Provence Residence EC Project Review: Rare EC Near to an MRT Station

Provence Residence executive condo (EC) is a 413-unit, 99-year leasehold development located in District 27. The EC development is being developed by MCC Land and will be the second executive condo (EC) development in the Canberra estate after last year’s highly successful Parc Canberra EC.

The project consists of nine, 11 and 13-storey blocks built on 179,651 sq ft of land area. This is roughly the size of three football fields. The huge land area also allows MCC Land to offer around 50 different facilities to its residents.

The design of Provence Residence EC draws inspiration from Provence, which is a region in South-Eastern France. As such, the concept features French-inspired designs.

At first glance, the design might not seem French, but the devil’s in the details. 

For instance, the nine blocks at Provence Residence EC are nested within a landscape of lush architectural symmetry. That’s why you can find placement of ‘Jardins’ (gardens in French) all around the development to recreate the royal courtyard feel that the French royals once enjoyed.

There are also subtle and distinctive touches to exemplify the French architectural style such as:

• Staggered fins on the exterior to create rhythm and symmetry
• French-styled windows at the gym and function room
• French-inspired pavilions (facilities) for dining and barbecue

Provence Residence EC: Developer

MCC Land is a subsidiary of Metallurgy Corporation of China Ltd, which is a Fortune Global 500 company. Its business operations range from urban development, property development to construction. 

Some of the prominent construction projects in Singapore include the Singapore Expo building, Woodlands Checkpoint, Circle MRT Line (CCL) and Bedok South MRT station on the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL).

MCC Land is also an experienced property developer, having developed both big and small residential projects. Its portfolio of residential developments include the recently launched One Bernam, The Landmark and the well-located Queens Peak. In addition, its projects like Canberra Residences and The Canopy have also been awarded BCA Green Mark Awards for its commitment towards a sustainable Singapore. 

In recognition of its rise in the real estate scene in Singapore, MCC Land was awarded the BCI Asia Top 10 Developers Award back in 2015. 

Provence Residence EC: Design

Provence Residence EC 3-bedroom chic (Type C1, 883 sq ft) review

As you enter the unit, you are greeted with a wide entryway. The entryway is designed to be perpendicular to the living and dining area, which gives you some privacy as it prevents others from peering directly into the living room when you open the door. 

All units are fitted with a Schlage digital lock on the main entrance.

On the left of the walkway is a built-in cupboard that houses the DB box. It provides some storage space for your shoes or household items.

The kitchen is located just after the walkway. All units at Provence Residence EC come with an enclosed kitchen, which is great for those who enjoy cooking at home. Being fully enclosed means that you can do heavy cooking within your kitchen space without having to worry too much about lingering cooking smells in your house.

All the furniture and cabinetry are provided, together with a gas stove, cooking hood, built-in oven, and accessories (sink and tap) from Swiss brand Franke.

The kitchen is also connected to the yard (left of the washing machine) and a water closet (behind the sink).

Do note that the washing machine and fridge are not provided for Provence Residence EC.

Both the yard and the water closet are of decent size, with the yard doubling as a bomb shelter.

The unit also features a dumbbell layout design where the bedrooms are located on both sides of the living room. This avoids wasted space in long corridors which is common in conventional layouts.

The balcony area for the 3-bedroom chic unit is also a good size, and offers you the option of extending your living space if you prefer.

Bedroom three is the bedroom that is closest to the entrance. It comes with a built-in wardrobe that is fitted with LED lighting. The wardrobe and flooring are made of laminated timber, and are  standard across all rooms and units.

Size-wise, it’s large enough to accommodate a single bed with room to spare.

Bedroom three is connected to bathroom two, which comes with two-door access (i.e. Jack and Jill design) and is connected to bedroom two as well.

The bathroom fittings (i.e. tap, shower and rain shower) come with chrome finishing, just like the ones you find in the kitchen. 

All bathrooms come with marble-inspired porcelain tiles to complement the chrome fittings.

The water closet is wall hung with a concealed cistern, which presents a minimalist and clean design. This is consistent for all units.

The connecting bedroom two is slightly bigger than bedroom three, with enough space to fit a queen bed.

The same built-in wardrobe and laminated timber flooring can be found in bedroom two as well.

The master bedroom is right across the living room and has its own en-suite bathroom. It is also bigger than bedroom two, which means you can fit a king bed and still have enough walking space.

The en-suite master bathroom has the same fittings from Axent and the same chrome finishing as the common bathroom. Like the common bathroom, the master bathroom also comes fitted with a regular showerhead and rain shower.

