Meet the Winners from the Myanmar Property Awards 2016

Shwe Taung takes home the Best Developer gong, while Keppel Land and Capital Development are among the year’s top winners

All together onstage: the Winners and Highly Commended at the Myanmar Property Awards 2016

Drumroll please!

One of the leading corporations in Myanmar, Shwe Taung Development Co Ltd, picked up the year’s highest honour for Best Developer at the biggest and most exclusive real estate event in the country, the Myanmar Property Awards 2016, presented by Samsung.

A finalist in six categories, Shwe Taung also collected three more awards – one for Best Office Development and two design accolades (Best Retail Architectural Design and Best Office Architectural Design) – plus a commendation for the Junction City Shopping Centre, a mixed-use project undertaken by its subsidiary City Square Commercial Co Ltd.

The acclaimed development’s hospitality component, Pan Pacific Yangon, twice received Highly Commended honours from the independent panel of judges, while the residential component, Crystal Residences, was one of the runners-up for the Best Condo Development accolade that went to The Gems Garden Condominiums by three-time winner Capital Development Ltd.

Best Developer gong goes to four-time winner Shwe Taung Development Co Ltd, led by Aung Than, deputy CEO of Construction, and Sandar Htun, managing director, Shwe Taung Group. The award was presented by Richard Emerson of Emerson Real Estate, chairman of the judges

For its outstanding interiors, The Gems Garden Condominiums was also presented with the Best Residential Interior Design trophy, as well as the ‘Best of the Best’ honour for Best Residential Development (Myanmar) that will allow it to move forward and compete at the grand finals in the South East Asia Property Awards 2016 in Singapore this November.

Another development that is set to make a splash at the regional grand finals is Sedona Hotel Yangon (Inya Wing) by Keppel Land, a four-time victor this year and winner in all categories for which it was nominated.

With such formidable contenders coming from various segments of the local property sector, the second annual Myanmar Property Awards has this year welcomed a new category for Best Boutique Developer, which went to Green Vision Construction Company Limited. Nominated for four awards, Hoang Anh Gia Lai Myanmar Co Ltd finished the awards gala with one win for Myanmar Plaza for Best Retail Development.

Following on from a hugely successful inaugural ceremony last year that was attended by more than 250 guests, the Myanmar Property Awards 2016 Gala Dinner gathered more than 300 of the country’s real estate elite and leaders at the prestigious Sule Shangri-La Yangon to reward the finest developers and developments of the past year.

According to Richard Emerson, managing director of Emerson Real Estate (Myanmar) and chairman of the independent panel of judges, the high standards seen across all the official nominees will increase Myanmar’s chances at the regional grand finals. “Their quality in terms of design and construction and success will be easily able to succeed on a regional level,” he said.

With BDO Myanmar as the official supervisor, the credibility of the Myanmar Property Awards was also reinforced this year when the PropertyGuru Group, Asia’s leading online property group, has taken over as organiser. A total of 22 developers were shortlisted this year, while 17 awards were given away following a rigorous, six-month nomination and judging process.

“The awards are a showcase of the exciting developments currently underway in Myanmar,” said Paul Ashburn, co-managing partner of BDO. “The enthusiasm shown by the entrants is very encouraging and a healthy sign for the potential of the country’s real estate market.”

In recent quarters, there has been a steady surge in demand for various types of outstanding property developments in Myanmar especially in Yangon. The judges also noted that there are a number of world-class renovation projects that should be recognised as well.

In fact, two outstanding properties were cited in the new category for Special Recognition for Renovated Property: 491-501 Merchant Street by Turqouise Mountain, and Scott @ 31st Street by Haven Development Co Ltd.

Showing generous support for the country’s emerging real estate and building sectors, this year’s title sponsor Samsung Myanmar also added to the prestige of the awards programme.

“As one of the world’s leading consumer product brands, we strongly believe that the robust growth of Myanmar’s real estate industry reflects the country’s progressing economy. Our heartfelt congratulations also go to the all the Winners and Highly Commended this year,” commented Nam Sik Ahn, managing director of Samsung Myanmar.

In addition, one of Myanmar’s most respected and veteran businessmen, Serge Pun, executive chairman of the SPA Group of Companies, attended the black-tie gala to receive the Real Estate Personality of the Year trophy, a non-compete award given by the editors of Property Report, Asia’s leading luxury real estate, architecture and design publication.

Pun’s real estate company, Yoma Strategic Holdings, won Best Developer in 2015 and this year collected two honours for its residential projects. “I hope this recognition would push us to produce better products to serve customers in the future,” he said of his award. “I think the Myanmar real estate sector will be continue to be strong in the foreseeable future.”

