Urban beauty

By The Star

Beneton Properties has carved a name for itself with its avant-garde residential and commercial properties.

BENETON Properties’ “property development as art” philosophy and commitment to designing the urban skyline has not gone unnoticed – its luxurious Stonor Park development is named Best Residential High Rise Building by Fiabci Malaysia at the Malaysia Property Award 2007.

The 20-storey, 73-unit, high-end, high-rise residence is said to have sparked the up-market property construction boom in the KLCC area.

When Beneton Properties’ management team first tabled the concept of a spacious, inner-city development on par with those found in cosmopolitan cities around the world, the naysayers came out in force.

The industry perception was that people who are used to bungalow living would not invest in a city centre high-rise condominium – no matter how well appointed.

However, Beneton Properties’ study of Kuala Lumpur’s top-end property market and the corresponding changing lifestyles of the elites showed a clear need and corresponding lack of supply of city-centre homes.

Supported by the logic of supply-and-demand economics and a profound understanding of high-end market preferences, the company persisted in the course of its vision.

Stonor Park is the fruition of that shared vision.

Besides Stonor Park’s prime location – a mere five minutes’ walk from the iconic Petronas Twin Towers – the company’s visionary approach to the development made the all-important difference.

Eschewing the ornamented designs of older projects, the company emphasised on refined contemporary designs to create a spaciousness that would make occupants accustomed to large, landed properties feel at home and have a sense of privacy and security set amidst luxurious finishes.

Stonor Park sparked the up-market property construction boom in the KLCC area.

Stonor Park was the first condominium project in Malaysia to introduce the concept of just two units per floor, paired with a private lift serving each unit.

According to Chan Kin-Meng, Beneton Properties’ Director – Projects & Business Development, the crux of all discussions surrounding the time when Stonor Park was conceived was, “Would I want to live here?”

“This makes the conferment of FIABCI’s Best Residential High Rise Building for 2007 Award to Stonor Park meaningful on a personal level to everyone in our team. FIABCI award winners are selected after careful study by a panel of respected industry experts – and it’s an honour to win,” Chan said.

The attention to detail includes “intangibles” like lighting and acoustics.

Units are well insulated against sound, while the interiors are carefully designed to dampen the hollow echoing common in large spaces.

Exterior spaces are lit to highlight form and create mood through the clever use of light and shadow, while practical lighting serves in both form and function in the development’s high-security car park.

The piece de resistance must surely be its breathtaking, panoramic view of the city centre.

“For many Stonor Park residents, the view alone suffices. Five minutes from the Twin Towers, and the serenity is amazing. You are living within the city, yet apart from the hustle and bustle,” Chan said.

The exclusivity of Stonor Park, its excellent management services, privacy and security, make it an absolute jewel in the crown of urban and urbane Kuala Lumpur living.

Its position and standing as the first in the new wave of up-market condominium projects sweeping the city gives it further cachet. Owners are pleased with the capital appreciation of the units, bought before the circa RM1,500 per sq ft price became the norm.