The Commodore is praised for its overall design aesthetics and attention to detail. (Picture: Samuel Isaac Chua/The Edge Singapore)
SINGAPORE (EDGEPROP) - The judges of this year’s EdgeProp Excellence Awards 2022 conferred a Design Excellence Award to The Commodore, a 219-unit condominium development by JBE Holdings.
Read also: The Commodore elevates luxury living at Canberra
Located in the bourgeoning Canberra neighbourhood, The Commodore is a 99-year leasehold project that was launched in November 2021. It is over 90% sold to date.
The judges lauded the aesthetics of The Commodore, its design concepts and the attention to detail that is evident throughout the development.
From the get-go, the developer envisioned The Commodore as an upscale development in the growing residential neighbourhood at Canberra, in Sembawang. In recent years, new private residential developments, Executive Condominiums, and HDB Build-To-Order flats have sprouted up in the area around Canberra MRT Station. (Find Singapore commercial properties with our commercial directory)
The name of the development was inspired by the stature of Commodore Superintendant, the highest-ranking naval officer in the colonial era. The British had built the Royal Navy dockyard in Sembawang in the 1920s and 30s. The residence of the Commodore Superintendant of the Royal Navy dockyard was at the former Admiralty House on Nelson Road in Sembawang.
The developer says that the high benchmark it had set for the design of The Commodore were inspired by the premium sensibilities, sophistication and prestige that characterised high-ranking British naval officers at the time.
The Commodore sits on a 143,325 sq ft, regular shaped plot set against the backdrop of a private landed housing estate. An important element in the overall architecture of the condo is how its design seamlessly blends with the surrounding environment.
The low-rise development is made up of six five-storey blocks, with all 219 units arranged in a North-South orientation. The basement drop-off point for each block ensures that the ground-level space and landscaping are maximised.
The 15m green buffer between the condo and the neighbouring landed housing estate presented an opportunity for the development team to encase the site in lush landscaping.
The site has a naturally undulating terrain, which the design architect, M.A.N. Architects and landscape architect, Q.H. Design Studio, capitalised on to design the blocks on different elevations and to create a terraced landscape design.
Several of the exterior design and aesthetic choices reflect the sense of prestige and sophistication that was at the core of the project’s overall design concept. For example, the exterior of the development features curtain walling, a design choice that typically marks premium residential developments.
Meanwhile, a dark colour scheme was selected for the exterior of the development to reflect a sense of architectural prestige and mature design.
No expense was spared to ensure that the best quality materials and fittings were used for each unit in The Commodore. The development consists of one- to five-bedroom units, as well as premium configurations for some of the two- to five-bedroom units.
There are 24 penthouses, which range from two- to five-bedroom, and come with double-volume ceiling in the living area.
One of the six residential blocks was set aside as a premium block dedicated to the larger-sized four-bedroom plus study and five-bedroom plus study units. Each of these units is served by private lifts to enhance their overall exclusivity and prestige.
To distinguish this project from other private residential developments in the vicinity, only high-quality materials were selected for each unit.
Within each unit, the floor of the living room and kitchen is laid with large-format Italian tiles. These tiles also cover each bathroom while engineered timber flooring is used in the bedrooms. Furthermore, wardrobe doors are fitted with satin glass and the bathrooms feature top-end German brands, Villeroy & Boch sanitaryware and Hansgrohe fittings.
In the kitchen, the developer has provided Silestone countertops by Spanish manufacturer Consentino, kitchen cabinetry by Austrian brand Blum, kitchen sinks and mixer taps by German brand Blanco and kitchen appliances from Bosch, another German brand.
The developer was also mindful that a high-end project like the Commodore demands well-appointed landscaping and spacious outdoor areas for residents to enjoy a luxurious living environment.
The largest open patch of green space available to residents is a 50m lawn called The Commodore’s Lawn. Around this expansive green space are other family-friendly gathering spaces, such as a dedicated children’s area with a tree house and an activity room, and intimate alcoves.
Despite its relatively boutique size, The Commodore accommodates a 50m swimming pool with a luxuriously fitted clubhouse at one end. It is uncommon for condos in this neighbourhood to feature a swimming pool of this size. The clubhouse also doubles as a co-working space.
All of these careful design considerations and attention to detail throughout the project led to a strong sales launch when the project was launched for sale in November 2021. A total of 162 units were snapped up on the first day of sales, which is about 74% of the total available units.
Over the past 10 months, the project has seen steady sales and is nearly 90% sold as of September.
Check out the latest listings near The Commodore, Canberra MRT Station