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Straits Times
21-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
UpperHouse, The Robertson Opus see firm sales at launch; Otto Place EC at Tengah sells 58.5% of units
Find out what's new on ST website and app. UpperHouse is the best-selling CCR project since The M launched in 2020, with nearly all three-bedroom units were sold and one-third of the four-bedders taken up. SINGAPORE - Two new projects in the core central region (CCR) – UpperHouse at Orchard Boulevard and The Robertson Opus – launched over the weekend, drawing firm demand with both moving more than 40 per cent of their units. The launches of UpperHouse (301 units) and The Robertson Opus (348 units) mark the largest supply injection in the CCR since additional buyers' stamp duty (ABSD) measures were tightened in 2023, said PropNex chief executive officer Kelvin Fong. UpperHouse, by UOL Group and Singapore Land Group, sold 162 units or more than 53.8 per cent on July 19, at an average price of $3,350 per square foot (psf). The 99-year leasehold project offers units from one-bedroom and study to four-bedroom suites. Mr Fong added that one-bedders were priced at nearly $1.4 million, while two-bedders ranged from about $2.1 million to $2.7 million. Anson Lim, UOL's senior general manager of residential marketing, noted 'healthy take-up across all unit types'. The Bespoke Collection – 31 four-bedders with private lift and parking – had a 30 per cent take-up, with a high-floor unit selling for $7.66 million, or $3,724 psf. UpperHouse is the best-selling CCR project since The M launched in 2020, said Huttons Asia CEO Mark Yip. Nearly all three-bedroom units were sold, and one-third of the four-bedders were taken up, indicating 'strong owner-occupier demand'. Singaporeans and permanent residents made up 99 per cent of buyers, with the rest being foreigners. The project drew a mix of owner-occupiers and long-term investors. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. 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UOL's chief corporate and development officer Yvonne Tan attributed the strong showing to the narrowing price gap between CCR and rest of central region (RCR), and the attractive premium between freehold and leasehold luxury products. Huttons data shows that the median psf price gap between CCR and RCR narrowed from 56.5 per cent in 2018 to 1.9 per cent in the first half of 2025. 'There is potential for a strong upside once the gap between CCR and RCR home prices widens,' said Mr Yip. Mr Fong also noted that the average price of $3,350 psf makes UpperHouse one of the most competitively priced new launches near Orchard Road. He compared this to Park Nova's new units which averaged at about $6,150 psf this year and Cuscaden Reserve which fetched an average price of more than $3,100 psf for the resale units transacted in the first four months of 2025. Located in District 10, UpperHouse sits along Grange Road and Orchard Boulevard, opposite Orchard Boulevard MRT and near River Valley Primary School. UOL and SingLand acquired the 7,013.4 square metre site last year for $428.3 million or $1,617 psf per plot ratio (ppr) – 30 to 40 per cent lower than the $2,377 psf ppr fetched by a nearby Cuscaden Road site in 2018. Steady take-up at The Robertson Opus The Robertson Opus is a mixed-use project and a redevelopment of Frasers' serviced residence Fraser Place Robertson Walk and its adjoining commercial area, Robertson Walk. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: FRASERS PROPERTY, SEKISUI HOUSE Of the 348 units available in the mixed-use The Robertson Opus, 143 were sold at an average price of $3,360 psf. This works out to a take-up rate of 41 per cent, said developers Frasers Property and Sekisui House on Sunday. The 999-year development comprises one to four-bedroom units across five blocks. Studio units start from $1.37 million, one-bedders from $1.58 million, two-bedders from $2.17 million, three-bedders from $3.1 million, and four-bedders (1,539 sq ft) from $5.09 million. 