Designed to wow
Move over sky gardens and glass gyms, new condos boast outdoor jacuzzis and treehouses
By tay suan chiang
With new condominium launches popping up so frequently, developers are going all out to woo buyers with apartments that come with unique features.
So forget sky gardens, all-glass gyms overlooking the swimming pool and communal lap pools. Once to-die-for, such facilities are becoming a dime a dozen.
Instead, drool over personal pools, en- suite 'sky garages' for high-rise apartments, penthouses with private spa tubs and outdoor showers and baths.
However, these wow factors come at a price - apartments with such features usually fall in the $2 million-plus range.
One of the newest residential projects to offer a different way of condo living is UOL Group's Waterbank at Dakota. Apart from the usual studio, two-, three- and four-bedroom units, there is a row of 11 'cabana' units that cost about $1.3 million each.
Cabanas, Spanish for cabins, are usually shelters on a beach or by a swimming pool. But at the Waterbank, think resort- style residential units with all the comforts of an apartment.
The two-bedroom cabana homes, which are built on top of the multi-storey carpark, have outdoor showers and a common 50m lap pool at the doorstep.
The idea of strolling out to a pool at your front door as if you were on a holiday getaway sure is appealing. Nine of the cabanas have been sold since their launch two weeks ago. They are expected to be ready by 2014.
Engineer Nigel Chu, who is in his 30s, is one of the buyers. The avid swimmer, who paid $1.32 million for his 1,421 sq ft unit, was looking for an apartment that had direct access to the pool.
'Buying a ground floor unit means having other units above me, which I didn't like,' he says. The cabana unit suits him better and 'I also like that it has a large patio', he adds.
Apart from cabana units, UOL has also introduced various 'wow' features in its other developments, such as 'treehouse' units at Meadows @ Peirce and private pools at Nassim Park Residences.
UOL chief operating officer Liam Wee Sin says: 'We constantly create new and interesting prototypes in each of our projects to introduce variety to Singapore's housing market. With the homebuyers in mind, we come up with unique prototypes with a strong focus on design and lifestyle.' A registered architect, he came up with the idea of the cabana units.
In 2008, developer Hayden Properties made headlines with the launch of its high-end luxury condo Hamilton Scotts.
Units in this development come with en-suite sky garages, allowing residents to park their cars right in their homes. The apartments are priced from $2,700 per sq ft and there are 'some units' left, according to a Hayden sales consultant.
The project, which is due for completion next year, is the first in Asia to feature sky garages. Hayden's founder, Ms Ong Chih Ching, said in an earlier report that 'we wanted something flamboyant and high-end... new and creative'.
The Marq On Paterson Hill, which was launched by upmarket developer SC Global in 2007, boasts another first in Singapore. Every apartment in one of its towers will have a cantilevered 15m lap pool. Swimmers can enjoy views of Orchard Road while doing laps.
According to SC Global, 'buyers who seek the benefits of a good-class bungalow - the luxury of space, airiness, an outdoor pool - will find it in The Marq'.
In 2007, one of these units sold for $31 million.
While The Marq stands out literally, several developers are offering the luxury of private jet pools and outdoor baths.
Among them is City Developments (CDL), which in 2006 introduced private jacuzzis and pools on the roof terrace of penthouses at The Oceanfront @ Sentosa Cove.
A CDL spokesman says that 'because of the development's unique location at the edge of the waterfront, residents living in these apartments can enjoy magnificent ocean views while relaxing in their private pool and jacuzzi'.
He adds that 'with positive feedback from homebuyers, we have gone on to include similar features selectively in our more recent developments'.
Luxury features drive up costs
For example, at the developer's Volari at Balmoral, all the four-bedroom units have private jet pools in the balconies, while the penthouses have pools on the roof terraces.
'These exclusive features resonate well with consumers looking for a luxurious, indulgent and unique lifestyle experience,' says CDL.
Private outdoor baths can be found in Wing Tai Group's L'Viv at Newton. They are in its 72 two-bedroom-plus-study units, which cost from $2 million each. More than 85 per cent of the units that were launched last month have been sold, says a Wing Tai spokesman.