Provence Residence EC 3-bedroom elite (Type C6, 1,249 sq ft) review

The entrance to the 3-bedroom elite unit comes with a similar design as the 3-bedroom chic (C1) and 4-bedroom grande (D2) showflat units, i.e. you won’t be able to see the living area directly. The built-in storage of the DB box is also right beside the main entrance.

The dining area is the first thing that you will see as you enter the unit. As the 3-bedroom elite (C6) unit is one of the biggest 3-bedroom units, there is a nice segregation between the dining, kitchen and living area.

At 1,249 sq ft, the 3-bedroom elite unit is similar in size to a 4-bedroom unit elsewhere.

The balcony is also spacious, and can be converted into an al fresco area. The balcony is adjoined and accessible from the master bedroom as well.

As mentioned above, all units at Provence Residence EC come with an enclosed kitchen concept with Franke appliances and built-in cabinets/cupboards. The kitchen size is also spacious, thus allowing the developer to provide two countertops on each side of the kitchen.

One of the drawers also comes with a sauce rack that provides a useful and easily accessible space to stow away your cooking condiments.

Behind the kitchen, you will find the yard which you can use as a storage space.

Right opposite the yard is the water closet. There is also a nice space to tuck a washing machine. However, note that the washing machine is not provided as part of the unit, just like the fridge.

Bedroom two is the bedroom that is closest to the kitchen and living room. The bedroom comes with a built-in full-length window and a floor-to-ceiling cupboard. 

Note that though the developer placed a single bed in the showflat, the bedroom can actually fit a queen-size bed with enough walking space.

The common bathroom sits across the corridor and comes with sanitary fittings from Axent. As mentioned above, all bathrooms for Provence Residence EC are fitted with both a traditional shower head and a rain shower. The water closet is also wall-hung and has a concealed cistern.

The junior master bedroom is the bedroom that is farthest away from the main entrance. This is atypical as the master bedroom is usually the farthest. The reason for this is so that the master bedroom can have direct access to the balcony.

The junior master bedroom is about 191 sq ft and large enough to fit a king-size bed with still plenty of room left.

The junior master bedroom is the bedroom that is farthest away from the main entrance. This is atypical as the master bedroom is usually the farthest. The reason for this is so that the master bedroom can have direct access to the balcony.

The junior master bedroom is about 191 sq ft and large enough to fit a king-size bed with still plenty of room left.

The junior master bedroom comes with its own en-suite bathroom that sports a similar look to the common bathroom. Like the common bathroom, it also has a rain shower and similar bathroom design.

The master bedroom is spacious enough to fit a king-size bed without any issue. There is even space for a walk-in wardrobe.

As explained earlier, the room is connected to the balcony. To accommodate this design, the master bedroom is not located the farthest along the corridor, which is unlike most condo/EC units.

Like the junior master bedroom, the master bedroom also has an en-suite bathroom. The sanitary fittings in the toilet come with chrome touches, which makes your sanitary fittings seem more premium.

Provence Residence EC 4-bedroom grande (Type D2, 1,399 sq ft) review

At 1,399 sq ft, the 4-bedroom grande (D2) is the biggest unit at Provence Residence EC. 

Like the 3-bedroom chic (C2) unit, the walkway is also angled for improved privacy. On the right of the walkway, you have the built-in cupboard for the DB box and your household items.

As mentioned above, all units come with a Schlage digital lock for the main entrance.

At 1,399 sq ft, the 4-bedroom grande (D2) is the biggest unit at Provence Residence EC. 

Like the 3-bedroom chic (C2) unit, the walkway is also angled for improved privacy. On the right of the walkway, you have the built-in cupboard for the DB box and your household items.

As mentioned above, all units come with a Schlage digital lock for the main entrance.

The main living area is on the left of the entrance. As the biggest unit (1,399 sq ft) available, the 4-bedroom grande comes with a sizable living area (387 sq ft). Even after adding in a four-seater long sofa, there’s still enough walking space.

The balcony for the 4-bedroom grande unit is also extended, linked and accessible by bedroom three.

Because of the size of the living area, there is enough space for a six-seater dining table right next to the kitchen. The built-in cabinets next to the fridge are provided, but not the fridge.

An interesting feature of the kitchen design is the full-length glass panel. Parents would probably like this as it allows you to keep your children in view while you’re cooking. The full glass panel is also French-inspired, which not only complements the overall design theme of the EC, but also makes the dining and kitchen area feel more spacious.

