Special Feature

The Collective at One Sophia: Redefining urban living in prime District 9

By The Collective at One Sophia

/ SingHaiyi |

December 27, 2024 10:00 AM SGT

Artist’s impression of One Sophia, located at the intersection of Sophia Road and Selegie Road (Picture: SingHaiyi)

On Jan 4, 2025, SingHaiyi and its joint-venture partner Ultra Infinity will unveil The Collective at One Sophia, a 367-unit residential development across two 19-storey towers. It will be officially launched on Jan 18.

Set to redefine urban living in prime District 9 of the Core Central Region (CCR), The Collective at One Sophia is part of a mixed-use development that seamlessly integrates residential, commercial, and retail spaces.

Fronting the two residential blocks is One Sophia, a 13-storey commercial block with a retail podium featuring 127 strata-titled shop units on the first two levels and a supermarket in the basement. Despite interest from property funds, the developer plans to retain the retail podium and curate a diverse tenant mix to foster a thriving community hub.

Show suite of a strata-titled office unit at One Sophia, with units from 721 sq ft (Photo: Samuel Isaac Chua/EdgeProp Singapore)

The 3rd to 13th floors of the One Sophia commercial block comprise 122 strata-titled office suites with views of the city centre and civic district. Since its launch in late October, 31 units have been snapped up, ranging from a 721 sq ft unit sold for $2.489 million ($3,452 psf) to $8.487 million ($3,413 psf) for a 2,486 sq ft unit.

Designed by Singapore-based ADDP Architects in collaboration with French architectural firm studioMilou and landscape architect Tinderbox Landscape Studio, One Sophia is slated to reshape the urban landscape in the area when it is completed in 2028. It has attained the BCA Green Mark Gold Plus certification, a recognition of sustainable buildings, and underscores the developer’s commitment to environmental responsibility.

One Sophia/The Collective at One Sophia is a redevelopment of the former Peace Centre/Peace Mansion, which SingHaiyi and its joint venture partner purchased for $650 million in December 2021 (Photo: Samuel Isaac Chua/EdgeProp Singapore)

‘Reimagination of an iconic site’

One Sophia/The Collective at One Sophia is a redevelopment of the former Peace Centre/Peace Mansion. SingHaiyi and its joint-venture partner purchased the property en bloc in December 2021 for $650 million. The property occupies a site area of 76,617 sq ft with a 99-year lease dating back to 1970.

When Peace Centre first opened in 1974, it was celebrated as a premier shopping destination. Over the years, it became better known for its nightlife establishments, tuition centres and affordable printing services. Yet, the ageing mall was destined for an extraordinary final act.

Before its demolition, Peace Centre’s 40,000 sq ft retail space was transformed into a vibrant hub of creativity and collaboration from October 2023 to February 2024. This was achieved through a series of events and activities led by the social movement PlayPan, which aimed to bring the community together and showcase the potential of the space.

It was a prelude to the upcoming project. “One Sophia/The Collective at One Sophia is a reimagination of this iconic site at the corner of Sophia Road and Selegie Road,” says Desmond Sim, CEO of Edmund Tie. “As one of the biggest developments, its transformation will gentrify the neighbourhood.”

Social movement PlayPan, which took over the 40,000 sq ft retail space at the former Peace Centre from October 2023 to February 2024, aimed to bring the community together and showcase the potential of the space

New stakeholders revitalising the neighbourhood

The area is being revitalised by the entry of new stakeholders, who are repositioning existing assets and breathing new life into the community.

In January this year, Hong Kong-based private equity group Gaw Capital Partners sold G Hotel to CapitaLand Investment’s wholly-owned lodging business unit The Ascott Ltd and CapitaLand Wellness Fund 50:50 joint venture for US$180 million. The property was refurbished and reopened as the 308-room Lyf Bugis Singapore hotel in August.

Directly opposite One Sophia is Wilkie Edge, an eight-storey mixed-use development located at 8 Wilkie Road. In January 2024, Alpha Asia Separate Account, a fund managed by Keppel, acquired Wevolve — the entity holding the office and retail space in Wilkie Edge — for $348 million. The property is fully leased, with major tenants including Kaplan Singapore and SF Consulting.

Across the road from One Sophia/The Collective at One Sophia is 8 at Wilkie Road, where a joint venture between Hong Kong-based accommodation company Weave Living and global asset manager BlackRock purchased the Citadines Mount Sophia serviced apartments for $148 million in February 2024 (Photo: Weave Living)

In February 2024, a joint venture between Hong Kong-based accommodation company Weave Living and global asset manager BlackRock purchased the Citadines Mount Sophia serviced apartments, also located at 8 Wilkie Road, for $148 million. The serviced apartments are currently undergoing renovation and will reopen as part of Weave Living’s contemporary serviced apartment brand, Weave Suites, with a targeted launch in early 2025.