He adds: 'We see a growing trend where buyers are placing more importance on their 'bath' experience, possibly from their enjoyment of top-end resort villas in Bali and the Maldives. We are excited to bring to this development a 'getaway retreat'.'
Property expert Chris Koh, who is a director at Dennis Wee Group, says developers introduce exclusive features 'to make their developments stand out from the rest and to offer residents a lifestyle that is different from that of typical condos'.
He adds that because such features tend to drive up construction costs, they are likely to be offered only in luxury developments.
He does not think the trend will catch on in suburban developments as the prices will be out of reach for buyers in that segment.
Still, not everyone is wowed by the features that developers are throwing in.
'Ultimately, a home that is spacious and conveniently located is what matters to me,' says financial consultant Bernard Lee, 50. 'These features are a luxury but they are just costly extras that will lose their novelty eventually.'
taysc@sph.com.sg
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Wow factor: Private jet pools and steam spa rooms
Where: Hilltops by SC Global; The Oceanfront @ Sentosa Cove and Volari by City Developments; and L'Viv by Wing Tai Group
What: It is no longer enough for condos to offer communal hot tubs and steam rooms. Hilltops in Cairnhill Road offers resort-style steam spa rooms in all apartments. In 2006, CDL introduced private jacuzzis and pools on the roof terrace of the penthouses at The Oceanfront @ Sentosa Cove.
At Volari in Balmoral Road, its four- bedroom units each comes with a jet pool in the balcony. Jet pools are also available in its penthouses, which also have sky pools in the terraces.
At L'Viv in Newton Road, its two- bedroom-plus-study units come with a private outdoor jacuzzi in the master bathroom.
Wow factor: Cabana apartments
Where: Waterbank at Dakota by UOL Group
What: At this newly launched project, the cabana units, the first of their kind in Singapore, are a row of 11 two-bedroom units built on top of the multi-storey carpark. The units come with an outdoor shower, face a 50m lap pool and have direct access to hot tubs and rain showers on the same deck.
Wow factor: Treehouse apartments
Where: Meadows @ Peirce by UOL
What: Three four-bedroom units on the second floor each comes with an outdoor terrace and a 'treehouse' that is about the size of a bedroom. The spot is great for barbecues and for children to do some camping without having to leave home. All three units have been sold.
Wow factor: En-suite sky garages
Where: Hamilton Scotts by Hayden Properties
What: Home owners who are so attached to their cars that they cannot bear to leave them in a carpark can now park them next to their living rooms - in their high-rise apartments. The high-end condo in Scotts Road is the first in Asia to have en-suite 'sky garages'.
The parking space, which can fit two cars, is separated from the living area by double-glazed glass. Drivers stop their vehicles at a designated point in the basement, exit and undergo a biometric scan, whereupon a lift transports the car to the correct unit in an automated, driverless process. No need to worry about reversing out the window.
Wow factor: Private lap pools
Where: The Marq On Paterson Hill by SC Global; Nassim Park Residences by UOL; and The Stellar, Elliot at the East Coast and Goodwood Residence by Guocoland
What: Yet another first in Singapore - in this case, every apartment in one tower of The Marq, which was launched in 2007, will have a 15m private lap pool that is cantilevered, giving residents water views coupled with the Orchard Road skyline in the background.
Over at UOL's Nassim Park Residences, which was launched in 2008, the ground-floor units and penthouses come with their own swimming pools. They have all been sold.
Guocoland says its developments' special ground-floor units, which come with private pools, were snapped up quickly.
Wow factor: Dual-key apartments
Where: Caspian at Lakeside, 8@Woodleigh and Flamingo Valley at Siglap, all by Frasers Centrepoint; and Waterbank at Dakota by UOL
What: A smaller unit that is attached to a bigger unit. Each unit comes fully equipped with its own kitchen, bathroom and dining and living areas. They each have their own entrance which opens up to a shared foyer.
With these features, the apartments are great for multi-generational living and for renting.
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