The Peak Malaysia Magazine, March 2007 issue

Urban living takes on a distinctively nature-inspired feel at The Maple at Sentul West. Dato’ Yeoh Seok Kian, the Executive Director of YTL Land & Development Berhad, the company behind the project, shares the joys of living and investing in The Maple to Diana Khoo.

Photos: Danny Lee and YTL Land & Development

You can't go to London or New York and not feel slightly wistful when you see fabulous living spaces in the vicinity of Hyde Park or the more sprawling Central Park. It's certainly a perk only privileged urban dwellers can afford.

But The Maple, the new residential development in Sentul aims to offer well--heeled KL-ites exactly just that. "The Maple at Sentul West is the first and only development in Malaysia that gives you the privilege of living the 'park lifestyle', that is city living with the benefits of a private 35-acre landscaped garden in the form of Sentul Park," says Dato' Yeoh Seok Kian, the Executive Director of YTL Land & Development and the driving force behind the project.

The first residential project for Sentul West, whichforms part of YTL Land's long-term urban renewal project, The Maple aims to introduce a new and infinitely comfortable way to city living. Residents here are assured of every creature comfort as well as a host of amenities -and activities without having to leave the area, including premium condominium facilities as well as leisure pursuits like boating, camping and outdoor movies and concerts.

Situated on prime freehold land fronting the gated Sentul Park, its location, right in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, is definitely a major plus point, while a quick drive through lush greenery and along tree-lined avenues will lead directly to the slender thirty-storey twin towers that make up The Maple.

"The first thing you will experience when you enter The Maple is a sense of luxury, sanctuary and escape," affirms Dato' Yeoh. "We've also managed to convey that feeling throughout every aspect of the development. When you come off Jalan Ipoh, a 1-kilometre meandering country road greets you to lead you away from the hustle and bustle. And once you're within the development, there are four themed-gardens that are designed to be 'private retreats' so that residents get that private sense of space you normally don't find with condo living."

Meanwhile, a 1-acre landscaped podium deck with a sculptural playground, lap pools and a stunning infinity pool also add to the overall luxury. "But what will probably take people's breath away would be Sentul Park," he points out "as very few people have a stunning 35-acre landscaped private gated park to call their own. It is, in essence, a stunning green lung that is exclusively theirs."

And for true garden connoisseurs, do know the renowned landscape architect Ng Sek San is the talent behind the look and feel for both The Maple and Sentul Park's landscaping whose concept was inspired by the Asian paradigm of subtlety, as reflected by the rolling hills, sculptural trees and plants, gently sloping gardens and extensive use of water - all of which help to evoke a calm state of mind.

"The landscaping has been designed to complement the natural state of the land so that its natural beauty stands out," observes Dato' Yeoh. "The whole development was designed to give residents the impression that there are no boundaries - no gates, fences or walls - as well as to give the illusion of freedom that comes from the sheer open spaces. And to add a touch of whimsy, we also had Sek San design outdoor sculptures that can be found dotted throughout the park."

The Maple's interiors are no less impressive. Another big name, interior designer John Ding, was rope in to create the stunning grand lobby entrance as well as other spaces that juxtapose cutting-edge modernity ­with the natural surroundings.

Glass is used extensively giving the exterior its modern look where walls becomes picture windows, while providing a seamless continuation of the park into each home as well as stunning views of ­the greenery and KL city skyline. "The Maple is more just a home ... it's a lifestyle as well," smiles Dato' Yeoh. "When we came up with the master plan for Sentul, we wanted to create two key areas for development, each ­with a distinct personality catering to different lifestyle.

"Sentul West, where The Maple is located, celebrates the outdoor lifestyle with Sentul Park and is inter-spliced with exclusive residences, offices and shops. It would appeal to discerning professionals in their 30s to 50s as they can appreciate the park lifestyle from having lived abroad or from their travels. I can also tell you that The Maple today is greeting residents like shoe couturier Jimmy Choo, a renowned CNN International anchorwoman as well as other international celebrities and prominent members of the Malaysian royalty and expatriate community.

"Its prime location and freehold status also makes it a great investment. Sentul East, on the other hand, which is made up of The Tamarind and The Saffron, is targeted towards the younger set as it combines the energy of modern downtown living with the rawness and edge of Sentul."

Clearly the response to YTL Land & Development's master plan for Sentul has been nothing short of tremendous. The buyer response has been such that it actually succeeded in driving the price up from an initial selling price of RM250psf all the way to RM400psf in the space of a few months. Adding to that, property experts have also indicated that the value of the development had already registered a total upswing of 60%, owing to its one-of-a-kind concept and location on prime freehold land.

"As a developer, I must say we feel very fortunate that we have an immensely loyal group of buyers who place a great deal of trust in us to deliver on our high promise of top quality, branded homes," acknowledges Dato' Yeoh.

"Our philosophy has always been to develop truly unique living concepts based on what homebuyers are looking for, which is why we feel The Maple has really taken off the ­way it has. We know how discerning homebuyers can be when it comes to exclusivity, privacy and luxury. Hence, we made sure The Maple will deliver that experienced all counts."

Other projects in the YTL pipeline include the release of more elements from their Sentul East and Sentul West developments, namely D7 at Sentul East, which is a major mixed-bag development project that aims to bring trendy SOHOs, retail and office spaces together.

Dato' Yeoh also shares that they are concentrating on completing the Lake Edge, Puchong project which consists of park and lake front semi-detached homes and bungalows as well as ­seeing the Pantai Hillpark development through to its final phase, which are the luxury bungalows of Pantai Peak.

"Our Lake Fields development in Sungai Besi," adds Dato’ Yeoh, "is also one of our key projects. We promise it'll be something that homebuyers can really look forward to,” he grins. Well, Dato', we can hardly wait!