This article first appeared in City & Country, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on October 20, 2025 – October 26, 2025

The name “GDP Architects” would be familiar to many, having been the brains behind several Malaysian architectural landmarks for more than 30 years. In August last year, GDP Architects Sdn Bhd decided to diversify its portfolio by venturing into property development under GDP X Properties Sdn Bhd.

GDP X Properties CEO Syed Sobri Syed Ismail, who is also the co-founder of GDP Architects, tells City & Country about the decision behind the diversification, its first project and his vision for the future.

“This project wasn’t originally planned. GDP Architects was just operating as usual, and then we came across a piece of land in Kampung Sungai Penchala. We thought it would be a good investment, so we bought it. We kept it aside for a while, knowing it had great potential because of its location,” he reveals.

A few years later, Syed Sobri says the architectural firm decided to venture into property development and develop the land.

“At GDP Architects, we’ve always been doing work for clients. Rarely do we get the opportunity to design according to our wishes. We do the best we can with the client briefs, and the final product goes out to the market.

“But we never get the chance to truly design based on the end-user’s needs. There are certain things the industry isn’t doing, which we think should be done.”

Hence, with GDP X Properties’ maiden project, named Penchala 188 Residency, Syed Sobri says things are being done their way.

Syed Sobri: The surrounding areas [of Penchala] are all high-end and green (Photo by Low Yen Yeing/The Edge)

Halfway there

Situated along Jalan Penchala Indah, Kampung Bukit Lanjan in Kuala Lumpur, Penchala 188 Residency comprises 188 units in a 31-storey tower. It has a gross development value of RM110 million.

This Malay-reserve development offers homes that come in built-ups of 1,250 sq ft for a three-bedroom and two-bathroom unit as well as 2,800 sq ft for a 4+1-bedroom and five-bathroom unit. Prices start from RM694,000 up to RM1.8 million.

Facilities include a barbecue area, clubhouse, sauna, tennis and squash courts, playground, swimming pool, gymnasium, jogging track and multipurpose hall. The project is expected to be completed by mid-2026.

According to Syed Sobri, the project has been 50% sold since it was launched in August last year. On what GDP X Properties aims to do differently from other developers, he says meeting the end-user’s needs is what matters most to him.

“One of the inherent problems in the industry is water leakage in condominiums. We designed a condo in Straits Quay, Penang. It’s a nice development, I even bought a unit there myself. But it had leakage problems. Water from the unit above leaked into ours, and from ours into the one below — [this was] caused by plumbing issues.

“What we [are doing] to resolve it is simple — no punching through the floor. If the floor doesn’t have openings, how can it leak, right? So what we’ve done is to design the units so that all the services and plumbing are on the row facing the corridor. So for toilets, bathrooms, utility and kitchen, all the pipes go through the walls. For that, we introduced a service wall that connects directly to the external wall right outside each unit,” he explains in detail.

Another issue Syed Sobri hopes to resolve is the limited space, especially for condo units.

“With our new product, the structure is not conventional. Even structurally, our walls and layouts are designed to minimise columns. You can break through the [existing columns] to create open space. This gives flexibility that you don’t otherwise get in a typical design,” he adds.

In terms of the target market, Syed Sobri says the project will cater to young families and professionals.

“We are also targeting this specific group where the parents are well-off and financially comfortable and able to help their children. When people came to view the place, many brought along their parents, who were the ones backing them financially.”

Potential of the area

Syed Sobri seems optimistic about the area, as he believes that the Penchala address is now considered “premium”.

“The surrounding areas [of Penchala] are all high-end and green. The government seems to be doing its part. If it keeps it that way and avoids permitting too many affordable housing projects here, [the area] will maintain its value,” he says.

“Even now, I’m talking to a few people about this location. Within the area, there are five hospitals and five shopping malls. Imagine if we created something for seniors here, but don’t call it ‘senior homes’. Make it about lifestyle. For people who can afford it, this is the perfect place. We could develop properties along the hillside without flattening the land. It could be marketed as holiday homes, but designed for the elderly.

For smaller-scale developers like GDP X Properties, he says there is no need to compete with the big players in the “build fast, sell fast” race.

“I’d rather work along the fringes of the Klang Valley, outskirts or on smaller projects. Shoplots are great because they don’t require dealing with strata titles or heavy regulations. They’re simpler to develop, sell and manage. After spending over a year studying the market, I’m clear on my focus — senior living and shoplots in strategic Klang Valley locations.”

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