Designing for wellness: How Asia Green is rethinking urban living in Penang

From landed homes in mainland Butterworth to high-rise residences along the island’s coast, Asia Green Group’s growth has mirrored Penang’s shift towards vertical, lifestyle-driven developments.

Asia Green CEO Mei Tan said the company’s evolution has been shaped by changing buyer expectations, especially as more people seek thoughtful design, community-driven features, and well-connected locations.

“We’re not trying to be the biggest developer. But we want to make a meaningful impact—especially in how people live.

“That’s why we always ask how we can design better, with ecology and wellness in mind,” she told EdgeProp in an exclusive interview.

The turning point: The Clovers and beyond

Founded in the early 2000s, Asia Green began with small-scale landed homes before moving into the high-rise segment in 2012. Its real turning point came with The Clovers, a 42-storey residential project in Sungai Ara, Bayan Lepas, that stood out for its design-forward concept and lifestyle amenities.

This shift continued with QuayWest Residence, a dual-tower condo in the Queensbay area that launched in 2016 and was completed in 2023.

“QuayWest gave us a clearer direction on what today’s urban buyers really want: sea views, spacious layouts, and well-planned facilities.

“We focus on the well-being of people. If you look at our projects, we tend to go for more generous space planning,” Mei said.

Next up: The Pier and multi-gen living

Asia Green is now developing The Pier, located next to QuayWest. Slated for completion in 2028, the project will offer 998 units across two towers, featuring dual-key layouts and penthouses aimed at multigenerational living and work-from-home flexibility.

Mei said the company has become more intentional about spatial design, from flexible floor plans to better zoning of amenities.

“Buyers today are savvy. If they’re going to spend half a million or more, they want the space to fit their lifestyle, not just tick boxes,” she added.

Honouring heritage, expanding wellness

Beyond high-rises, Asia Green is venturing into heritage restoration with a new commercial project at the Shih Chung Branch School in George Town. The site, once a century-old English-medium school, is being reimagined as a wellness-led commercial centre blending conservation with curated experiences.

“We want to do it right, not just touch up the facade and call it a day. It should bring new life to the building while still honouring its history,” Mei stated.

Rebranding for a new chapter

At the same time, Asia Green is repositioning itself as a township developer. The group is working on its first township master plan, envisioned as a next-generation smart community built on wellness, sustainability, technology, art and culture.

“Our new brand stands for building with love, living with purpose.

“We want to redefine real estate through ecological harmony and purposeful living,” Mei explained.

This shift is guided by the group’s 3+X model which are Technology, Ecology, Art & Culture and Wellness and the Sisheng framework (Living 生活, Ecology 生态, Vitality 生机, Business 生意). Together, they form Asia Green’s blueprint for a “future-ready ecological civilisation”.

These concepts will take shape in the group’s upcoming Shih Chung Wellness Centre commercial project.

“We are building living ecosystems where people, nature, and innovation thrive together in harmony,” stated Mei.

Innovation, not imitation

Elaborating further, Mei said Asia Green aims to bring more innovation into its future projects including digital touchpoints for residents and smarter facility management systems. Sustainability and wellness will continue to shape its product strategy, particularly in energy and water conservation.

“It’s not always about green certifications. Sometimes it’s just about doing things better and more responsibly,” she said.

Despite being a private company, Asia Green operates with a lean team that keeps its ears on the ground. Mei herself remains closely involved in design reviews, project direction, and customer feedback.

“We’re still very hands-on. We want the flexibility to try things. Not everything has to be cookie-cutter or corporate,” she added.

Penang roots, future-facing mindset

For Mei, Asia Green’s identity is deeply tied to Penang, a state known for balancing heritage with progress.

“We’re from here, and we’re growing with the state. That means being bold, but also being rooted,” she said.

Meanwhile, Asia Green will host the Hanwang Forum on Sept 22 at Setia SPICE Arena, Penang. The one-day event will gather developers, policymakers and thought leaders from China and across Asia to explore new ideas around wellness-led design, ecology, and sustainable urban development reinforcing the group’s ambition to be seen not just as a property developer, but an ecology-first innovator.

As Penang girds itself towards the last lap of its Penang2030 vision, check out how the residential segment is keeping pace in EdgeProp’s special report: “PENANG Investing Towards 2030”.