The good and the bad in the industry were discussed earlier in the day at the first-ever Property Report Congress Myanmar 2016, a high-level conference featuring top regional executives and local experts. The conference, which featured keynote speeches and panel discussions on online marketing, mortgage planning and property management, took place right before the Gala Dinner and was attended by more than 100 real estate professionals from Yangon and overseas.

“Myanmar is certainly primed for more success in the real estate sector based on what we have seen this year,” said Terry Blackburn, founder and managing director of the Asia Property Awards and Property Report. “The whole PropertyGuru Group is immensely proud of their achievements and we look forward to seeing these fine developments showcased across our international platforms.”

COMPLETE WINNERS & HIGHLY COMMENDED LIST

PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards (Myanmar) 2016

DEVELOPER AWARDS

Best Developer

• Winner: Shwe Taung Development Co Ltd

Best Boutique Developer

• Winner: Green Vision Construction Company Limited
  

BEST OF THE BEST AWARDS

Best Commercial Development (Myanmar)

• Winner: Sedona Hotel Yangon (Inya Wing) by Keppel Land
  

Best Residential Development (Myanmar)

• Winner: The Gems Garden Condominiums by Capital Development Ltd
  

DEVELOPMENT AWARDS

Best Condo Development

• Winner: The Gems Garden Condominiums by Capital Development Ltd
  
• Highly Commended:
  • Crystal Residences by Shwe Taung Development Co Ltd
  • Galaxy Towers at Star City Phase I by Thanlyin Estate Development Co Ltd, a subsidiary of Yoma Strategic Holdings
  • Rosehill Residences by Rose Hill Soilbuild Co Ltd
  • The Lake Suites by Hoang Anh Gia Lai Myanmar Co Ltd

Best Housing Development

• Winner: Lotus Canal View Villas, Lotus Garden, Pun Hlaing Golf Estate by Yoma Development Group
  

Best Serviced Apartment Development

• Winner: Clover Suites Royal Lake by Clover Hotels Group
• Highly Commended: Green Vision Kokkine Residence by Green Vision Construction Company Limited

Best Office Development

• Winner: Junction City Tower by City Square Office Co Ltd (a member of Shwe Taung Development Co Ltd)
  
• Highly Commended:
  • Myanmar Centre Tower by Hoang Anh Gia Lai Myanmar Co Ltd
  • Sule Square, Yangon by Traders Square Company Limited

Best Retail Development

• Winner: Myanmar Plaza by Hoang Anh Gia Lai Myanmar Co Ltd
  
• Highly Commended: Junction City Shopping Centre by City Square Commercial Co Ltd (a member of Shwe Taung Development Co Ltd)

Best Hotel Development

• Winner: Sedona Hotel Yangon (Inya Wing) by Keppel Land
• Highly Commended:
  • MELIA Hotel by Hoang Anh Gia Lai Myanmar Co Ltd
  • Pan Pacific Yangon, Junction City by City Square Hotel Co Ltd (a member of Shwe Taung Development Co Ltd

Special Recognition for Renovated Property

• 491-501 Merchant Street by Turqouise Mountain in partnership with the Yangon Heritage Trust
• Scott @ 31st Street by Haven Development Co Ltd

DESIGN AWARDS

Best Residential Architectural Design

• Winner: Rosehill Residences by Rose Hill Soilbuild Co Ltd
• Highly Commended:
  • 68 Residence by United GP Development Co Ltd
  • The Gems Garden Condominiums by Capital Development Ltd

Best Residential Interior Design

• Winner: The Gems Garden Condominium by Capital Development Ltd
• Highly Commended: Kabaraye Executive Residence (KER) by Living Square Co Ltd

Best Retail Architectural Design

• Winner: Junction City Shopping Centre by City Square Commercial Co Ltd (a member of Shwe Taung Development Co Ltd
  

Best Office Architectural Design

• Winner: Junction City Tower by City Square Office Co Ltd (a member of Shwe Taung Development Co Ltd)
  

Best Hotel Architectural Design

• Winner: Sedona Hotel Yangon (Inya Wing) by Keppel Land
• Highly Commended: Pan Pacific Yangon, Junction City by City Square Hotel Co Ltd (a member of Shwe Taung Development Co Ltd)

Best Hotel Interior Design

• Winner: Sedona Hotel Yangon (Inya Wing) by Keppel Land
• Highly Commended: Scott @ 31st Street by Haven Development Co Ltd

PUBLISHER’S CHOICE

Real Estate Personality of the Year

• Serge Pun, Executive Chairman, SPA Group of Companies

More information on the Myanmar Property Awards 2016 are available on the official website.