This article first appeared in City & Country, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on November 24, 2025 - November 30, 2025

Master Plan Excellence | Desa ParkCity | ParkCity Group

It was a slightly cloudy morning in The Central Park at Desa ParkCity but activities in the neighbourhood continued as usual. A woman was seen jogging leisurely along the tree-lined path by the lake, while a couple strolled by with their Shiba Inu in tow.

Nearby at The Waterfront, patrons were having their morning coffee or doing their grocery shopping, their routines unfolding at an unhurried pace. In the distance, cyclists glided past the strollers and dog walkers as the hum of conversation mingled with the rustle of the mature raintrees overhead.

Scenes like these play out daily here. Desa ParkCity has become more than just a township. It is a living, breathing community where urban life coexists harmoniously with the landscaped greenery.

When Desa ParkCity was envisioned more than two decades ago, it was not meant to be merely a collection of homes, but a self-contained ecosystem designed around people and shared spaces. Residents of the township enjoy seamless access to a wide range of conveniences, from vibrant retail outlets to recreational spaces, all within a 15-minute radius.

Desa ParkCity won The Edge Malaysia Property Excellence Award in 2015. Its enduring success is a testament to master developer Perdana ParkCity Sdn Bhd’s (ParkCity Group) vision of building a township centred around the community, one that could adapt, evolve and flourish with the times.

For this, Desa ParkCity is awarded The Edge Malaysia Property Development Excellence Award for Master Plan Excellence of The Edge Malaysia Property Excellence Awards 2025.

For ParkCity Group group CEO Datuk Joseph Lau, the award is less a capstone and more a reflection of the philosophy that has guided the company from the start. “Many people talk about beautiful homes and landscaping. That’s the ‘hardware’. But what keeps a township alive are the ‘soft elements’ — understanding what people want, how they live and how their needs change over time,” he says.

This belief that a township must grow with its community has been the cornerstone of Desa ParkCity’s resilience. While other developments have matured and slowed, the township continues to reinvent itself without losing its soul. It has become a place where generations of families live side by side, where their children walk safely to school, their dogs are walked daily in parks that are meticulously maintained and every pathway and retail outlet seems to play a role in the broader rhythm of the community.

Desa ParkCity’s master plan was revolutionary when it was launched in the early 2000s. Spanning 473 acres in Kuala Lumpur, novel concepts such as gated and guarded neighbourhoods linked by wide pedestrian walkways, integrated community parks and a vibrant town centre at its heart were introduced.

“We were the first master-planned development to invest heavily in the landscape and public realm. Some 25 years ago, people said we were crazy to spend that much on greenery and to put a central park right in the middle of the township. But look at it now — the trees have matured, the temperature is cooler and people realise what a difference these make,” says Lau.

The Central Park remains the township’s core feature, with a 43-acre green lung surrounded by residential neighbourhoods, The Waterfront retail centre and The ParkCity Club. The CEO emphasises that the early decision to invest in tree planting and pedestrian connectivity, with walkways as wide as 10ft and cycling tracks of 20ft, has set a benchmark that many others now emulate.

While the physical design is the foundation, the developer has always viewed the township as something organic. “We never just drew a 20-year plan and said, ‘That’s it.’ We revisit it every few years. Different generations have different needs, whether young families, retirees or people working from home. The plan must adapt,” says Lau.

Ask anyone who lives in Desa ParkCity what makes it special and most will mention the sense of community. It is a quality that the township has steadfastly nurtured from day one.

Steph Teo, a resident of the township, could not be happier staying here with her family. “It’s our little retreat from the chaos of the world — peaceful and comforting — our very own little Shangri-La where we can unwind and recharge. It is definitely the sense of community and how everything we need is so accessible. We feel safe here, and it’s such a nurturing environment — not just for us, but also for kids to grow, play and thrive.”

As Lau puts it, “The hardest thing to build is not the house or park, but the sense that residents can say, ‘That’s me. This is my place.’ You can’t buy that. It comes from trust and shared experience.”

That philosophy extends to every layer of planning, from tenant curation at The Waterfront to the types of amenities provided in each neighbourhood. He says his team constantly asks: Who are we building for? What do they need? How do we make sure this still feels like home to them years later?

As the township matures, it has begun to attract the second and third generation of buyers. “We now see children of our early residents buying homes here. Their parents want to live nearby, their kids go to the international school and their grandparents use the park or hospital nearby. The ecosystem works because it connects every stage of life,” says Lau.

