The Senja rises

Property developers have moved on from building basic shelters to providing quality, sustainable homes that offer lifestyle elements that meet the discerning needs of homebuyers today.

The current trend in lifestyle homes is to cater to the growing sophistication and affluence of the people as well as their preference for a living environment that is curated to complement their needs and aspirations.

This means a blend of carefully selected offerings from state-of-the-art clubhouse, recreational and wellness facilities, nice landscaped green spaces and more, all within a gated-and-guarded environment.

“A home is more than just a shelter for homebuyers, it is an amalgam of the environment, infrastructure, surrounding neighbourhoods, as well as the amenities that align with their adoption of the live-work-play-learn philosophy,” says BRDB Developments Sdn Bhd (BRDB) CEO Kajendra Pathmanathan.

“The concept of building lifestyle homes is not just putting all the ‘hardware’ into the project, but a developer will need to think about the interaction of modern features with the natural settings of the land to create the right formula of the lifestyle homes,” he says, adding that the challenge is to create value for homebuyers and build communities that inspire.

Since its inception in 1964, BRDB has drawn up a track record of creating exclusive lifestyle developments including One Menerung and the Serai Bukit Bandaraya in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, The Troika in KLCC, the 35.2-acre The Straits View Residences and Emerald Bay in Puteri Harbour, Johor Bahru, as well as Tamansari in Rawang, Selangor. BRDB Developments also has a presence in Pakistan, the UK, Oman and Australia.

“Our properties have stood the test of time and continue to appreciate in value. The company’s success stems from our distinctive brand promise — ‘Inspired by the richness of life’, which is anchored on three pillars — intelligent design, uplifting aesthetics and embracing cosmopolitan,” offers Kajendra.

More recently, BRDB introduced exclusive lakeside residences in Seri Kembangan, Selangor which is seeing rising demand for lifestyle homes.

The 47-acre resort home development Senja Residence is surrounded by lush greenery and its location by the South Lake of The Mines Resort City has become one of the focal points of Senja’s design concept of lakeside living. Its master plan is designed to allow residents to reconnect with nature and with each other. It offers homebuyers a peaceful sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Indulge in fine living

Senja which in Bahasa Malaysia means twilight or dusk, conveys the time of day for reflection, calm and tranquillity. The name also reflects the developer’s vision to craft a project that offers its residents an “indulgence in fine living”.

According to Kajendra, the leasehold lakeside development consists of well landscaped parks as well as a clubhouse located at the heart of the development.

“The centrepiece of the development is an oasis that captures the day’s changing colours as the sun passes, cool and soothing in the heat of the afternoon, soft and bathed with golden light as evening falls,” he says. Notably, the clubhouse boasts a wide range of offerings for all age groups.

For working adults, the signature clubhouse is custom-designed to complement the work-life-integration of the modern executives’ lifestyle. Within it is an elegant business lounge complemented by the adjacent elevation lounge and discussion area. The well-equipped gym will also be a definite asset to busy executives.

Children can live out their adventures amidst the lush greenery, while the central park with children’s playground is perfect for the little ones.

The elderly will relish the resort-inspired living perfect for dawn or dusk walks by the lake or have a group wellness activity or just moments of tranquillity. For the more active ones, there is the tennis court which is surrounded by lush greenery, giving it a true country club ambience.

As for the homes, light and space play a big part in each residential unit’s design. Tall, floor-to-ceiling windows let in shafts of sunlight and shade, while wide verandas and broad balconies offer direct access from home to nature within a gated-and-guarded community.

Currently, Senja Residence offers homebuyers 114 residences comprising 62 luxury terraced homes, 24 semi-dees, 26 villas and two bungalows.

The terraced homes measure 26ft by 92ft with built-ups ranging from 3,250 sq ft to 3,697 sq ft. The semi-dees have land area sizes from 3,496 sq ft and built-up of 4,380 sq ft.

The villas are even bigger at 46ft by 98ft or 4,508 sq ft, with built-ups of 4,680 sq ft and 4,675 sq ft. The two exclusive bungalow homes have land area sizes of 7,621 sq ft and 8,804 sq ft and built-ups of 5,621 sq ft and 6,570 sq ft respectively.

“We have stayed true to our three pillars when developing Senja Residence — creating an environment that is liveable, designed for functionality and conducive to the cosmopolitan lifestyle. Each of Senja Residence’s luxury residences has been designed to enhance its residents’ enjoyment of lakeside living. Lush greenery abounds with resort-inspired facilities, all which bear the hallmarks to quality and craftsmanship that BRDB is known for,” says Kajendra.

Strategic location and healthy fundamentals

Residential property values in Seri Kembangan have been climbing over the years as the area has become a popular choice for those looking for spacious lifestyle homes with convenient amenities at hand.

Senja Residence is in a private enclave within the Bluwater Estate in Seri Kembangan. It is surrounded by the townships of Sri Petaling, Bukit Jalil, Puchong, Bandar Kinrara, Cyberjaya and Putrajaya. It has easy access to various highways such as Damansara-Puchong Expressway (LDP), Shah Alam Expressway (KESAS), Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2), North-South Expressway Central Link (ELITE), Sungai Besi Expressway (SBE) and Kajang Dispersal Link Expressway (SILK).

Kajendra believes that in future, the MRT Line 2 or the Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya line will attract more people to work and stay in Seri Kembangan.

The MRT line will run from Sungai Buloh to Putrajaya with the proposed Serdang Raya North, Serdang Raya South, Seri Kembangan, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Taman Universiti, Equine Park and Taman Putra Permai stations serving the Seri Kembangan and Serdang areas.

Senja Residence’s neighbours include prestigious schools such as The Australian International School of Malaysia and the Alice Smith School Secondary Campus. Tertiary education institutes nearby include Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Multimedia University (MMU) and Limkokwing University of Creative Technology.

Seri Kembangan is also home to landmarks such as The Palace of Golden Horses, the Selangor Turf Club, and The Mines Shopping Mall.

The recent announcements on the transformation of the Mines International Exhibition and Convention Centre (MIECC) into the Mines Car City Centre (MCCC), touted to be the first and largest automotive expo centre in Asean will also add economic vibrancy to the area.

“Seri Kembangan is a self-sustaining mature township with plenty of amenities where one can basically get everything from daily needs to education, shopping and leisure as well as commercial activities,” offers Kajendra.

Call 03-2727 7555 for more details.

This story first appeared in the EdgeProp.my pullout on Oct 19, 2018. You can access back issues here.