CapitaLand’s wholly owned serviced residence business unit, The Ascott Limited, has unveiled a new brand, Lyf (pronounced ‘life’), designed for and managed by millennials who wish to experience destinations as locals do.
Going beyond traditional hospitality concepts, Lyf guests and staff collaborate as a community as well as connect guests with fellow travellers and change-makers.
Millennials already form a quarter of Ascott’s customers and this segment, and with the rising trend of co-living and co-working, Ascott aims to have 10,000 units under the Lyf brand globally by 2020.
Unlike conventional serviced apartments, the properties will be managed by Lyf Guards, millennials who may be residents themselves. They will act as community managers, city and food guides, bar keepers and problem solvers all rolled into one. Lyf Guards, guests and partners can conduct workshops with local craftsmen, hackathons with local start-up accelerators or innovation talks.
Designed to facilitate interaction between guests, each Lyf property has its own personality with fun and quirky design elements. They will all have ‘Connect’ communal spaces, co-working areas that can be easily transformed into zones for workshops or social gatherings. Residents can also hangout at the ‘Wash & Hang’ laundromat and play a round of Foosball while waiting for their laundry to be done.
The ‘Bond’ social kitchen is where guests can prepare home-cooked meals, take cooking classes and socialize while learning more about global cuisines from other residents. Lyf properties may incorporate interactive digital art pieces or even giant ball pits, hamster wheels and oversized Connect Four sets.
The residence will offer a range of apartment layouts from ‘Big Bed’ rooms (studios) to ‘Two of a Kind’ rooms (twin rooms) – two private rooms with a shared kitchen. Project groups can opt for the ‘All Together’ unit (business suites) which have smart display screens for video conferencing and discussions while a large table doubles up as a collaborative working zone and dining area. Instead of standard wardrobes, guests can hang their clothes on rails that suspend from the ceiling or put up a hammock for a lazy afternoon snooze.
“Millennials already form a quarter of Ascott’s customers and this segment is poised to grow exponentially,” said Ascott CEO Lee Chee Koon. “Lyf is a unique accommodation tailored for this demographic, including technopreneurs, start-ups and individuals from music, media and fashion. We do not define millennials by age but instead they are a social generation who crave discoveries and desire to be part of a community. Lyf will provide global jetsetters and trendsetters with the opportunity to ‘Live Your Freedom’ in a dynamic environment and network with like-minded creatives to bring more ideas to life. Most importantly, they can be assured of a consistent quality in products and services, given Ascott’s track record in managing award-winning properties worldwide. With the rising trend of co-living and co-working, Ascott aims to have 10,000 units under the Lyf brand globally by 2020.”
Lee added that Ascott is on the lookout for sites in key gateway cities for Lyf and is open to both investment and management contracts to meet the growing demand for such co-living spaces – including Australia, France, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the United Kingdom.