He adds that more than 60% of the students at the International School @ ParkCity live in the township, many of whom walk or cycle to school daily. “Parents enjoy peace of mind that their children are in a secure and well-maintained environment, while retail, healthcare and leisure are within reach.”

In most township developments, a familiar pattern unfolds: the developer builds the properties, sells them and eventually hands over the operations to the management body and municipal council, often retreating once the project is completed. ParkCity Group, however, has chosen a different path.

“From the beginning, we told ourselves that we would not wash our hands of the development. Maintenance is not an afterthought. It’s the foundation of value. If you don’t keep it properly, who would want to come and live here?” says Lau.

To make that possible, the developer came up with a recurring-income model that ties the township’s sustainability to its continued prosperity. The group owns and operates key components such as The Waterfront retail centre, ParkCity Medical Centre and International School @ ParkCity. These assets not only serve the community but also provide steady revenue that supports the ongoing maintenance and reinvestment.

“These are good investments. The retail centre, school and even our future developments all feed into the same ecosystem. But you can’t just think of it as profit. You must start with a purpose, which is to serve the community. The income will follow naturally,” he says.

That commitment is evident in the township’s meticulous upkeep. From clean streets and well-groomed parks to community-driven initiatives like pet waste stations and recycling programmes, Desa ParkCity has set standards few townships can follow. Importantly, much of the enforcement comes not from policing, but out of the residents’ pride.

“When you walk your dog here, people will remind you to pick up after it, not because of the rules, but because everyone cares. That’s the culture we’ve built together,” says Lau.

Few developments have left as strong an imprint on Malaysia’s township landscape as Desa ParkCity. Its design language has been replicated across the country. Yet, the CEO believes that the true lesson is not in the form, but the attitude.

“People can copy the layout or architecture. But what’s harder to copy is the commitment, the willingness to maintain and improve year after year,” he says.

This dedication has allowed Desa ParkCity to weather economic cycles, from the 2008 global financial crisis to the Covid-19 pandemic, he notes. “Our buyers have enjoyed good capital appreciation because we keep the township vibrant and desirable. But it’s not just about price growth, it’s about creating a place where people want to live and play.”

Desa ParkCity’s journey has been one of constant evolution. From the early neighbourhoods like the Nadia and Zenia landed homes to contemporary high-rises such as Park Regent and Park Place, the group has continually pushed the design boundaries.

Each project reflects a new interpretation of community living, from courtyard homes that blur the line between indoors and outdoors to condominiums that integrate co-working spaces and wellness facilities.

“We are not static. Every time we build, we ask: Who will live here and how do we make it better than before?” says Lau.

He credits the group’s design team for introducing new ideas such as the “fusion” of landed and vertical living, innovative public spaces and architecture by renowned international firms. These design experiments, while costly, have consistently raised the township’s standards and influenced industry expectations.

Beyond design, Desa ParkCity’s long-term sustainability lies in its ecological planning. The township’s lush canopy, now decades old, has created a cooler microclimate.

Lau’s decision to plant “jungle species” early on, once dismissed as excessive, now underscores the developer’s environmental foresight. “Climate change is real. We can’t ignore it. If we can make even a small difference by keeping the place green and breathable, we should,” he says.

Looking ahead, ParkCity Group continues to integrate sustainability into its projects, in Malaysia and abroad. Desa ParkCity remains its defining achievement, living proof of what long-term thinking and genuine responsibility can accomplish.

With only a few parcels left to be developed, the township is entering a new phase, one that focuses less on expansion and more on enhancement. The upcoming ParkCity Tower (offices) and new retail and community spaces are designed to complement the existing ecosystem.

Even as the supply dwindles, demand remains strong. For Lau, the challenge is not scarcity, but staying true to the township’s founding ideals. “As the community grows, we must keep engaging, keep listening. That’s how you remain relevant,” he says.

When asked what he would have done differently, he replies: “Maybe I’d plant even more trees. Because now, everyone realises how important they are.”

More than two decades on, Desa ParkCity has become a township that continues to feel alive. It has been shown that success in master planning is not just about design excellence, but the constant evolution with time.

“Happiness is a journey. It’s not just about building houses. It’s about creating an environment where people can live, grow and feel connected, and where that feeling lasts,” says Lau.

In that sense, Desa ParkCity’s greatest triumph is not the awards or accolades, but the enduring promise to create a living, breathing community that proves great master plans do not end when the last home is sold. They simply keep evolving.

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