While the strata-titled Parklane Shopping Mall remains unchanged, adjacent to it, the former PoMo underwent a significant refurbishment and reopened as the new GR.iD mall, a youth-centric mall focusing on food, fitness and fun activities in early 2022. The current owner, Gaw Capital Partners, purchased the building in December 2017 for $342 million.

Next door to GR.iD is The Cathay, a national monument which has been closed since August 2023 for revitalisation works, according to the building’s owner, Cathay Organisation.

One Sophia/The Collective at One Sophia is close to both the CBD-Marina Bay area and Orchard Road, as well as several arts-related schools, notably LaSalle College of the Arts, the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, the School of the Arts, and Singapore’s newest university, the University of the Arts Singapore (Picture: SingHaiyi)

Proximity to the CBD, Orchard Road, educational hub

“The best feature of One Sophia/The Collective at One Sophia is its proximity to both the CBD-Marina Bay area and Orchard Road,” says Sim of Edmund Tie.

The mixed-use development is also close to several arts-related schools, notably LaSalle College of the Arts, the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), the School of the Arts, and Singapore’s newest university, the University of the Arts Singapore (UAS), which welcomed its inaugural intake in August this year.

Established in 2021 as a partnership between LaSalle College and NAFA, UAS is Singapore’s first publicly funded private university for the arts. Alongside Singapore Management University — the city-state’s third university, founded in 2000 — UAS is set to contribute to an already substantial and dynamic student presence within the Bras Basah-Bugis district.

Recreational amenities nearby include Fort Canning Park, Mount Emily Park, the Youth Park, and a new Incubation Nexus next to the Skate Park opposite 313@Somerset (Photo: Samuel Isaac Chua/EdgeProp Singapore)

Recreational amenities nearby include Fort Canning Park, Mount Emily Park, the Youth Park, and a new Incubation Nexus next to the Skate Park opposite 313@Somerset.

One Sophia/The Collective at One Sophia is strategically located near four MRT stations, namely Bencoolen (Downtown Line), Dhoby Ghaut (Circle Line/North East Line/North-South Line), Little India (North East Line/Downtown Line) and Rochor (Downtown Line), ensuring easy and convenient access to the rest of the city.

The Collective at One Sophia naturally attracts investors targeting rental opportunities from students attending nearby tertiary institutions, and urbanites seeking the convenience of living close to the CBD and the vibrant Orchard Road shopping district.

Showflat of a two-bedroom-plus-study deluxe with sizes from 646 to 764 sq ft, and prices from $1.71 million ($2,561 psf) [Photo: Samuel Isaac Chua/EdgeProp Singapore]

‘Future upside’

At The Collective at One Sophia, units are a mix of studios and one- to three-bedroom apartments, ranging from 431 to 1,249 sq ft. At private sales in November, 65 units were sold. In fact, all the 431 sq ft studio units have snapped up at prices of $1.141 million ($2,650 psf).

One- and one-bedroom-plus-study with sizes from 484 to 549 sq ft are also popular, with units sold from $1.35 million ($2,782 psf). Two-bedroom-plus-study deluxe and two-bedroom premium units, sized from 646 to 764 sq ft, fetched prices from $1.71 million ($2,561 psf). “The units appeal to investors and owner-occupiers, given the palatable sizes and prices,” observes Sim.

Three-bedroom premium and three-bedroom luxury units at The Collective at One Sophia have sizes from 1,023 to 1,249 sq ft. These units are priced from $2.85 million ($2,782 psf) to $3.69 million ($2,954 psf).

Showflat of a three-bedroom premium at The Collective at One Sophia with sizes from 1,023 to 1,249 sq tt, with prices from $2.85 million ($2,782 psf) to $3.69 million ($2,954 psf) [Photo: Samuel Isaac Chua/EdgeProp Singapore]

Based on caveats lodged to date, the prices at The Collective at One Sophia average $2,741 psf. The average price of the 99-year leasehold, 846-unit Emerald of Katong in prime District 15 in the Rest of Central Region (RCR) was $2,617 psf when it was launched and sold close to 99% on Nov 16. The 916-unit, 99-year leasehold Chuan Park, located next to Lorong Chuan MRT Station in the Outside Central Region (OCR), was 76% sold at an average price of $2,582 psf, based on caveats lodged since its launch on Nov 10.

“The Collective at One Sophia’s average transacted price of $2,741 psf presents future upside for buyers, given that the project is in the CCR,” says Sim.

Tags:

Peace Centre/peace Mansion Mixed-Use Development

Follow our channels to receive property news updates 24/7 round the clock.

Subscribe to our newsletter