channels where winds flow fairly quickly: the term “wind tunnel” is fairly common. Where there are winds, energy cannot remain and without pools of gentle, homogenous energy, the area cannot attract people.
Mind you, this is not an isolated case (and we are not picking on the Gardens!). Just look at all the tunnel set-ups around the world. Often, you will find the developers cleverly maximising the space along these walkways by setting up shops or booths to tap into the massive crowds that pass through daily.
The concept is brilliant, of course. But how many of these businesses actually do well or survive long-term? We know of none. Pedestrian traffic simply breezes by. Perhaps that is the reason: people are rushing to get from one place to another. Or perhaps the wind tunnel effect robs these places of conducive energy and in turn dampens business prospects.
Tunnels notwithstanding, the Gardens eastward orientation and with its back to the river means it cannot tap into the gentle, homogenous energy pool gathered within the river’s embrace. Instead, it receives fast moving energy which is too vigorous to be harmonious.
The shopping mall has a lower back and is facing relatively higher ground. Since energy flows from high ground to low, buildings that face high land are at the receiving end of this inflow, which is not very conducive.
Go west
If it had been oriented to the west, the Gardens is likely to do better, illogical as it may sound to the architect or planner. Sceptics can say it is easy for us to make such observations in hindsight since we can selectively pick out points that support our argument and conveniently leave out those that do not.
That is a very good point and indeed, one that is difficult to argue. That is why we often offer other possibilities that could explain the situation behind various properties. We leave it to our dear readers to decide for themselves whether they should believe in it or otherwise.
Over time, we hope to win over enough converts that they become more demanding in their choice of property purchases, be it as an investment or their homes. We hope they would avoid properties that are not oriented ideally, so that their harmony and success are not jeopardised. What good is it to have a nice-looking house only to have a broken family – relationship and financial – or poor health?
If enough of us are more discerning, we will send a strong message to town planners and developers that poorly oriented and designed houses are no longer acceptable. By hitting them in their bank accounts, they may be compelled to plan residential and commercial properties that are conducive and beneficial to the occupants.
Back to the Gardens, we are quite fortunate to have a control. Built on the same site, within the same complex, based on the same upmarket theme, are the hotel and apartment suites which face west, the direction we are advocating as the better option. Perhaps it was by design, to give it an air of exclusivity. Perhaps it was for practical reasons, to avoid the traffic congestion that is especially bad at the entrances to the Megamall.
Whatever the reason, these buildings are embraced by the river and main road. This is very conducive and these properties should do well. That would defy logic, would it not? After all, the shopping mall, hotel and apartments are part of the same complex and cater to the same upscale market. Time will tell.
Next, we will explore a neighbouring development that has been around for a long time. Despite its proximity to the city centre and the potential for exclusivity – there’s that term again! – Taman Seputeh does not seem to live up to its potential.
*This series on feng shui and real estate properties appear courtesy of the Malaysia Institute of Geomancy Sciences (MINGS). David Koh is the founder of MINGS and has been a feng shui master and teacher for the past 35 years.
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