Rejuvenation and Sustainability at The Five
Buildings have a life cycle that might be based on structural or functional features. When the building depreciates over time it no longer serves a purpose, giving the owner the option to demolish it and start over. After all, our city is replete with buildings that are over a century old. And in some cases, much older. When this happens in prominent places in Kuala Lumpur, the outcome has typically been profitable for the developer. Yet, the entire city is still negatively impacted, and the surrounding area does not benefit much
Fret not, The Five at Damansara Heights has deviated from the norm.
The Five is a cluster of five low-rise buildings that were built in the early 70s. For many years, it was a joint venture between HELP University and the Wen family (the founders of Selangor Properties Sdn Bhd (SPSB)), followed by the UN office and other integral businesses, which was eventually taken over by The Five eventually.
As the landscape of Damansara Heights evolved, so did the tenants at The Five and in 2015, it was time to make some changes. Instead of a comprehensive site reconstruction, SPSB decided to repair the existing buildings and strive to contribute back to the community by filling the F&B, Retail, and Service gaps.
The stage was set and the refurbishments of The Five began when the plan was approved.
Work @ The Five
The core essence of The Five had to be preserved with Blocks B, C, and D continuing to serve as low-rise office buildings. Nevertheless, to set it apart from the rest, each building was given a new colour palette to add a touch of vibrancy to the unique 1970s contemporary architecture. The internal format was also retained, with areas ranging from 2,000 square feet for one unit to 8,000 square feet for the entire floor.
With that, each space is move-in-ready while also being completely configurable for incoming renters. This gives them the blank slate needed for modern office space planning for a post-Covid-19 workplace.
The 5th Place
The 5th Place (formerly known as Block A) had the first structural change out of all the other blocks at The Five. To be precise, this block was chosen solely for community concentration because it was near the Semantan MRT Station making it the obvious choice due to its convenient location.
From a design perspective, voids were produced between level one and the concourse on the ground floor to improve spatial awareness and connectedness. These floors currently house some of KL’s most popular brunch, lunch or dinner spots with Yellow Brick Road, Nourish by Kenny Hill Bakers, and Quin being on the ground floor while Feeling + cafe, Ascen+ Pharmacy, MBE, and Mydentist are on the first floor.
The second floor is where most patrons find themselves using the stairs when they are heading to The Flow Studio, to get their daily sweat going. Otherwise, the elevator will take you to the floor where Concord (a new sneaker concept store), and Aizu Lab, the flagship store of a Japanese hair salon in collaboration with Lush Lab, are located.
Following that, the lower ground floor tenant, Qra, KL's latest neighbourhood grocer that prides itself on delivering healthier choices in the grocery sector, is by far the most community-supportive feature of The 5th Place. This certainly has been a terrific addition to this Business Park, with people stopping by for their morning juice, grab-and-go lunch, or a quick grocery run on their way home from work.
With all of this, The Five has done a fantastic job of defying conventional development practices to give back to the community while preserving its history and low-rise scale. You will quickly realise why The Five is now referred to as an “Oasis in Density” when you come and check it out.
Don’t stop reading, there is more.
The good people of SPB have not stopped there. Due to the great demand for F&B in the neighbourhood, Block E at The Five is currently being refurbished to become Damansara Height's next eating destination, bringing nighttime nightlife vitality to the community. In fact, there are a couple more intriguing improvements nearby Block E; so, keep an eye on this page to learn about all of the new dining options that will be opening in October of this year.
Stay tuned.
Block E
Block E, a low-rise vertical building focusing completely on F&B, ranging from cafes to restaurants, is another intriguing block coming to The Five. Some elements of The 5th Place have been incorporated into Block E, and the total space has been reinvented to provide a starting point for restaurateurs to come in and present different, if not entirely new, culinary ideas from their prior locations. The design of Block E also blurs the barrier between inside and outside dining, making it adaptable to any culinary vision.
Looking at The Five as a whole, the upgrade has given new life to what was once a typical office building, making this property alluring in the Damansara Heights neighbourhood. To put it all into context, people nowadays tend to seek fresh experiences, and this challenges developers to create an environment that is both remarkable and durable.
Beyond the utilitarian and aesthetic function, design influences consumer purchase habits. Therefore, if the existing developments are given a sophisticated makeover with a design that leaves a lasting impression, people would be drawn to return wanting more. That is exactly what SPSB did with The Five.
If you are looking for a new home for your workplace, retail business or F&B vision, contact 012 633 6375 or visit our website at www.thefive.com.my.