Lim Keong Wee charts a new course beyond his grandfather’s Genting Group legacy

When Lim Keong Wee was studying for his GCE A-Level examinations at a boarding school in the United Kingdom, he began considering which courses to apply for at university. Engineering seemed the obvious choice, given his academic track in the Science stream. However, conversations with relatives who recognised his creative side, together with an internship at Singapore firm architects61 during his summer holiday, made him realise that being an engineer was not his “cup of tea”.

“Seeing how architects work to create a building from concept to construction really inspired me,” shared the co-founder of creative studio PAC and hospitality management company Cover Projects. Thanks to supportive teachers, he was able to take Art as an A-Level subject in his final year, which led to his acceptance into London’s prestigious Architectural Association (AA).

“That’s how my path towards architecture started,” said Lim. His architectural skills came in handy for his latest project – The Initial Sama. It is Cover Projects’ largest property and Singapore’s first wellness-centric serviced residence, located at 26 Evans Road.

The iconic red-brick building was built in 1958 as Eusoff College’s first hostel for female students. While its exterior was conserved, the interiors were reconfigured to create 92 units, co-working spaces, F&B outlets, and a comprehensive wellness destination – Sama Wellness.

ALL IN THE FAMILY

It is not too far-fetched to say that property development is in Lim’s blood. He is one of the grandsons of Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong, the late Malaysian entrepreneur who founded the Genting Group in 1965 with the mountaintop integrated resort now known as Resorts World Genting.

When Lim was young, his family relocated to Singapore, where he attended school from kindergarten through to the now-defunct Westlake Secondary School. He later left for boarding school in the United Kingdom.

Lim’s father runs his own hospitality-related property development business. This, along with PAC and Cover Projects, operates independently of the Genting Group. However, having that indirect connection, as well as observing his father at work, “has allowed me, over the years, to gain insight into business trends,” said Lim.

“When I got older, I began to understand more about business and relate it to design. I noticed the merging of the experience economy with travel, as millennial travellers started seeking unique experiences,” explained Lim. “Rather than large global brands, they sought accommodation that was more localised.”

The advent of budget airlines also made travel more accessible, encouraging travellers to go off the beaten track and craft authentic itineraries. “We saw hostels popping up in Singapore, but there was a gap in affordable [yet well-considered] hostels within the Central Business District,” said Lim. 

ON ARCHITECTURE AND BUSINESS

Lim felt that shophouses ticked all the boxes, and with that, Cover Projects was born, operating its first shophouse hostel on Stanley Street. Naturally, PAC designed its interiors. However, that shophouse was not the first heritage building he had worked on.

As an intern at architects61, the passionate creative found joy in witnessing the restoration and transformation of The Fullerton Hotel, which had served as Singapore’s General Post Office (GPO) from 1928 to 1996. “That project really stuck in my mind,” Lim remarked.

His observations on humanistic architecture and urban design were also shaped by his studies in architectural discourse and theory at the AA, where he gleaned insights into “how cities are formed, how architecture forms cities, and how design can really shape people’s collective experiences.” 

Lim added: “That, plus my formative years with the architectural discourse and theoretical studies at the AA, and working at corporate offices like Foster + Partners, made me look at architecture from a humanistic, social side as well as from a commercial standpoint.”

Thus, PAC evolved from working on city planning projects and architecture to becoming a full-fledged creative consultancy that also undertakes interior design. Since 2021, the capabilities of PAC and Cover Projects have been deliberately merged whenever possible, although PAC continues to serve other clients.

“We see ourselves as a sort of turnkey operator; we do turnkey projects and operate them. That’s how The Initial Sama was planned and executed,” said Lim. 

THE INITIAL SAMA STORY

In 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cover Projects ventured into the serviced residence sector with the introduction of Initial Residences. Eventually, its focus shifted from operating hostels to managing master-leasing projects under an asset management model. “This price-and-tender model allows us to exercise our creativity while remaining involved in both the hospitality and business aspects,” said Lim.  

Cover Projects began bidding for properties managed by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA), and the building at 26 Evans Road was the first it successfully secured. The tender site visit left a strong impression on Lim, who had previously only known the building as a student hostel for NUS’s Bukit Timah Campus.

“I used to play a lot of basketball across the road, at the campus grounds. I love sports, so naturally, that was my stomping ground for a game,” Lim chuckled.

He only realised how large the property was after the tender site visit. Lim also noted the expansive courtyard, surrounded by four red-brick blocks. The lush grounds, along with its proximity to the Singapore Botanic Gardens and nearby healthcare facilities, inspired the conceptualisation of a wellness-centric serviced residence.

Research and experience from Cover Projects’ previous properties supported his idea. Lim noted that in 2023, Singapore’s wellness economy had reached US$20.4 billion (S$26.48 billion), showing a strong year-on-year growth rate, according to research by the Global Wellness Institute.