'There has been healthy demand across all the unit types, with the three-bedroom and four-bedroom premium units under the Legacy Collection being the most popular and almost sold out,' said the developers. The buyers comprise professionals purchasing for their own stay or investment – 83 per cent are Singaporeans, 16 per cent are permanent residents mainly from China and Indonesia, and the rest are foreigners from the US and Switzerland. The Robertson Opus, which also includes a retail podium on the first floor and basement, is a redevelopment of Frasers' serviced residence Fraser Place Robertson Walk and its adjoining commercial area, Robertson Walk – undertaken by Frasers Property and Japanese developer Sekisui House in a 51:49 joint venture. Given the steady take-up at both launches, PropNex's Mr Fong expects third-quarter developers' sales in the CCR to rebound. 'To be sure, the units sold at UpperHouse at Orchard Boulevard during the private preview alone has already far exceeded the 46 CCR new units sold for the whole of Q2 2025.' Despite the recent hike in seller's stamp duty rates, demand for luxury homes remains resilient, supported by buyers focused on capital stability and wealth diversification, said Mohan Sandrasegeran, head of research and data analytics at Singapore Realtors. 'These factors point to a strategic reset in the CCR market. With strong fundamentals, supportive policies, and improving economic signals, the luxury housing segment is well-positioned to regain momentum.' Brisk sales at Otto Place EC The 600-unit Otto Place at Plantation Close in Tengah is located near two MRT stations and Princess Elizabeth Primary School. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: HOI HUP REALTY, SUNWAY DEVELOPMENTS Also over the weekend, executive condo (EC) Otto Place sold 351, or 58.5 per cent of its 600 units at its launch, said developers Hoi Hup Realty and Sunway Developments. The average price of its units sold under the normal payment scheme was $1,700 psf. Otto Place features unit sizes starting at 872 sq ft for three-bedroom deluxe types, priced from $1.41 million ($1,617 psf), up to 1,195 sq ft for four-bedroom plus study luxury units, which went for $2.18 million ($1,824 psf). More than 70 per cent of the larger units were sold. Located in Tengah's Plantation District, Otto Place is near two MRT stations and Princess Elizabeth Primary School.
Tatler Asia
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Tatler Asia
Remembering Pitoy Moreno—The Metropolitan Museum's tribute to a fashion icon
A highlight of the evening was a special segment featuring artists who were once recipients of Moreno's scholarships at the University of the Philippines. The M invited them to create works inspired by his fashion. The artists, including Issay Rodriguez, Carlito Camahalan Amalla and Digo Acuzar presented pieces in the museum's foyer which are available for purchase in support of The M's programmes. The night culminated in a musical performance by the UP Manila Choir, whose a cappella rendition of 1970s Manila Sound classics concluded with Bongga Ka 'Day , a fitting tribute to Moreno—himself referenced in the song as a symbol of glamour. The gala celebrated not only Pitoy Moreno's extraordinary body of work and artistry but also his enduring influence on generations of designers and his commitment to elevating Philippine culture on the global stage. See also: Filipino-British actor Claire-Marie Hall on 'Operation Mincemeat' and the joy of performing 'Pitoy often said that true beauty lives not only in design, but in how we connect with one another. Through your presence, support, and stories, you've proven that true,' shared Magsaysay-Ho. The gala also launched The M Museum's new membership programme, which grants year-long complimentary access for members and their guests. Proceeds from the event will support the museum's educational initiatives, exhibitions and cultural preservation efforts, enabling the team to continue the promotion, preservation and betterment of Philippine arts and culture. The success of Remembering Pitoy was made possible through the support of institutional partners, including the Jusi & Pina Foundation, BPI, Lexus and Tatler, among others. In celebrating Moreno, The M not only honoured a national treasure, but reaffirmed its role as a guardian of Philippine heritage—fashioned not just from fabric, but from memory, meaning and shared identity. His legacy is not only stitched into the gowns he created but also tightly woven into the many lives he touched and the causes he championed.
