Celebrating the double wins are (from left) Sime Darby Property chief assurance officer Aravindan Devapalan Nair, integrated development chief operating officer Datuk Mohd Idris Abdullah, township development chief operating officer Appollo Leong Yong Kuan, group chief financial officer Betty Lau Sui Hing; Azmir, property development chief executive officer Datuk Mohd Sohimin Mohd Alayedin; chief marketing and sales officer Datuk Lai Shu Wei and chief corporate development officer Datuk Choy Kah Yew.
ARA DAMANSARA: Sime Darby Property Bhd charted another significant milestone in its decorated history as the nation’s pioneering property developer with two major wins at the recent Malaysia Property Award (MPA) 2022.
Organised by FIABCI-Malaysia, the award is the gold standard in the property development industry and recognises companies in pursuit of excellence and continuous value creation. Sime Darby Property’s Cantara Residences, a family-oriented residential development situated in award-winning Ara Damansara won the Residential Mid-Rise category, whereas the City of Elmina won the Masterplan category for its holistic design that proves nature can thrive alongside a well-planned development.
Sime Darby Property group managing director Datuk Azmir Merican said the recognitions are a true testimony to the company’s all-round excellence as a real estate player. “We are proud to be recognised by esteemed industry experts as a true benchmark in the development and sustainability spheres. As a Force for Good, we are driven to develop projects that demonstrate the importance of community cohesion and the well-being of all generations,” he said.
He added: “As an early adopter of the triple bottom line approach of people, planet and prosperity to sustainability, the recognition of our efforts inspires us to work even harder to create sustainable townships, communities, and futures, exemplifying our purpose to be a value multiplier for people, businesses, economies and the planet.”
A new benchmark for sustainable and connected living, Cantara Residences comprises four towers of 888 serviced residences with 13 Green Building Index (GBI) Gold-certified retail units. The development is known for its architecturally iconic double-story Living Sky Bridge, which houses rooftop gardens and residential units within its 168-metre-long structure and is listed in the Malaysia Book of Records as The Longest Residential Sky Bridge in the country. With a curated sanctuary created to foster sustainable growth, Cantara Residences has 3.2 acres of common facilities set within a refreshing urban forest, which has helped to increase the number of greeneries by 200% since the start of development.
Adding another feather to its cap is the City of Elmina which was designed for multi-generational living with a green-inspired community. The master plan embodies all aspects of life based on the eight pillars of wellness as a guiding philosophy and in accordance with Mercer’s Quality of Living Survey assessment of international liveability. Boasting sprawling parklands complemented by the 2,700-acre Bukit Cherakah Forest Reserve, the 6,500-acre City of Elmina is planned with a 90km interconnected jogging and cycling tracks as well as a 300-acre Central Park that has played host to numerous large-scale community celebrations and events.
The 300-acre Elmina City Centre will be gradually developed from 2024 and will house serviced apartments, mixed-use commercial buildings, a transit hub with direct access to future LRT and MRT extensions, offices, a wellness and hospitality hub, as well as an integrated education corridor. The township is also home to many of the nation’s firsts including the Inclusive Playground, Elmina Rainforest Knowledge Centre and Elmina Living Collection Nursery, where a variety of Endangered, Rare and Threatened tree species are nurtured, functioning as a seed and gene bank for future ecosystem and habitat restoration.
“Thank you to FIABCI Malaysia for organising this award that acknowledges achievements and growths in the property development industry. We would also like to thank our stakeholders and Team Sime Darby Property for their unwavering trust and continuous support in us,” said Azmir.
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