Other developments have included outdoor
gym equipment, bypassing a Singaporean rule
that does not allow children in indoor gyms.
“We want to encourage healthy lifestyles,
because health is wealth,” Francis continues.
“We’ve provided a biking track on our
new property, Westwood Residences –
the first-ever outdoor mini-velodrome in
Singapore. We have created facilities like
a BMX adventure park for residents to try
stunts using their mountain bikes. Some
developments even include facilities to help
children learn road rules and the Singaporean
highway code.
“In terms of real estate projects, we are
the ones who come up with distinctive
lifestyle ideas. When people think of cycling
parks in real estate developments, they think
of Koh Brothers. This is something we like
to promote.”
This approach has won Francis
recognition; he was named Singapore’s Real
Estate Personality of the Year at the 2016
South East Asia Property Awards, with thejudges impressed by his ability to design distinctive spaces,
flair for doing new things and ability to turn around
profitable projects in a generally sluggish real estate market.
Often, the developments combine a decadent approach
with a real focus on fitness. This can be seen in the Lincoln
Suites complex, where residents are able to exercise in
a tree-lined, 50-metre, lap pool, or hit the treadmill and
practise yoga in a stunning ‘sky gymnasium’ – a glass atrium
linking the towers.
The company is also introducing the use of
prefabricated, pre-finished volumetric construction (PPVC).
“It’s a newer construction method, where a whole house
is built in boxes, and these boxes are assembled and
finished at the site,” Francis says, adding that it’s a way of
driving efficiency gains and also improving the safety of
a construction project. “When you have fewer people at
the work site, you have fewer chances of an accident.
It’s also better for the environment.
“I’m trying to make our subsidiary Koh Brothers Eco
Engineering Limited a management-owned company,
because construction is very much a people-oriented
business. We need to let the talent have ownership of the
company. This concept is not new in other countries, but
it’s very new in Singapore. My target is to make this »Half page advert
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T: +65 67667129
F: +65 67667343280 Woodlands Industrial Park E5
#10-47 Harvest @ Woodlands
Singapore 757322
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