Co-founders of local ceramics studio Mud Rock Ceramics, Michelle Lim and Ng Seok Har, discovered their mutual love for pottery at a ceramics festival organised by Lim herself. In 2013, the duo took a leap of faith to start a brand with hopes of expanding the presence of locally handcrafted ceramics. Their passion for ceramics not only shaped their business but also left a mark on the world of ceramics.

Both Lim and Ng had always been interested in working with clay, falling in love “with the craft and medium on our individual paths before coming together”. As they learned more about the industry and how wide the field was, they realised how much the industry had to offer.

At Mud Rock Ceramics, the duo aim to bridge the gap between ceramics as functional utility and artistic objects, cultivating a thriving community in the process. Despite facing challenges and failures, Mud Rock Ceramics has achieved success, with its products featured in multiple renowned establishments, like Meta, Le Bon Funk and The Warehouse Hotel. On top of that, they have also commissioned gifts for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’s VVIPs including a tea set for Queen Elizabeth II’s 90th birthday—one of their proudest achievements to date.

10 years on, the duo has not stopped expanding the ceramics community in Singapore, constantly lifting it to new heights with various experiences and workshops like Clay Camp. The latest five-day camp focuses on community building and fostering appreciation for the art.

When one door closes, another one opens. In the case of Colombian chef Fernando Arévalo, who recently shuttered his acclaimed restaurant Preludio after helming it for five years, more doors have swung wide open for him with the launch of two novel dining concepts—Bacatá and Capasso—in the past few months. While the former is an ode to his Colombian roots, the latter is an homage to his Italian heritage and his paternal grandfather. Arévalo lets on that his menu was inspired by his childhood memories in his home country’s capital of Bogotá.

Pasta features heavily on his menu, harking back to Thursdays nights when “the whole family and his cousins” would feast on pasta dishes for dinner at their home. “It’s common for Italian families to have a traditional family sauce,” he adds. With his grandfather originally from Castelnuovo di Conza in Italy,  their own version of the Napolese sauce became the “family sauce” which they prepared for pastas like ravioli and spaghetti.

At the grand opening of Mondrian Singapore, the hotel unveiled a towering six-metre bronze sculpture by Brooklyn-based artist, Kaws. Titled ‘What Party’, the sculpture features one of Kaws’ signature recurring characters, Chum. It’s an adaptation of the Michelin Man, and has been used throughout the Kaws’ body of work to convey the nuances of close relationships. The centrepiece of the Mondrian Singapore Duxton Art Collection, curated by The Artling, ‘What Party’ joins the hotel’s collection of artworks by the likes of Singaporean artist Dawn Ng and English painter Ian Davenport. 

The hotel itself boasts 304 rooms and suites, including a small number of street-facing shophouse suites. Robbyn Carter—CEO of Los Angeles-based Studio Carter which is behind Modrian Singapore’s design—lived in Singapore for 12 years and tapped into her fond memories of the city’s unique urban landscape, putting a modern, and at times abstract spin on the classic Singaporean shophouse.

Luxury does not necessarily equate to expensive materials, but it can be attained with good craftsmanship achieved through meticulous attention to details in both design and construction, says Justin Long, founder of Hjgher. His design firm was tasked to give this 3,800 sq ft condominium apartment its beautiful makeover. Built in 1990, the original apartment was dim and compartmentalised. But it had good bones, with a generous balcony capping the end of the main living spaces that one sees immediately upon entry.

Many straightforward yet thoughtful tweaks create a more efficient and fluid plan that amplifies airflow and natural light. A wall dividing the dining area and family room was opened up so that the latter, while read as a separate space using furniture, enhances the overall openness of the home.