lyf expands into KL, draws users with curated experiential programmes

Coliving brand lyf will officially launch its first property in Kuala Lumpur this August, making it one of the five cities to have new lyf properties globally this year, alongside Bangkok, Cebu, Melbourne, and Xi'an. While Mondi Mecja, country GM for Malaysia, The Ascott did not reveal the monetary investment behind lyf's expansion into Malaysia, he told A+M that the company expects strong demand for lyf Raja Chulan Kuala Lumpur as international borders open, and business and leisure travel pick up.

"The pandemic has spurred a new way to live and work. We see more digital nomads and self-starters preferring to work remotely, demanding novel experiences and opportunities to connect," he said. This trend is apparently particular in gateway cities such as Kuala Lumpur. Located at a prime location within the city's Golden Triangle, lyf Raja Chulan Kuala Lumpur will cater to guests on long stays and short stays.

"We see potential demand from the nearby companies from various sectors including finance, banking, media, creative, and consultancy. Coworking spaces and tourist attractions such as Bukit Bintang, Petaling Street and Central Market are also a stone’s throw away. Furthermore, lyf Raja Chulan Kuala Lumpur enjoys easy access to other parts of the city given its proximity to transportation nodes," he explained.

The marketing team in Kuala Lumpur is currently led by Warren Fernandez, Ascott's director of marketing communications for Malaysia. He joined the company last month from Movenpick Hotels & Resorts and leads a team of four. Moving forward, lyf plans to expand into Penang, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, and Johor Bahru.

To drum up hype for the new coliving property, lyf will reach out the media, key opinion leaders, and social media influencers, as well as host previews and stays. It will also form partnerships and host events that align with lyf’s brand to further market the brand and entertain guests with social activities such as live comedy gigs, music jamming sessions and busking festivals. 

According to Mecja, lyf's coliving concept creates opportunities for guests to connect with like-minded individuals in its social spaces as well as through its curated experiential programmes. Its social facilities and spaces include the "Bond" social kitchen, the "Connect" coworking and lounge zone, "Burn" gymnasium, and "Wash & Hang" laundromat. Mecja explained that its new property in Malaysia will connect guests with local entrepreneurs, businesses, art, music and fashion through its #lyfgoeslocal initiative.

At the same time, the #lyfxart initiative allows guests to be surrounded and inspired by the works of art by local artists, specially curated to reflect the property’s location, culture, and heritage. Lyf also offers a digital experience through its "Discover ASR" mobile app, allowing guests to access their apartments via a mobile key. All these initiatives and features aim to help stand out among its competitors in Malaysia, which include Utopia, The Hatchery Place, and Komune Living. 

Ascott currently has 17 lyf properties with over 3,200 units in 14 cities and nine countries. This includes 10 lyf properties that are under development. It is also targeting 150 lyf properties with over 30,000 units by 2030. Earlier this month, it launched the lyf Innovation Lab to power its digital-enabled offerings. Created together with Temasek Polytechnic’s School of Informatics & IT in Singapore, the lab will explore, design, and testbed immersive VR and AR technologies and digital experiences. Lyf one-north in Singapore will serve as a living lab for field testing these digital innovations. Successful pilots will eventually be implemented across other lyf properties worldwide.

Currently underway, the first pilot is the expansion of lyf’s coliving experience into the metaverse by harnessing VR and AR technologies to merge the physical world of lyf with the virtual space. With 25% of people expected to spend at least one hour per day in the metaverse by 2026, according to Gartner, Ascott is codeveloping these immersive technologies to deliver cutting-edge experiences in the new interactive metaverse starting with the lyf brand.

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