Singapore, Malaysia & China dominate Cityscape Asia Awards

Singapore, Malaysia & China dominate Cityscape Asia Awards
Real estate awards now look forward to Abu Dhabi - 'a future model of sustainable development'

The significant progress made by Asia's real estate sector over the past year was celebrated last night at the inaugural Cityscape Asia Real Estate Awards, marked with an elaborate gala dinner attended by over 300 industry professionals at Singapore's Pan Pacific hotel. The Awards an adjunct to the Cityscape Asia real estate exhibition and conference recognised winners in 12 separate categories spanning Corporate Social Responsibility, Urban design and master-planning through to the best developments in Waterfront, Retail, Commercial, Residential, and Mixed Use Project (with a Built and Future award in each category).

Projects from Singapore, Malaysia and China were dominant picking up four awards each in a clean sweep for the region's developers.

Singapore's Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) collected the Award for Best Urban Design and Master-planning for its work on the Bras Basah.Bugis Arts, Culture Learning and Entertainment District, while local developers to chime in included Capital Land Commercial Ltd (Built Waterfront Development: Clarke Quay), City Developments Limited (Future Retail: City Square Mall) and UOL Group (Built Residential for Newton Suites).

Winning projects from Malaysia included ZLG SDN BHD for the BOH Visitor Centre in the Cameron Highlands (Corporate Social Responsibility), Kesas Kenangan Sdn Bhd for Setia Eco Gardens in Johor Bahru (Built Commercial), TTDI Harta SDN BHD for the Laman Seri Business Park in Shah Alam and Bandaraya Developments Berhad for The Troika in Kuala Lumpur.

The People's Republic of China also made a strong showing with the Xiang Shan International Yacht Club's, Deep Blue Marina in Xiamen being selected as the best Future Waterfront Development while Financial Street Holding Co. Ltd's was recognised with the Award for the best Built Retail for Seasons Place in Beijing. China also made a clean sweep in the Mixed Use category with Chongbang Group receiving the plaudit for its already built Life Hub @ Daning in the Zhabei District of Shanghai, while Capital Land (China Investment Company Ltd), scored with Raffles City at 1 Dongzhimen Nan Da Jie in Beijing.

Graham Wood, Exhibition Director of Cityscape Asia said the strength of the winning projects reflected the 'overwhelming progress in Asia's real estate sector over the past year.'

"Regional development has matured significantly, which is reflected not only in the quality but also their social & environmental impact. Sustainability is now a key issue for many of the leading developers and it is appropriate that the next Cityscape event will take place in Abu Dhabi, a future model of sustainable development," commented Wood.

A panel of international judges rated each project on its contribution to world architecture, culture, invention and imagination, respect for the people and environmental awareness and appropriateness in the emerging and recently developing countries in the Asian region.

Cityscape Asia 2008 runs until 17 April 2008 in Singapore's Suntec Exhibition and Conference Centre. The event is showcasing iconic architecture and property investment opportunities throughout the region and beyond to an audience of regional and international investors, real estate developers, architects and designers, governments and senior professionals.

This year Cityscape Asia features 114 exhibitors from 17 countries, including a strong showing from UAE major developers Limitless and Union Properties. In total 6,000 real estate professionals are expected to participate in the three-day event.

Cityscape Asia also hosts the International Property Investment and Development Conference with more than 50 speakers including CEOs, managing directors and government officials examining the opportunities in Asia including real estate investment trusts, derivatives and an Asian investment property databank. Key UAE-based speakers include, Philip Atkinson, Regional Director of Limitless, Binod Shankar, Director of finance at Meraas and John Thomas, Associate Director of Mubadala Development