Hundreds of people are involved when it comes to building a condominium like Highline Residences at Tiong Bahru. But at the heart of it all, there is arguably one person who is tasked with the most important job of all – the Project Manager, who ensures that everyone works together seamlessly from start to finish.

For Keppel Land’s Highline Residences, that job belongs to Mr Gasper Wong, Senior Project Manager, who has spent the last five years working on the project. Keppellandlive speaks to Gasper to find out the process of building a new condominium.

Hi Gasper, can you tell us more about your role at Highline Residences?

Gasper: I am the Project Manager for Highline Residences and have been involved from the design stage when Keppel Land topped the tender in May 2013. It has been close to five years of work and we obtained the Temporary Occupation Permit (TOP) in Q1 2018. I see my role as that of a conductor in an orchestra, to make sure the players – in this case, the project’s internal and external stakeholders – play harmoniously.

Now that Highline Residences is completed, does that mean your job is done?

Gasper: Not quite! As a Project Manager, I would still need to oversee the project through its defects liability period, which is about 12 months from the time after we obtain the TOP. After handing over the units to the residents, I continue to coordinate and oversee reports of defects, which includes doing inspections and working with the building management team to ensure that every aspect of the development is functioning well according to the intended specification.

Can you explain more about the process of planning a project like Highline Residences?

Gasper: Well, to start, I had to study the site constraints, authorities’ stipulated requirements, developer’s requirements before mapping out the masterplan outlining each stages of the development process and key milestones for deliverables. After that comes the design development stage, which includes cross-department meetings with our asset management, marketing, property management and safety teams, where everyone will contribute their ideas and suggestions.

As the project is developed from design to tender to construction, my role will evolve accordingly from coordinator to programmer, procurer, design reviewer, cost checker, inspector and quality controller… I took on multiple roles to ensure that the project ran smoothly.

Can you share with us more details about what went into the development’s design?

Gasper: We thought very carefully about giving our residents a positive experience when entering and leaving the condo. We wanted a grand wide entrance, so that residents could see and enjoy Tiong Bahru’s uniquely low housing blocks as they enter and exit the development. We also widened the previously narrow Kim Tian Road and the stretch of Tiong Bahru Road so that our residents and other road users can enjoy a pleasant drive around the condo. There’s also a public park at the southern tip of the development with direct access for the residents to enjoy this extended facility right at their doorsteps.

That is really impressive!

Gasper: Yes, I envy the residents living at Highline Residences. Unlike most condominiums, Highline Residences has a wide array of amenities strategically located within the development to enjoy.

Apart from the usual clubhouse, BBQ pit and pool facilities, the condominium also boasts two dining suites at the highest level of the two tower blocks which offer magnificent views of the city. You can also do your own community farming, and I love the triple-volume gym and the communal sky terraces outside it.

The most prominent feature is the green ridge connecting the street blocks where anyone can stroll leisurely from one end to the other before walking down the expansive gentle steps next to a cascading water feature. This is such a serene experience with a couple of interesting features sited along the 180m-long ridge!

Anything else you would like to share with our readers?

Gasper: I just want to say that it has been a privilege to work on this project from the beginning till the end. I feel a great sense of satisfaction to oversee the development from the concept and design stage, to the actual construction. It has been a blessing to have worked with a team of consultants and the builder who were all competent, dedicated and cooperative. The outcome is a remarkable development that I feel immensely proud of.

Here’s a peek into Highline Residences, Keppel Land’s latest completed project in Tiong Bahru.