Daily Mirror
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
The Salt Path author hits back at claims that she lied in bestselling memoir
In her bestselling memoir, Raynor Winn claims she and her husband endured homelessness, terminal illness and economic hardship. Now, her story might be unravelling A story of heart-wrenching perseverance or a tale of tricky deceit? Published in 2018, Raynor Winn's widely acclaimed memoir details her and her husband Moth's experience with homelessness captured hearts (and wallets) – so much so that it was turned into a movie starring Gillian Anderson. Now a recent investigation by The Observer claims that it may have been partly made-up. But Raynor is hits back, saying that the "article is highly misleading." The Salt Path, which sold over two million copies, follows the couple (whose real names are Sally and Tim Walker) as they endure a series of unimaginable hardships. After losing their farmhouse and Moth is diagnosed with terminal illness, they embark on a journey along the 630-mile South West Path. Critics widely praised the book as a life-affirming story. However, an investigation by The Observer claims that there are key elements of the tale that may be untrue. Journalist Chloe Hadjimatheou visited and spoke with people who knew the couple and uncovered major discrepancies. A major allegation made by the report is that Sally allegedly embezzled over £60,000 from a business she was managing. This a stark deviation from the book's version of events which states that the couple lost their home due to a bad investment. The Observer spoke with Ros Hemmings, the wife of Sally Walker's former employer. Ros claimed that Sally had been working part-time as a bookkeeper at her husband's family-run business when they noticed money had gone missing. Ros and her husband Martin suspected Sally of having embezzled £9000 from the business. When she was confronted, Sally paid the money back with a cheque. However, after further investigation, the couple realised that closer to £64,000 had gone missing. They informed the police and Sally was called in for questioning. Although after being instructed to report to the police once more, Sally 'vanished'. According to the report, records also show that the couple may have retained ownership of a house in France during the pair's homelessness, which has cast the story into further doubt. Other serious claims made by the report include the alleged lies surrounding Tim's terminal illness. In the memoir, Sally wrote that Tim had been diagnosed with corticobasal degeneration (CBD) – a rare and generally fatal neurodegenerative disease, which typically holds a life expectancy of six to eight years. Yet, Tim has apparently lived with it for 18 years. Professor Michelle Hu, a consultant neurologist and professor of clinical neurosciences at Oxford University, was one of several experts to share her scepticism with The Observer. She said: 'I've never looked after anyone [with CBD] that's lived that long.' However, despite the investigation's claims the couple have defended the memoir's contents. Raynor told The Mirror: "We are taking legal advice and won't be making any further comment at this time. The Salt Path lays bare the physical and spiritual journey Moth and I shared, an experience that transformed us completely and altered the course of our lives. This is the true story of our journey.' For more stories like this subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Weekly Gulp, for a curated roundup of trending stories, poignant interviews, and viral lifestyle picks from The Mirror's Audience U35 team delivered straight to your inbox. But the allegations, if true, hold ramifications for those who read and believed Raynor's tale. Catherine Simpson is the author of two memoirs, When I Had A Little Sister and One Body, which deal with the suicide of her sister and her own experience with breast cancer respectively. She also has a third due to come out in August, Hold Fast: Motherhood, My Autistic Daughter and Me. As someone who also teaches memoir writing, she finds the allegations deeply troubling. She says: "When I teach memoir-writing the first thing I say is that if you are writing your story and claiming it is memoir then it must be true. That is the contract that you have with the reader. Nothing else will do." She adds: "I have found the situation with The Salt Path shocking because it has made me feel naïve and foolish. I had certain doubts about it – although I wouldn't have felt comfortable voicing them because who wants to be the ghoul asking: 'Why isn't Moth dead yet?' "To be led so far up the garden path by a memoir writer is terribly disappointing. I hope readers can keep their faith in the genre because memoirs are a brilliant way to walk a mile in somebody else's shoes." What are the legal ramifications? Publishing a false memoir can have legal consequences in certain cases. The Mirror spoke to Jonathan Abrams, media lawyer at Gregory Abrams Davidson Solicitors. He says: "In the UK, unless a false publication is 'extreme' in nature, 'grossly offensive', likely to cause 'alarm or distress', or 'threatening or harmful', writing a false memoir isn't illegal in itself, but it can carry serious legal consequences." He explains: "If the author makes untrue and damaging claims about identifiable people, they