Property developer Gamuda Land has long embraced the idea that humans have an innate desire to connect with nature and incorporated it in their townships' masterplan design.

Visitors to Gamuda Land's developments will begin to realise that as soon as they enter its townships, each one is overwhelmed by lush greenery, seemingly reclaimed by the tropical landscape. Even as you make your way through the township to the town centre, you will notice open spaces such as parks and tree-lined streets. So, despite the constant heat and humidity in our tropical climate, you will get a feel that the temperature here is cooler.

Grounded on its town-making principle of "listening to what the land has to tell us", Gamuda Land works with the land's natural topography to restore nature and bring biodiversity back to its site.

"Biophilic designs encourage a strong connection between the community, attracting them to come out of their house into the natural outdoors. So, when we first came to this site, we did an environmental and biodiversity assessment. We worked with experts to identify native species to be planted in Gamuda Gardens, we widened the existing stream into lakes and we harnessed our engineering expertise to create two waterfalls in our central park with respect to the undulating terrain. What is key to us, is to work with nature and not against it," said Wong Siew Lee, Assistant General Manager of Gamuda Gardens.

In the heart of Gamuda Gardens lies five cascading lakes and two waterfalls that make up the wetland portion of the vast biodiverse ecosystem of the 50-acre pet-friendly park. Together with the lush greenery and undulating lawns, the green lung is also a social and recreational hub for the community.

As part of its on-going efforts to improve biodiversity and the overall natural environment, the Miyawaki planting method was adopted with the aim to create a dense urban forest. Approximately 77% of the 8,000 trees at Central Park are native species while 33% of the species are classified as having conservation importance.

The park is open to both residents in the township as well as the public. It offers numerous recreational facilities including a 5.5km jogging and cycling loop, a 1.5km forest trail where horse-riding activities are available, Adventure Playland, viewing towers and pavilions, picnic boat rides on the lake and bicycle rental for the community to explore the park on wheels.

Wong added, "Today, we are glad to see our community living in harmony with nature, surrounded by thriving biodiversity".

Biophilic design embraces open air spaces with an abundance of natural light. Large windows that allow natural daylight to flood the room and offering a sweeping view of nature outside, fosters connection and flow between interior and outdoor spaces; skylights, and minimally dressed windows are part of the strategy, too.

"This is what we will be bringing to Valeria, our upcoming launch at Gamuda Gardens. Inside the house, residents will have plenty of natural light and views out to the natural greens on and surrounding the site. Outside, the site will boast open green spaces, pollinator gardens and natural habitats, a protective wildlife corridor and convenient access to public transportation as well as surrounding amenities," Wong explained.

With only 434 units, Valeria will feature a double volume dining area to create a perception of spaciousness that draws natural light from the outdoors into the centre of the living area and internal garden space giving it an open look and feel.

At Valeria, well thought-out designs such as flexible spaces have also been provisioned. These spaces are able to transform into a flexible space for multi-purpose living which can cater to the ever-changing lifestyles of residents. These spaces can be converted into either a home office, gym or even a children's playroom. The balcony area can also act as a usable semi-outdoor space which can be fully enclosed or open whenever necessary.

Beyond the home design, the entire precinct of Valeria will also play host to pollinator gardens, a vital aspect in creating and maintaining the habitats and ecosystems that insects rely on for food and shelter. These pollinator gardens, coupled with cascading lakes within the precinct, will ensure the continued thriving biodiversity that is in Gamuda Gardens.

These initiatives align with targets set under Pillar 1 of the Gamuda Green Plan 2025: Sustainable Planning & Design for Construction. The Gamuda Green Plan 2025 is a comprehensive framework that charts tangible targets for Gamuda Group, driven on environmental, social and governance (ESG) dimensions over the next five years and beyond.

The Gamuda Green Plan targets to achieve 40% reduction in carbon emissions via sustainable master-planning, shared facilities, climate responsive designs and green features, integrated transport planning, energy-efficient buildings with smart features and renewable energy amongst others, compared to business-as-usual. 

Climate-responsive design such as the installation of solar PV panels on the rooftop of Gamuda Gardens sales gallery where power generated is used to operate the central lake's fountain and waterfall, while excess energy is utilised to power the sales gallery. In enabling greener transport mobility to reduce emissions, Gamuda Gardens is equipped with charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs) at our commercial hub and a 68km interconnected walking and cycling pathway laid out in the township.

Moving forward, all buildings within Gamuda Land's townships will be Green Building Index (GBI) certified which takes into account operational carbon with good land spatial planning, material choice, traffic demand and patterns, energy and water consumption, and waste management. 

"As townships take years to develop, we need to mindfully plan for the future and not just for the present. We want to build towns that can stand the test of time - this is a fundamental aspect in our position as town makers," says Wong.

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