Aster Residence along Jalan Cheras Hartamas, Taman Cheras Hartamas, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur is designed as a modern serviced residence that breaks away from conventional high-rise tower designs. The 43-storey tower atop a 9-storey podium comprises 1,130 serviced apartments in five different layouts and several duplex units spread across three zones in the tower.
The 2.82-acre site is particularly fraught with undesirable visual obstructions, with a TNB high-tension pylon in front and two sprawling highway interchanges at the back and to its left. To mitigate this, the floor-to-floor height of the car park floors is raised to 3.3 metres each, elevating the podium above the highway. A 12-metre-tall sports hall shields the TNB pylon from view for residents living on lower floors. Behind the sports hall, tucked behind a well-shaded, lush green corridor and elevated above eye level, is a series of villa-style duplex units which enjoy double frontage with a high degree of privacy. Units face a landscaped path on one side and a distant view of pool facilities on the other.
A bubbling water fountain greets visitors just past the guardhouse, announcing the location of a grand triple-volume entrance foyer reminiscent of a hotel lobby, replete with granite stone cladding and stainless-steel inlay studs, marble-like floor tiles, panelled columns, large glazing, and articulated ceiling. A kindergarten is securely tucked into a corner of the main lobby, complemented by a play area that takes advantage of the site’s sloped terrain to create a children’s slide on one side. Five industrial ceiling fans keep the space comfortably breezy.
Through the lobby, visitors gain access to a slew of podium facilities that encourage an active lifestyle. From swimming pools featuring custom rain curtains, stepped fountainheads that create personal waterfalls, and a splashing terrace by the poolside to a dedicated sports hall large enough to contain a basketball half-court and two badminton or futsal courts, the podium facilitates recreational exercise. Gym users may peruse a built-in bar counter to rest and relax while enjoying a view of the nearby pool.
Aster Residence’s three zones are identifiable by unique façade designs. Zone A has bright orange vertical fins between each window bay; Zone B features bold frames and fins, while Zone C, the only one to have balconies, expresses them with fine, brown railings; these clear distinctions make the zones easily recognisable from afar. Together, their verticality breaks the perceived width of the tower, which spans over 110 metres from end to end. They are served by dedicated lift lobbies that disallow trespassing between zones, increasing privacy and security. On typical floors, each lift lobby also features different textured paint designs for easier identification.
With its north-south orientation, minimal openings and deep vertical fins on eastern and western flanks, and the use of bathrooms as a thermal buffer, the tower minimises glare and excessive heat gain into its units while prioritising indirect daylight. On its southwest, the development affords views towards Taman Eko-Rimba Sungai Besi and Bandar Tun Razak, beyond the SUKE highway.
The development offers convenient pedestrian access to the Taman Connaught MRT station 50 metres away. A link bridge – an expressive structure with an articulated tubular exoskeleton – allows soft, ambient daylight through exaggerated horizontal louvres while its limited width is visually offset using generous 1.8m x 0.9m floor tiles, minimising the number of lines on the floor. Aster Residence is thus highly connected to both vehicular and public transportation networks.
The 43-storey tower atop a 9-storey podium comprises 1,130 serviced apartments in five different layouts and several duplex units spread across three zones in the tower.
