WATERFALL EFFECT: Cascading water on split levels create a dramatic and contemporary experience
For a first-time participant in a property competition, Mitraland Group can be justifiably proud that its entry, the Cascades won big at the Asia Pacific Property Awards, so big in fact that the project will now compete with projects from other regions for the world’s best award for Best Mixed-use Development.
Commenting on the award, Chairman of Mitraland Group, Datuk Johan Ariffin said: “This award is a manifestation of the collective efforts of sound research, an exciting lifestyle based concept design and great teamwork between our consultants and staff at Mitraland. It is indeed an honour for us to win this on the very first try and this will indeed drive us to try even harder with our coming projects to create more winning concepts.”
Located at Kota Damansara, the Cascades comprises a 30-storey office corporate tower with a gross floor area (GFA) of 240,000 sq ft. Typical units have built-ups of between 697 and 1,565 sqft, with the starting selling price of RM453,100.The leasehold property sits on 4.7 acres of commercial plot and has a gross development value (GDV) of RM445 million which represents about 30 per cent of the GDV of all its current projects.
The first phase comprises 40 retail units while the second phase comprises of 266 units of serviced apartments with buyers comprising mostly local professionals of between 30 and 45 years old. The Cascades is currently 90 per cent sold out with limited bumiputera units still available. It was marketed overseas specifically in Singapore with encouraging results.
“We have a strong database of existing clients, new registrants and a healthy 30 per cent following of repeat buyers for all launches,” Datuk Johan revealed.
Cascades targets entry level investors, businessmen as well as corporations and entities seeking rental and business opportunities. It also caters to companies looking to move out of the city due to high rental and traffic congestion. For the Residences, it looks to the middle to upper group, single urbanites and young families.
Prior to conceptualising the project, the company had conducted amarket survey through a research company to assess the demand for retail, office and residential developments. The demand trend survey results showed an encouraging demand for mixed type projects with a focus on residential and commercial components with a strong lifestyle offering.
In order to assist the buyers, the trendsetting developer had made arrangements with their main banker, Affin Bank Berhad in addition to Malayan Banking Berhad, United Overseas Bank (M) Bhd, Public Bank Berhad and Ambank Berhad for speedy end-financing.
In terms of design, energy and excitement rule with sleek lines and energetic spaces dominating. Water features flow within the development, seamlessly merging the indoors and outdoors through a linear plaza that connects pedestrians to each of The Cascades’ components while offering the best of alfresco dining and other activities.
Immersed in green: The Cascades is surrounded by greens. Four sky gardens, green walls, extensive landscape and water features create an ambience of pure refreshment. Rhythmic architectural lines balance the buildings and exterior spaces. Raised and horizontally flowing earth mounding sets it apart from conventional urban plazas, while water cascades on split levels creating a dramatic and contemporary experience.
All three components i.e. Retail, Residential and Corporate Offices are well-connected and complement each other, with ample basement parking. Cascades building orientations have taken into account the sun and most units are designed to face the auspicious North and South directions.
In addition to successfully obtaining the Green Building Index DA Certification for Cascades Residences and BCA Provisional Green Mark Certification for the Cascades Corporate Suites, the project has incorporated many energy-efficient features such as T5 lighting complete with high frequency ballasts for the offices and car parks; sun-shading features, day-lighting strategy such as window heights that maximise natural lighting, and motion sensors in toilets and staircases.
The lifts come with regenerative Variable Voltage Variable Frequency (VVVF) control while the escalators come with slow down feature and sleep mode when not in use. Even the basement car parks have jet fans with carbon dioxide sensors to monitor the carbon dioxide concentration and regulate the air flow.
With so many plusses, not surprisingly the project has sold like hot cakes. To add to its desirability, the Cascades is set amidst an affluent population of over 500,000 within a 5km catchment area, and is 22km away from Kuala Lumpur city centre.
It is surrounded by shopping and entertainment centres such as Giant, IKEA, The Curve, One Utama; golf clubs such as Tropicana Golf & Country Club, Seri Selangor Country Club, Bandar Utama Golf & Country Club and medical centres such as Tropicana Medical Centre and Damansara Specialist Centre.
Educational institutions like SEGI College, Sri KDU, KDU College and IUCTT are nearby too.
Cascades is within easy reach of major highways and is located right next to Giant Hypermarket in Kota Damansara. The development is accessible via Jalan PJU 5/26 that links to Persiaran Surian with access to major highways such as the LDP, NKVE, Sprint and Penchala Link. What’s exciting is that there is a proposed MRT from Kota Damansara to Cheras.
The project is also a mere 700m walking distance to the proposed KVMRT Dataran Sunway station. Cascades incorporates covered walkways that seamlessly connect the Ground & First floor to maximise business frontage and optimise pedestrian flow. Further, the drop off areas are strategically located for easy access and are disabled friendly.
Initially though, there were some hiccups in the construction, the main challenge being the site terrain which escalates upwards from the main road. This was effectively and aesthetically utilised in the architectural concept of cascading blocks that courted the terrain, with the office and residential towers sited at the high point taking full advantage of the view.
On the back of this win, the company will be launching 16 Quartz, Melawati, its second superlink courtyard villas and zero-lot villas in the second half of 2012. Beyond Malaysia, it is looking at a residential opportunity in Australia, says its Chairman Datuk Johan.