This article first appeared in City & Country, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on January 26, 2026 - February 1, 2026

The penthouse show unit at the sales gallery for Eden Taman Duta by BRDB Developments Sdn Bhd is bathed in soft lighting and beautifully curated furnishings amid high ceilings. Every detail and space has been well thought out and is indicative of the developer’s attention to detail.

Group CEO Christopher Manivannan, together with co-deputy CEOs Yasmin Khan and Nazim Khan, sit down with City & Country to discuss the RM1.52 billion low-rise residential development, set on 12.25 acres of freehold land in Taman Duta, Kuala Lumpur, which will be unveiled this first quarter.

Christopher explains that the land for Eden was purchased in 1997 and was kept until it was ready for a development that would complement the prestigious area of Bukit Tunku, previously known as Kenny Hills. Also, he shares that at the time, they were thinking about either to launch Eden or Serai, and it was decided to go with Serai, which was launched in 2012, which BRDB thought would do well after the success of One Menerung, another notable project launched in 2008 by the developer.

Christopher and his team believe they have a very unique product in a prized location, so the time has come for Eden to come to the fore.

“Eden is on 12.25 acres of residential freehold land, which is very rare and near to the city centre. Most of the land near KL is either commercial freehold or commercial leasehold, but this is residential freehold land,” he says, adding that the project was initially slated for unveiling in 2024, but the timing wasn’t right, and its plans and designs were held back for a revision.

“We always take our time when we want to unveil something. That speaks about our DNA and about who we are. We always take some time, especially to look at the design, at how functional the product is.

“Since BRDB was incorporated in 1964, we have taken pride in looking at land and how to monetise it to its full value — how we can bring out the best of the development of land and turn it into a heritage, a legacy. We don’t look at things in a cycle. We actually look at it as chapters, like a book. When we finish a chapter, we see the continuity of the first chapter in the second chapter — it’s always about progression.”

Taking the lessons learnt from all of its previous high-end projects such as One Menerung and Serai, the team has been able to put the best aspects of what owners want into Eden to ensure that it caters to their desire to have a spacious home for multigenerational occupants to enjoy and thrive in.

Christopher explains that the team decided to go for a resort-living theme so that people can disconnect from the hustle and bustle of city living and enter a quiet sanctuary.

Yasmin and Nazim, who have been busy working on the project, are also getting the company ready for its next chapter as the next generation steps forward. “I think Nazim and I are in a unique position where we work really well together and so we were able to identify where each of our strengths lie,” says Yasmin.

Her interest and strengths lie in the conceptualisation of developments, giving much thought to the buyer experience. She makes it a point to be hands-on with the concept, design and facilities, and works with consultants to come up with brand partnerships.

“My perception of why we do what we do, and my understanding of what being a developer is, is that we’re building homes, we’re building community spaces for people. All the experiences that the company has had has led us to a project like Eden. And I think that’s what’s so amazing about having such a long-standing legacy is being able to draw from all those experiences and draw from the team and really collaborate,” says Yasmin.

Nazim looks into project management and ensuring that all the components are in place for a smooth delivery. “If we were to go in specific departmental roles, I would look a lot more into the projects, the finance and the business development of the group. So it’s really monitoring and ensuring that we have the right efficiency and things are going well,” he says.

Zooming in on Eden itself, the trio highlight that the target market for this product are high-net-worth, well-travelled and discerning buyers.

The residential property offers 146 large units, 22 of which are double-storey penthouses. The units are spread across eight low-rise blocks of three to seven storeys.

The typical single-level units range from 5,296 to 6,491 sq ft, with selling prices from RM7.7 million to RM11.8 million, or RM1,451 to RM1,817 psf. The double-storey penthouses have built-ups of 9,182 to 19,041 sq ft, with selling prices from RM13.6 million to RM28.5 million, or RM1,480 to RM1,497 psf.

Each penthouse will come with internal stairs and a lift. Between four and 11 parking bays will be allocated, depending on the unit purchased. The parking bays will have electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure so owners can install chargers for their EVs.

The wide-ranging facilities are divided into four key areas. The clubhouse, Eden Club, will offer a residents’ concierge service, lounges, a multipurpose function room with adjacent decks and terraces, gymnasium, swimming pools, a creche, a children’s playground, barbecue area, yoga deck and garden cabanas.