WHY WELLNESS?

“The Singapore market is well-suited for that, and the younger generation are now embracing concepts of sustainability and personal care; they want to do well in life but also be well and improve their wellbeing,” added Lim, commenting on The Initial Sama’s relevance.

He explained: “Singapore’s high disposable income and ageing population mean there is a lot of stress on society to keep up with the daily demands of life. We saw that led to the proliferation of gyms and yoga studios.” This trend aligned with the global rise of spa resorts and hotels collaborating with clinical wellness brands.

‘Sama’ means balance and harmony in Sanskrit, reflecting the brand’s vision of creating a community that honours “connection, restoration and respect.” Together, the name The Initial Sama embodies a starting point for living well — where heritage and modern life meet in harmony, Lim said.

For the role of The Initial Sama’s Director of Wellness, Lim brought in Rosalind Lau, who has 25 years’ experience in conceptualising and managing wellness facilities for global hospitality brands. In addition to serving residents, Sama Wellness will also welcome external members.

Lau has curated Better Rest, Rest and Restore, and Fitness Optimisation programmes to meet the needs of harried urban dwellers. “Each programme combines proven science with immersive, sensory wellness experiences so that our guests leave renewed, informed and empowered,” she said.

An example of a Better Rest programme, designed to address restless nights, irregular schedules, or stress-related sleep challenges, includes a personalised Sleep Hygiene Screening, breathwork practices, magnesium-infused wellness therapies, and circadian rhythm support through light-based activities and evening wind-down rituals.

NATURE AND COMMUNITY

The key is to provide relevant solutions that integrate easily into existing lifestyles, rather than approach wellness as a passing trend. This is also why Sama Wellness’s gym is equipped with official apparatus used in Hyrox events, ensuring that enthusiasts of the sport can train to competition standard — whether they are on a work trip, holiday, or preparing for overseas events.

“We saw the gap in approaching wellness not through an opportunistic standpoint but through [building] community. We wanted to bring the hardware, as well as the hospitality service and experience of external practitioners with their own communities, so that this becomes a shared space with shared experiences,” said Lim. 

He pointed out that Sama Wellness provides an inspiring and supportive training environment for the dedicated Hyrox community. As the gym’s ceiling height cannot be altered due to conservation guidelines, an outdoor Hyrox training area with taller equipment was created by the poolside, sheltered beneath the foliage of towering mature trees and surrounded by bucolic landscaping by Grant Associates — the landscape architecture firm behind Gardens by the Bay.

In fact, the entire development is lush with greenery, perfectly complementing The Initial Sama’s wellness focus. The project’s architectural adaptive reuse, combined with biophilic design that integrates nature, creates an oasis in the heart of the city.   

Lau shared that shared retreats — for both individuals and groups — are in the works, along with programmes for pre- and post-surgery recovery support developed in collaboration with nearby healthcare facilities.

The two-bedroom apartments and children’s pool also embrace multi-generational wellness and living. “The parents can have a training session while the kids can go for a kids wellness programme at the playground or outdoor areas,” Lim suggested. 

HONOURING HERITAGE

During the building’s renovation, Lim and his team at PAC focused on preserving its heritage character while adapting its functionality to suit a wellness-led serviced residence. The red-brick elevations, French windows, breeze blocks, and structural framework of the building were retained.

“Beyond the facade, we made a conscious decision to preserve the original flooring materials that carry the memory of the building. The mosaic tiles and terrazzo floors in the internal and external corridors, along with the marble flooring in the lobby, were carefully maintained and restored, grounding the new functions of the property in its historic fabric,” said Lim.

The Initial Sama’s interiors blend warm neutrals, earthy clay, and deep tropical greens with natural wood, rattan, and stone to achieve a “retro-modern tropical design”. Cloistered courtyards complement the central courtyard, seamlessly merging greenery with the existing spaces.

Sustainable thinking does not just apply to the building but also to the landscaping. “Mindful of existing tree roots, we wove footpaths sensitively around tree protection zones, using loose stepping stones when it came near existing roots. The yoga deck was raised on what had once been an open lawn, minimising disturbances to existing tree roots and ecosystems,” said Grant Associates’ senior associate, Agnes Soh, speaking about the design of the Wellness and Healing Garden adjacent to the pool.

She emphasised: “For this project, our ethos was about respecting nature and celebrating what came before us. Longevity and sustainability meant working with what was already there, rather than against it.” 

At the poolside, Lim pointed out a tall, striking sculpture created by Grant Associates for last year’s Singapore Garden Festival and later “adopted” by the property. Crafted from a fallen tree, it not only enlivens the public space but also serves as a symbol of optimism, opportunity, and renewal — much like The Initial Sama.