Replacing an ageing intercom system and introducing smarter resident access - Akuvox video intercoms, mobile app entry, custom Mifare credentials, and LPR-enabled vehicle management for a boutique District 9 condominium.
Suites@Cairnhill is a freehold condominium at 138 Cairnhill Road in District 9 - a boutique 17-storey development of 48 units completed in 2010, each served by a private lift lobby. The estate is located within walking distance of Newton MRT and the Orchard Road belt. With a small but discerning resident community, the management sought a modern intercom solution that would deliver reliable visitor video screening, mobile app access for residents, and more secure credential management than the existing system could provide. Vehicle access management at the entrance was also a priority, with resident convenience and traffic flow both requiring attention.
| Client / MCST | MCST 3615 - Suites@Cairnhill |
|---|---|
| Location | 138 Cairnhill Road, District 9, Singapore 229719 |
| Sector | Residential - Condominium |
| Project Type | Intercom Replacement + Access Credentials + LPR Vehicle Access |
| Completion | November 2024 |
| Units | 48 |
The existing intercom system at Suites@Cairnhill had served the estate since completion in 2010 but had reached the point where reliability and capability were both in question. Visitor video quality had degraded, and the system lacked mobile app support - meaning residents who were not physically at their handset could not screen or admit visitors remotely. For a high-end District 9 address where residents expect frictionless living, this was an operational gap.
The credential system in use was EM card technology - the lowest common standard for access control. EM cards are easily duplicated using widely available hardware, offering minimal security for a condominium where the resident community has high expectations for personal security. A more secure credential type was needed, but the MCST also wanted the new card to be visually distinctive - making any counterfeit immediately identifiable even to a security guard without technical equipment.
Vehicle access at the entrance was creating queues during peak arrival and departure periods. Without LPR-based recognition, every resident vehicle required manual verification by security personnel - slowing entry, creating congestion, and placing unnecessary operational load on the security team.
| Operational Area | Before | Securevision Upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Intercom system | Legacy analogue intercom, degraded video quality | Akuvox R28A IP video door stations - HD video, mobile-enabled |
| Visitor screening | Fixed handset only - resident must be home to admit visitors | SmartPlus mobile app - residents screen and admit visitors from anywhere |
| Access credentials | EM card - easily duplicated, no visual differentiation | Custom Mifare black card - cryptographically stronger, visually distinctive |
| Credential security | A duplicate EM card is indistinguishable from a genuine one | A counterfeit card would be blank white - immediately obvious against the issued black design |
| Vehicle entry | Manual verification by security at boom gate | LPR recognition via GantryGo - resident vehicles recognised automatically |
| Security workload | Staff required to verify every resident vehicle | Security team freed from routine vehicle checks; focused on genuine exceptions |
When selecting a replacement credential, the options were EM card (like-for-like), Mifare standard, or a higher-security platform. EM was ruled out on security grounds. Standard white Mifare cards offered a significant upgrade in cryptographic security - Mifare uses encrypted data sectors that resist the cloning tools that defeat EM - but the MCST raised a practical concern: if Mifare cloning technology were to improve in the future, a blank white counterfeit card would not be detectable by a security guard without specialist equipment.
Securevision designed a custom Mifare card in black - a distinctive format issued exclusively to Suites@Cairnhill residents. The cryptographic security of Mifare remains the primary protection, but the visual design adds a second layer of practical security: any counterfeit attempt using a blank card stock would produce a white card, which is immediately identifiable as non-genuine against the estate's issued black format. The black card also serves as an estate identity marker - residents immediately associate it with their building.
Outcome: The custom black Mifare card delivers both enhanced technical security over the previous EM system and a visible, practical counterfeit deterrent that requires no technology to enforce at the door.
Suites@Cairnhill has four distinct entry points - the main gate, the Level 1 lobby, the Basement 1 lobby, and the lift lobbies serving each private unit. Securevision installed an Akuvox R28A at each of the three public-facing entry points, with the vehicle entrance managed separately via LPR.
The primary pedestrian entry point, serving as the first point of visitor screening. The R28A provides HD video calling to residents via the SmartPlus app, Mifare card reader for resident entry, and remote door release.
Internal lobby entry point between the main gate and the lift cores. Residents scan their Mifare black card; visitors call through to the resident's mobile.
The access point serving residents arriving via the basement car park. Same credential and mobile app integration as the Level 1 unit.
LPR cameras at the entrance read resident vehicle plates automatically, triggering the boom gate without requiring the security team to manually verify each vehicle. GantryGo's resident app integration allows the security team to monitor vehicle access events in real time.
The four-point deployment covers every resident and visitor entry scenario, with a consistent credential and mobile experience across all points.
IP video intercoms, cryptographically secure custom credentials, and plate recognition working together as a single resident access system.
Four R28A units at the main gate, Level 1 lobby, and Basement 1 lobby provide HD video calling, Mifare card reading, and remote door release. Residents use the SmartPlus mobile app to screen visitors and grant access from anywhere.
Entry Access Control →Securevision-designed Mifare cards in a distinctive black format issued to all residents. Mifare's encrypted data sectors provide strong cryptographic resistance to cloning. The black design ensures any blank-stock counterfeit is immediately visible.
Entry Access Control →LPR cameras at the entrance read resident plates and trigger the boom gate automatically. GantryGo provides the security team with a real-time vehicle access dashboard, reducing manual verification workload.
Vehicle Access & LPR →Four Akuvox R28A units provide HD visitor video and mobile app access across all public-facing entry points, replacing the legacy analogue system.
Residents can screen and admit visitors via the SmartPlus app from anywhere - not just when physically at their unit handset.
Custom Mifare black cards replace EM cards, providing cryptographic cloning resistance and a visually distinctive format that makes counterfeits immediately identifiable.
LPR cameras with GantryGo recognise resident vehicles automatically, eliminating manual boom gate checks and reducing entrance congestion during peak periods.
With vehicle recognition handled automatically, security personnel can focus on genuine exceptions and visitor management rather than routine resident vehicle verification.
The Mifare black card decision at Suites@Cairnhill is a good example of layered thinking. Cryptographic security is the primary protection - but cryptographic attacks are not how most credential fraud occurs at a residential condominium. The more common scenario is a duplicate card going undetected because it looks identical to a genuine one. The custom black design closes that gap without adding any technology. It is a design decision, not a hardware decision - and it costs almost nothing more than a standard white card. The most effective security measures often work on multiple levels at once.
Every project Securevision delivers draws on multiple systems working together - cameras, access control, intercoms, vehicle management, network infrastructure, and platform software. The cards below show the full range of systems we design and install. Each one links to a deeper explanation of how it works, when it is needed, and what to look for when specifying it.
We work with MCSTs and managing agents across Singapore to design and deliver access upgrades that improve resident experience and reduce security workload.