Singapore Archifest 2020 | Explore Over 100 Programs Online and Islandwide!

Singapore Archifest’s first-ever hybrid edition presents more than 100 programs online and islandwide!

Taking place over six weekends from 25 September to 31 October 2020, the annual festival organized by the Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA) will be rolling out varied programs that range from pop-up experiences that reimagine the way we live to virtual exhibitions, forums, film screenings, workshops and an immersive virtual Pavilion that pushes the frontier of sustainable design − all to shine the spotlight on the impact and positive change that architecture can have in our current climate.

Anchored by the theme Architecture Saving OUR World, the festival is offering up programs and activities that cater to both the built community and general public, inviting all to discover the role of architecture and explore how it can address today’s most pressing issues such as climate change, food shortage and public health, even as humanity continues to battle against COVID-19.

SIA-LES Archifest Pavilion 

Photo credits ADDP Architects in collaboration with OWIU Design

Available from 25 Sep 2020 onwards: https://www.archifest.sg/pavilion 

As part of the festival’s hybrid edition, the highly-anticipated Pavilion will also be presented in an unprecedented format - virtually. Embracing their roles as “form-makers”, ADDP and OWIU Design will be showcasing their imagination by creating the ideal form and structure of the Pavilion online, in the absence of any economic or environmental restrictions. 

Festival-goers can expect to explore a virtual Pavilion that allows them to examine the structure through an interactive 3D tour that offers up 360-degree views, right from the comfort of home.

SIA Conference and Forums

The festival will kick off with the Opening Forum How Can We Place Architecture at the Frontline? on 25 September, at 7 pm. This Opening Forum will discuss the role of architecture in today’s world, featuring different leaders in the built industry on how they are tackling the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic through architectural responses and resource readiness. 

Our Sanctuary Forum_ Speculations of Agrarian Urbanisms, Letters to Singapore/Photo credits Edible Garden City

With a selection of more than 10 virtual forums that delve into globally pressing topics, the series gathers Singapore, South-East Asia, and international expert panelists from diverse architecture and design backgrounds to join in conversations on the different ways responsible design can benefit the community and ecosystem.

This year’s hallmark SIA Conference will also feature 13 eminent design and architecture maestros from Singapore and across the world, as they present different aspects of how they have been utilizing their architectural prowess for the betterment of lives through creative activism and ground-up initiatives.

Virtual & Physical Exhibits, Pop-ups, and Workshops

As part of the decentralized programs this year, festival-goers can look out for physical and virtual pop-up activities that offer a suite of enriching experiences by local stalwarts who have spearheaded initiatives to make our world a better place through design.

Garden Sharing Session/Photo credits Pui Cuifen

Visitors who have ever considered becoming an urban farmer can take a peek behind the scenes of Singapore's burgeoning urban farming scene with a visit to Edible Garden City's Citizen Farm at Queenstown, or head down for a Kampung Journey at Kampung Kampus by Ground-Up Initiative. While at the farm, visitors may also visit architectural prototypes like AirBamboo, Knitted Architectural Assemblies, Green Agora, and also a Design & Construct prototype for the Homeless. 

On 3 October, head over to Parking Day Singapore at either Jalan Besar or Jurong East, and see how everyday spaces such as carparks are reimagined and transformed with vibrant activities that reflect the “new normal” of social distancing and health consciousness.

Photo credits Nullspace Robotics

Members of the public can also take the chance to pick up new skills through on-site and online workshops that cover a wide range of interests such as ArchiCraft workshops by SUTDIO, which include building digital architecture using LEGO bricks, painting landscapes in Gouache, making tensegrity structures, sketching and starting hydroponics from home. 

DesignClinic/Photo credits BEEPLab

Also, families with young children can look forward to a series of design clinics by BEEP Lab that imparts kids with design conceptualization skills through friendly competition.

This year’s Singapore Archifest Exhibition celebrates diverse bodies of works that strive to make a difference in our lives and the world around us. Some exhibits have accompanying physical pop-ups that are located at various decentralized sites; others will also be presented and discussed in several online forums during the festival.

FREESTYLE Exhibition/Photo credits Space Popular

The exhibits are curated in 3 categories of Our Shelters, Our Stories, and Our Sanctuary while acknowledging that many of the works span across these categories.