Rising to a towering challenge

The Astaka is currently the tallest skyscraper in Johor Bahru and the sixth tallest in Malaysia. Standing at 70 storeys and 65 storeys each, the construction of these super highrise residential towers required timely coordination of material supply, installation, and finishing as well as quality controls that would hold up against CONQUAS—Singapore’s national building quality standards assessment.

The complex site conditions and scale meant securing a ready source of hardy timber. After comparing several Southeast Asian hardwood varieties, we presented our client with Batu Mahogany. Valued for its resilience, even texture, and general lack of imperfections like knots and cracks, this tropical hardwood used for heavy construction and shipbuilding was the ideal fit. Easy to source and easy to work with, this recommendation resulted in faster installation and consistently smooth surfaces.

Even with detailed planning, challenges do arise onsite. And this is where working with a versatile vendor really helps. Unlike suppliers specializing solely in timber sourcing, we have the know-how and equipment, if required, to solve installation issues as they happen.

In The Astaka project, we saved our clients valuable time in the quality control of wood flooring installations, which contributed to its success in achieving high CONQUAS scores.