HIJJAZ Kasturi Associate Sdn Bhd (HKAS) senior associate, Mohd Amir Hamzah Abdul Rahman, said innovation today is driven by a purchaser’s behaviourial change.
Purchasers want more than just buying a home. Instead of “I just need a property”, it has transformed to “My property is my identity”, a reflection of selfidentity, he said in an interview recently.
“The new generation knows exactly what they want as they are more exposed to international trends via the media and Internet. Their awareness on the latest market trends has increased also because they travel a lot more and know what is the trend worldwide.
“Buyers today demand exclusivity and privacy. They are also buying properties based on the exterior and interior designs.
This is unlike previously where buyers just purchase a property and worry about the interior design later.
Designs these days cannot be isolated anymore. It has to be sensitive to the surroundings such as who or what is located next door,” he said.
Mohd Amir Hamzah said buyers expect properties to be multi-functional.
He said people are looking for more designed facilities such as dedicated floor for storage especially in a high-rise building, and more than one car park bay per unit.
“They also want a home which can be transformed into a workplace, or an office space that feels like a home. For highrise residences, they want a sky garden and units with a great view. There are some developers which have built a sky garden or sky lounge at the top floor, garnering unexpected sales.
“Buyers also demand sound proof walls and spacious rooms for social gatherings. People love all these so they don’t have to go out clubbing all the time. They can live, work and leisure under one roof. They are willing to pay a bit more for these features. It is extra investment, but cost-saving is long term,” he said.
Mohd Amir Hamzah said in relation to long-term investment benefits, green features are also the way to go for developers.
He said, getting the planning and design right from the very beginning is crucial.
“It motivates us all and it symbolises the growth of the industry and winning awards are a bonus. Design innovation should be sincere from the architects and it should be beneficial to the community. Again, it goes back to the point of sustainability.
Innovation design is about sustaining the community, the environment and resources around,” he said.
~ By BUSINESS TIMES
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