risk being sued for defamation, which can be quite costly in terms of legal fees alone and then damages to compensate for damage to reputation, distress, and humiliation, determined by the Court. He continues: "If the author copies another party's story (including someone's life story), this would likely give rise to a breach of copyright. Revealing private or confidential information can also breach privacy or confidence laws. However, if the private or confidential information in question is untrue, this would fall under defamation." "Then there are potential breaches of consumer protection regulations. For example, if the memoir is sold as 'factual' but turns out to be 'false', a disgruntled reader who feels betrayed could push for a recall, unless the publisher has already elected to voluntarily recall an inaccurate publication," he adds. Even aside from the legal consequences, Jonathan points out that one of the most damming impacts it can have is on public reputation. He says: "This leads to perhaps the most damaging issue for any aspiring author; loss of trust and reputational damage, among readers and throughout the publishing industry. Any of the above can lead to an author's 'cancellation' of public engagements and publishing contracts. The latter may involve liability under a publishing contract if the author has warranted the truth of the content in their contract (which is standard in non-fiction publishing contracts)." A spokesperson for Penguin Books, the publisher of The Salt Path, has told The Bookseller that Penguin (Michael Joseph) "undertook all the necessary pre-publication due diligence", which included a contract with "an author warranty about factual accuracy" and a legal read. They added that this is standard with most works of non-fiction. They said: "Prior to the Observerenquiry, we had not received any concerns about the book's content.' Help us improve our content by completing the survey below. We'd love to hear from you!
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘A big Minnesota moment in New York': The Met announces exhibition of late artist George Morrison
Alex V. Cipolle MPR News When the Metropolitan Museum of Art opens 'The Magical City: George Morrison's New York' on July 17, it will mark the first solo exhibition of Morrison's work at the Met — seen by many as a milestone for both the artist and the state's art history. This will be the first time many will learn Morrison's New York story. 'Everyone's looking at it as a big Minnesota moment in New York,' says Brenda Child, the Northrop Professor of American Studies at the University of Minnesota. Child, who helped found the George Morrison Center for Indigenous Arts, wrote a piece for the exhibition about Morrison that will appear in The Met Bulletin, a journal for the museum. The Minnesota Museum of American Art (also known as The M) in St. Paul is a major partner on the exhibition, sending two of Morrison's sketchbooks and 11 works on paper to New York. The Met curator is Patricia Marroquin Norby, who has a doctorate from the University of Minnesota and is on the board of the The M. The St. Paul museum holds one of the largest collections of Morrison's work in the world. 'The M is super excited to be partnering with The Met on this exciting exhibition really highlighting one of Minnesota's most notable artists, George Morrison,' says Kate Beane, director of The M. Beane explains that Morrison is 'an amazing Ojibwe Modernist whose work is seen all over the world and whose work is also quite often visible throughout the Twin Cities.' Morrison, a Grand Portage Anishinaabe artist, is considered one of the great Abstract Expressionists and Modernists. He is perhaps most famous for his brightly abstracted works that meditated on the idea of the horizon, directly inspired by his time living on the shores of the 'big lake,' or Gichigami/Lake Superior. Many of these works will appear in the exhibition. But the main thrust of the show will be Morrison's time living in New York, how it shaped him and how he shaped the art world. Morrison moved from Minnesota to New York City in the 1940s to study on a scholarship at the Art Students League. Here, he made friends with fellow Modernist all-stars, Willem de Kooning, Louise Nevelson, Jackson Pollock and Franz Kline. He moved back to Minnesota, with artist and former wife Hazel Belvo, in 1970. The Met says the exhibition 'explores how Morrison's aesthetic inspiration and future trajectory drew from his love of New York, which he called a 'Magical City.'' Child says in Minnesota, we tend to underestimate Morrison's impact outside the state. 'It's really essential that we acknowledge that George Morrison was at the center of the American Abstract Expressionist movement at mid-century and that he did spend this important part of his career in New York City,' said Child. Beane agreed. 'It's really, really important for people to understand not just the impact that other places have on Minnesota artists, but the impact that Minnesota artists have outward towards the rest of the country and the rest of the world,' Beane said. 'He was a game changer. He was ahead of his time, and I think what he represents is incredibly important for the public at large to know and see in terms of thinking about Minnesota artists.' The exhibition will run through May 31, 2026.