Like the smaller units, the 4-bedroom grande unit is also designed with an enclosed kitchen so you don’t have to worry about cooking smells overwhelming your home. Also included are magic corners and a sauce rack within the built-in cabinets to help homeowners leverage the space, especially at the corners.

The kitchen is slightly larger than the other showflat units and it comes with additional countertop space and storage on the left side of the kitchen.

The kitchen is also linked to the water closet and yard (bomb shelter). The size and layout of the yard allows for flexible use of the space, including using it as a living space for your domestic helper.

The first bedroom along the corridor is bedroom three, which is linked to the balcony.

Bedroom three is well-sized and comes with the standard built-in wardrobe. Though at the showflat, the developer converted bedroom three into a personal workstation, you can actually fit a queen-size bed if you wish.

Bedroom three and bedroom two are both connected to bathroom two, which features a two-door access (Jack and Jill design). The bathroom also comes with chrome bathroom fittings from Axent.

All bedrooms in the 4-bedroom grande unit come with access to a bathroom, i.e. either shared access to a common bathroom (bedroom two and three) or its own en-suite bathroom (junior master bedroom and master bedroom).

Bedroom two comes with the same built-in wardrobe and can also fit a queen-size bed. However, it’s slightly bigger than bedroom three.

The junior master bedroom across the corridor from bedroom two is larger than both common bedrooms. It’s large enough to fit a king-sized bed, but a queen bed would probably give you more walking room.

Unlike the two other bedrooms, the junior master bedroom has its own en-suite junior master bathroom.

The junior master bathroom is like bathroom two, which is connected to bedroom two and three, with its layout being the only difference.

The master bedroom is the biggest room in the 4-bedroom grande unit. It can fit a king-size bed and still have plenty of walking space to manoeuvre around. 

The built-in wardrobe comes with accessory storage and a full-length mirror at the side.

Provence Residence EC will be located at the intersection between Sembawang Road and Canberra Link. The plot is the size of almost three football fields, and provides residents with a good mix of nature and sports facilities. 

There are five gardens around Provence Residence EC and a couple of open spaces (e.g., lawns, decks) where residents can enjoy being close to greenery. Within the EC, there’s also a half basketball court, jogging track, and fitness corner. In total, there are close to 50 different facilities that residents can enjoy within Provence Residence EC.

The facilities are grouped into various themes and come with their own French-inspired names. For instance, Jardin d’Eau (translation: Water Garden) is the pool zone while the Sanctuaire du Jardin (translation: Garden Sanctuary) and Jardin du Pavillon (translation: Pavilion Garden) are where the garden facilities are located. La Sante (translation: Health) is the fitness zone within the EC.

To ensure that each stack avoids direct sun during the day while keeping the unit well ventilated, the blocks are designed to be approximately north-south facing. In addition, all internal-facing stacks (i.e. stacks 3, 4, 7, 8, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 25, 26, 29, 30, 34) enjoy a good view of the two pools while the external-facing stacks (i.e. stacks 1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 13, 14, 19, 20, 23, 24, 27, 28, 31, 32, 34, 36) get the view of the Canberra area as well as the greenery within the development.

Provence Residence EC: Facilities

Royal French Courtyard

Bonjour

• Cascading Water Feature

Jardin d’Eau

• Arrival Spring
• Family Pool
• Kid’s Pool
• Jet Pool
• Family Deck
• Gym Room
• Stream Room
• Reflective Water Feature
• Learning Zone
• Entertainment Zone
• Function Room
• Lounge Deck
• Sun Lounge
• 50m Lap Pool
• Topiary Walk
• Romance Square
• Romance Court
• Relaxing Deck
• Celebration Pavilion
• Celebration Lawn
• Garden Walk
• Secret Court
• Infinity Edge Walk

Country Side Courtyard

Sanctuaire du Jardin (Garden Sanctuary)

• Flower Garden
• Boutique Lawn Garden
• Leisure Deck
• Green Checker Garden
• Serenity Garden
• Fragrance Garden
• Green Lounge
• Botany Walk

Jardin du Pavillon (Pavilion Garden)

• Dining Pavilion
• Alfresco Dining
• Chill Out Lawn
• Party BBQ Pavilion
• Party Alfresco Dining
• Pastry Lawn

La Sante (Health & Fitness)

• Half Basketball Court 
• Jogging Track 
• Children’s Playground 
• Fitness Corner

Living Up

• Sky Dining 
• Sky Lounge 
• Sky Lawn 
• Roof Terrace