This article first appeared in City & Country, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on January 27, 2025 - February 2, 2025

It has been more than two decades since ParkCity Group turned a former mining quarry into one of the Klang Valley’s most sought-after townships — the 473-acre Desa ParkCity, Kuala Lumpur. Despite initial widespread doubts on the area’s potential, the group remained steadfast in its vision and ultimately proved the naysayers wrong.

Since the establishment of Desa ParkCity, ParkCity Group has continued to expand its presence in other cities with projects such as Kenny Heights in Kuching and Marina ParkCity in Miri, Sarawak; and ParkCity Hanoi in Vietnam.

Desa ParkCity is its only township in the Klang Valley, but that is about to change with the unveiling of ParkCity Botanika in Cyberjaya. The township will be developed by ParkCity Botanika Sdn Bhd. 

The 259-acre, freehold development will have an estimated gross development value (GDV) of RM7.3 billion. The township will comprise a total of 7,400 landed homes, condominiums, serviced apartments and affordable housing (55%), along with commercial units (11%), open space (10%), amenities (9%) and infrastructure (15%). ParkCity Group estimates that it will take 15 years to develop the township.

In an exclusive interview with City & Country, group CEO Datuk Joseph Lau provides insights into the master plan for ParkCity Botanika.

The vision for ParkCity Botanika is deeply rooted in the group’s principles of being people-centric and community living, says Lau.

The focus is on providing easily accessible walking paths, cycling routes and plenty of green spaces, which is why the development is described as a “township in the park”.

“The idea is that once residents come home, they won’t need to drive. We aim to create an environment in which they have other options to get around the township.”

To achieve this goal, 35% (or 66 acres) of the development has been allocated for green spaces, ensuring a seamless integration of nature in an urban environment.

“[Being people-centric means] we want to promote walkability like we did in Desa ParkCity. It is also about promoting a safe and secure environment in the township. ParkCity Botanika is smaller than Desa ParkCity. Therefore, we can easily enhance connectivity or human mobility.”

Lau highlights that ParkCity Group has planned key infrastructure features, such as linear walkways (to be called Botanika Avenue) and path connectors (Botanika Lane), to ensure that ParkCity Botanika will be a well-connected, walkable township — features that will distinguish it from Desa ParkCity.

“Botanika Avenue is a 15m-wide linear green path that runs 1.8km from east to west, which connects all of ParkCity Botanika. Botanika Avenue is much wider than the walkway in Desa ParkCity, which is about 2.4m wide,” says Lau.

In terms of community living, ParkCity Group’s ultimate goal is to build a self-contained township like Desa ParkCity. Amenities will include a neighbourhood mall called The Waterfront, a central park, commercial spaces, a hospital, an international school and a ParkCity Clubhouse.

The township is thoughtfully planned, with commercial offerings and amenities concentrated in a specific area, creating a clear distinction between public zones and private residential spaces. This design prioritises residents’ safety and privacy.

Lau notes that, in contrast, amenities at Desa ParkCity are dispersed throughout the development, which has allowed public access to areas near residential zones.

Lau adds that the decision to develop ParkCity Botanika in Cyberjaya was driven mainly by the need to serve its main target market — residents in Puchong, Subang Jaya and Bandar Sunway.

“When we start a new master plan, we always begin by understanding our primary target market and its needs. The key question we ask is, where can we find the nearest piece of land to capture this market? It’s challenging to find land that also offers good accessibility. This particular site is situated along a highway, providing easy access to Kuala Lumpur via MEX (Maju Expressway) as well as convenient routes to KLIA and Subang Jaya via the Elite Highway. For these residents, there is no township like Desa ParkCity close by. So, we wanted to build a new township for them.”

Currently, the site is undergoing earthworks and the developer plans to enhance the township’s connectivity and accessibility.

ParkCity Group has received approval from the local authorities to construct an additional entryway, thus providing direct access to both Lingkaran Putrajaya and MEX and allowing direct connection to KL.

Nearby amenities include commercial centres such as Tamarind Square and DPulze Shopping Centre; educational institutions such as Multimedia University, ELC International School, Limkokwing University of Creative Technology and SJK (C) Union; medical facilities such as Hospital Cyberjaya; and Cyberjaya Lake Gardens.

With the township’s master plan already in place, the developer is gearing up to launch Adiva, its first residential development in ParkCity Botanika, at the end of the first quarter.

The 12.28-acre, freehold Adiva, which has a GDV of RM260 million, is a low-density landed development comprising 147 three-storey homes. It features three property types — superlink parkhomes, parkhomes and courtyard terraces.

A gated and guarded development, there will be 42 superlink parkhomes with a built-up of 3,216 to 3,572 sq ft and a land area of 24ft to 26ft by 72ft; 86 parkhomes with a built-up of 2,845 to 2,988 sq ft and land area of 22ft to 24ft by 70ft; and 19 courtyard terraces with a built-up of 2,672 sq ft and land area of 24ft by 45ft. The indicative selling price starts from RM1.3 million.

Lau describes Adiva at ParkCity Botanika as an enhanced iteration of Desa ParkCity’s Adiva landed development, with a strong focus on maximising space efficiency. 

“People typically expect a wet and dry kitchen, along with a laundry room, on the ground floor. However, we’ve relocated the yard to the upper floor. The ground floor is a prime space, so we wanted to maximise its potential by incorporating a living room, dining room, kitchen and bedroom. This design allows residents to enjoy a more versatile ground floor, ideal for family gatherings, for instance.”

Adiva is designed for multigenerational families.

“When we started planning the units, we spent time understanding what our customers needed. We focused on the multigenerational market and asked what was essential in a landed home. A key takeaway was that a ground-floor bedroom is a must, especially for families with elderly parents,” says Lau.

Private spaces were also considered in the design. “A key feature of parkhomes and courtyard terraces is that we offer ‘me space’, which is basically an extension of the master bedroom. Given the current lifestyle, many are working from home or pursuing personal interests, hobbies or even running their own businesses. People want a space to do their own thing, whether it’s for work, meditation or exercise.

“We also included a private garden that is 10ft to 15ft wide, giving residents their own space alongside a communal linear garden.”

With an additional private garden, residents can seamlessly extend their living or dining space to the outdoors as well as use the private garden for barbecues or other recreational activities, Lau notes.

As Adiva is designed with a modern tropical concept set in a lush garden, 20% (about 2.44 acres) of the development has been allocated for green space and facilities.

Lau highlights that this open space allows families to relax and enjoy recreational activities in a safe environment.

“We wanted to create a secure environment for multigenerational families, where all the necessary facilities are just a few steps away from their homes, within a small and accessible space.

“Residents won’t have to worry about their children going to the swimming pool or playground alone, as these areas are contained within a secure, small section of the development. In places where more than 300 units are developed, residents might be concerned about the whereabouts of their children. Here, however, it’s a small, safe haven.”

Facilities at Adiva will include a children’s play area, leisure pool, Jacuzzi, children’s pool, changing rooms and toilet, a multipurpose hall, prayer room, recycling station, community garden and an outdoor fitness area.

“It’s like a social hub within the project. These facilities are grouped together to become a centre point of Adiva.”

This is the beginning of a new chapter for ParkCity Group in Cyberjaya.

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