Popularised through the 1990s pop culture, loft apartment living has been in vogue since the 1970s. In Singapore, private residential loft apartments are difficult to come by and rarely appear in new launches these days, especially among projects in the downtown area. The only new development that offers modern loft apartments among the typical units with the ultimate work-live-play lifestyle is The M.
Developed by established property developer Wing Tai Asia, The M is billed as a premium home for millennials and the young at heart, especially with its central location within the bustling downtown area.
Due to the popularity of the project, 93% of its 522 units have already been snapped up. Now, the developer is finally marketing the last 34 units, which consist of one-, two- and two-bedroom-plus-study apartments, as well as 11 penthouse loft units.
The M is located along Middle Road in District 7, right in the heart of the downtown core. True to its name, Middle Road is situated between the most vibrant areas in the city centre, such as Beach Road and the Bugis District, which are both undergoing major transformation.
The M is also close to the Rochor Planning Area, which is home to the budding arts, culture, and education district in Singapore. Several notable arts-centric schools are in the vicinity, including LaSalle College of the Arts, Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts campus, and School of the Arts Singapore.
“Buyers who desire a city-living lifestyle appreciate the vibrancy and ‘hype’ that is characteristic of this area. The M is at the heart of the Ophir-Rochor transformation, and it is close to the Bugis area and Suntec City that feature popular lifestyle and entertainment amenities,” says Davey Tan, senior group division director at ERA Realty, one of the marketing agents for The M.
He adds that unlike the typical CBD area which ‘shuts down’ and becomes quiet after working hours and on the weekends, The M offers buyers the advantage of having a myriad of 24- hour food and entertainment options, while being just two to three MRT stations away from the CBD.
There are three major MRT stations close to The M: Bugis Interchange, the closest to the development, serves the East-West and Downtown Lines; City Hall Interchange on the North-South and East-West Lines; and Esplanade Station on the Circle Line.
The area also features a diverse mix of conservation shophouses, national monuments like Raffles Hotel Singapore, and brand-new integrated developments such as South Beach and DUO, and the redeveloped Shaw Towers on Beach Road. Nearby retail destinations include Bugis Junction, Marina Square, Raffles City Shopping Centre, and Suntec City Mall.
The loft units come with a palatial 5m-high ceiling and an open layout that heighten the sense of space (Photo: Wing Tai Holdings)
In addition to the various amenities and conveniences that surround The M, the project has also been designed as a self-sustaining development for residents, with retail spaces and a suite of facilities envisioned as an extension of the home.
The M will feature a retail podium on the ground floor comprising retail and F&B shops. The shops in the retail podium will serve the needs of residents of The M as well as the public.
There will be 35 different facilities, including a 50m swim- ming pool, a jacuzzi pool, and a 3,000 sq ft clubhouse named Club M. The clubhouse will feature a baking studio, a gaming room, a bar, a private lounge space, and even a boardroom that doubles up as a meeting room and a multi-purpose room.
The apartments are elevated almost three floors from the facilities deck, which makes them almost seven floors up from the street level. This means that units will have picturesque views of the neighbouring Civic and Cultural District and the nearby Bugis area.
According to Ng Wee Liam, associate deputy group direc- tor at OrangeTee & Tie who is also marketing the project, a good number of local singles and couples between 25 and 45 years old have bought units at The M. “Most are young pro- fessionals or entrepreneurs who are well travelled and experience-focused,” says Ng.
He adds that foreign buyers have also snapped up units. These buyers appreciate the vision and future value that is expected to come from the area’s transformation into a commercial and lifestyle hub, and they want to capitalise on the rising rental demand for city homes in the future, says Ng.
Some of the units in The M with the best views of the sur- rounding city skyline are the penthouse units, which allows their owners the option of configuring them into attractive loft apartments.
There are only 11 penthouse units left for sale and they consist of one-bedroom-plus-study units of 657 sq ft, two-bedroom units of 743 to 840 sq ft, and two-bedroom- plus-study units of 861 to 980 sq ft.
Prices of the loft units are relatively palatable compared to other projects in the area. The prices of these loft units start from $2,460 psf, an attractive buy-in for a prime devel- opment in the downtown area.
“The M is located in the downtown Core Central Region, and the psf price of the available loft units in the develop- ment are attractive compared to the recent launches in the Outside Central Region where prices have crossed $2,000 psf,” says Ng.
He adds that loft units are still valuable and attractive for investors and homeowners, given the units’ spaciousness and relatively better investment returns.
This type of loft unit is not available among any of the new launches in the area, and most of the residential develop- ments in the vicinity do not have the same type of spacious unit configuration and double-volume ceiling offered at The M.
The developer has leaned into its expertise in home design to ensure that these loft apartments come with efficient layouts that minimise the overall wasted space. The double-volume ceiling in the living room has been crafted to heighten a sense of space and opulence, and emphasises the views from the full-length windows.
“Loft units are attractive due to the high ceiling which gives them a unique and grand feel. This feature blends in perfectly with a luxury development such as The M,” says Tan of ERA.
The loft units come with a palatial 5m-high ceiling, and this opens up the layout to feature more open spaces and the option to extend the living space with a mezzanine-style furniture deck. These loft units have a relatively open floor plan to accommodate flexible uses for work, living, and play.
For owners who collect art, loft apartments are perfect to feature an art collection. This is because the high ceil- ings and relatively expansive interior walls provide ample space and light.
Loft living appeals to a select group of buyers, in particular, those who appreciate the sense of space that comes with a high ceiling and the views of the city from the full-length win- dows. This type of urban living is also best enjoyed in a development that is surrounded by the vibrancy of the city and bustling neighbourhoods, enhancing the modern work-live- play lifestyle. The M is a development that offers this type of lifestyle to this discerning group of buyers
For more information, please contact:
CEA no. R023788H
ERA Realty Network Pte Ltd
CEA no. R020223E
OrangeTee & Tie Pte Ltd