Feb 21, 2013 | Comments 0
Property management is important in Asia where there is a propensity to discard older buildings in favour of new steel and glass structures.
This week was the launch party in Bangkok of the Thailand Property Awards 2013. New and old categories were presented along with the judging process and new members of the judges.
One of the additions to this year's categories was the expansion of the Property Management category to include both urban and resort destinations. This is a welcome addition because it highlights the importance of properly managing properties. Anyone who has spent some time in the big cities in Asia will likely have noticed the lack of old buildings being used for residential and commercial purposes to the same extend as in Europe, for example.
Some cities are better at preserving buildings than others, but I think it is safe to say that the majority of buildings in the CBDs in cities such as Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Hong Kong are less than 20-30 years old – a short lifespan when compared to London, Berlin, Prague or Paris, which all have perfectly functioning 100+ year old buildings.
Climate does play a role in the longevity of the built environment, but buildings in the west also face climatical challenges. Commonly made of bricks, structures in wet and colder climates run the risk of fractures when water enters the brick and expands under below-zero temperatures.
Modernisation probably has a lot to do with Asian cities' love of new. While western societies may see renovation as a viable (and economically feasible) option, many Asian cities and developers have a lot of money to spend and what screams success louder than new swanky steel and glass buildings? I wouldn't say there is outright contempt for old, but more a preference for new.
Yet doing away with everything more than 20 years old will slowly but surely suck all the charm and character out of large cities, not to mention put a huge strain on natural resources. Look at Dubai, for example. Although an interesting city to look at many people feel it's artificial, a bit like living in Disney World. New may be good for tourism, but so is old and identity and history and soul.
That is why the expansion of the Property Management category in the Thailand Property Awards is a welcome addition. For without property management and maintenance, all the new, impressive buildings will look old too soon and we all know what will happen to them then.
Filed Under: Editor's view
Article source: http://www.thethailandlinks.com/2013/02/25/where-25-years-is-old/
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