PERFECT BALANCE

Adrian Gray’s incredible balancing rock sculptures have been awing spectators for almost a decade. Gray attributes his ability to balance large rocks in seemingly impossible positions to an illness he suffered while on an adventure holiday in Madagascar. From that experience he not only returned with a new found skill but he had also inexplicably developed a strange allergy to electricity. Soon after he dumped his phone, television, computers, his car and a lot of the items that most of us consider necessities. If you find that hard to believe, then check out his sculptures. With each piece Gray strives, and invariably achieves, an illusionary quality that leaves his audiences in wonder and questioning the possibility and reality of his works.

In October this year, Gray made his way to Singapore (in a specially assigned airplane seat without audio visual facilities of course) to perform his unique brand of magic at the grand opening of The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Cairnhill, Singapore, the first standalone Ritz-Carlton Residence in Asia. Why bring the British artist to the opening of a building half way around the world? Well, much like Gray’s artworks, the thought of a relatively young company like KOP Properties winning such an important project as their first development project seemed impossible. “Like Adrian’s pieces, our buildings depend on many factors such as the weather (of the markets), the materials, strategy and good judgement. Once we set our sights on something we want to do, we believe we can do it and then make it the best there is, one step at a time,” explains Ms Leny Suparman, Chief Executive Officer of KOP Properties.

In addition to The Ritz-Carlton Residences, KOP Properties is also behind Hamilton Scotts, the tallest en-suite sky garage apartment building in the world. Standing proud at 20 floors, each unit is replete with two garages on their floor. Conventions tested and critics ablaze, Suparman and Group CEO, Ms Ong Chih Ching have taken it one step further with Montigo Resorts, the first five-star luxury development in Nongsa, Indonesia due to open in 2012.

Whether it’s rock formations on a secluded beach or multi-million dollar apartment buildings in the heart of Singapore, Ong, Suparman and Gray all understand that with careful planning, thought and a bit of gumption things that may seem impossible can indeed become a reality. It just takes the proper balance.