The Wellness Pavilion offers a steam room, sauna, plunge pool, Jacuzzi and private pool, while a viewing deck, function areas, event space, barbecue area and open lawn space can be found in the Garden Pavilion. Finally, there is the Active Pavilion with a tennis court, therapy room, sports lounge, multipurpose court for basketball and pickleball, and a green terrace.

The maintenance fee, inclusive of the sinking fund, is estimated at 70 sen psf.

About 30% of the development is allocated to greenery, which plays an important part in Eden’s design.

“What you’ll find with Eden is that we are surrounded by so much nature. So, looking at the piece of land, straight out the gate, we knew we were going to synergise with it,” says Yasmin.

“Also, the concept behind each unit was being able to have the privilege of living in a landed home with none of the headache of managing one.” 

Nazim highlights how the developer took great pains to ensure it did not disturb the land by cutting into it.

“The land naturally is a valley. In a lot of our projects, the first thing that we always try to see is whether there is a way to make the construction as non-invasive as possible,” he says.

“So, when we looked at the piece of land and noticed it was a valley, what we ended up doing, as the cost of investment up front, was that we built this massive podium across the entire 12.25 acres, minimising the cutting of the land and strengthening the site. The effort paid off as it allowed the development to be planned on almost a completely flat piece of ‘land’ across 12.25 acres.”

Furthermore, all the carparks are housed in the podium, allowing more public space for the residents.

For such a high-end project, the key aspect is to ensure costs are managed effectively. Nazim elaborates that when it comes to managing costs, it is a matter of knowing what the negotiables and non-negotiables are so that the outcome is in line with BRDB’s DNA and values.

“For example, the everyday touch items, even the small things that a lot of people take for granted or where they try to save on costs, such as light switches and door handles. Those are the things you touch every single day. Those are the things we already know from the get-go are non-negotiables. So the bones of the house are non-negotiable,” he explains.

“At the end of the day, the home is something you’re experiencing over and over again, every single day, from your bathroom to your closet to how you dress yourself in the morning, how you feed yourself and nourish your family. Those spaces are what drives a lot of our inside-out concept, and owners need to feel at ease with all of them. And I think that is the luxury of what some of our developments can give some of our buyers and, in turn, the faith that they put in us,” says Yasmin.

According to Christopher, each building will have its own drop-off area for added convenience. “That brings exclusivity. Everyone enjoys the same luxuries. Everyone has the same feeling, and no one is left out in that sense.”

BRDB has engaged exclusive brand partners to fit out the units. These include SPACE for interior design services; Poggenpohl for the dry kitchen and cabinetry; Gaggenau for the kitchen appliances in the dry kitchen like the oven, hood and refrigerator; Molteni & C for the wardrobes; Hansgrohe for the bathroom fittings such as faucets, showers and shower systems; Villeroy & Boch for the other bathroom fixtures such as sinks, bathtub and sanitary ware; and Bosch appliances in the wet kitchen, namely the washer, dryer and dishwasher.

In addition to fitting out the units with high quality products, BRDB has also incorporated green features that align with GreenRE Gold certification standards. Some of the features include high-performance glazing and roof installation to reduce heat gain; regenerative lifts; solar panels; water-efficient fittings; rainwater harvesting system; LED lighting; and EV charging stations.

The developer adopted the good Concrete Usage Index (CUI) to measure concrete volume per unit floor area for optimal concrete use. It achieved a good green plot ratio (GnPR) that uses the Leaf Area Index (LAI) to quantify the effectiveness of the greenery for enhanced environmental benefits such as photosynthesis and shading.

Besides Eden, BRDB has several other projects in the pipeline that it will reveal in due time.

“BRDB has launches worth a total GDV of RM2.7 billion, RM1.52 billion of which is for Eden. We have a total of seven projects, including Eden, this year — five in KL and two in Johor Bahru. The details will be revealed after we have finalised everything,” says Christopher.

BRDB continues to build on its expertise and experience of more than six decades, which a new generation of developers is tapping into to take the industry to the next level. Eden is the first step in showcasing what the future holds for its discerning clientele.

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