What to do at Archifest 2016

SINGAPORE — Standing over 22m high, the Archifest Pavilion composed entirely of construction-site materials such as safety netting and steel scaffolding is a technicolour urban sculpture at Raffles Place Park, and it has been turning the heads of commuters and office workers in the Central Business District.

That is exactly the intention of multi-disciplinary design consultancy DP Architects, which is behind the pavilion meant to offer a respite from city life while getting the public to see architecture in in a new light.

“One of the primary aims of Archifest is to make architecture more accessible and engaging to everyone,” said chair of Archifest 2016 organising committee, professor Richard Ho. “The psychedelic Archifest Pavilion is set to inspire more people to recognise the profound impact that design and the built environment have on the vitality of the city and our lives.”

Jointly organised by the Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA) and Singapore Institute of Landscape Architects (SILA), this year marks the 10th edition of Archifest. And just as you would take stock after hitting a certain milestone, the festival’s theme this time around is “Exhale” — encouraging the city to just slow down and appreciate our enviroment no matter how dense and fast-paced Singapore may be.

Festival co-director and architectural assistant at W Architects, Sri Saravanan Subramaniam, added that the the pavilion is a testament to the theme as its colourful and conceptual structure stands in contrast to the monolithic, grey cityscape, temporarily highlighting a void in between space and inviting passers-by to enter it.

Visiting the Archifest Pavilion to marvel at it is not the only way to “exhale” and learn to appreciate the city again. There is an eclectic range of activities waiting for everyone to enjoy.

BOND OVER THE LOVE OF PRINT

Get off the Internet and get together with fellow book lovers. Archifest is bringing you Singapore’s first travelling book swap by Books & Beer today, that aims to raise awareness of sharing and recycling. Bring up to 10 pre-loved books — any genres is welcome — bond over beer with others, and get to bring back the same number of books you came with.

Also, on your agenda is Singapore’s first silent tea bar, organised by Social movement Hush TeaBar to bring the worlds of the hearing and the deaf together. On Sept 28 and Oct 4, join trained deaf TeaRistas for the Hush TeaRitual (without any tea served) as you hear their story and learn to sign with them.

FOR A VISUAL TREAT

Make your way to the Asia Architectural Design Awards 2016 Exhibition held at Archifest Pavilion from Sep 23 to Oct 9 to see how members of Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA) have created imaginative and innovative solutions. If that’s not enough, you can take the chance to walk through art pieces at the Archifest exhibitions: SILA Student Design Awards 2016 Exhibition — Beyond The Green and Singapore Landscape Architecture Awards 2015. Held from Oct 1 to 5, it showcases the best of landscape architectural works by award-winning entries submitted by various international and local academic institutions such as RMIT University Melbourne, Australia, and Singapore Polytechnic.

ENRICH YOURSELVES

Embark on an educational journey with the various talks held throughout the festival. Aspiring architects might want to attend the Why Architect? talk on Oct 2 at library@orchard. The talk provides an understanding of what architects really do while taking on multi-faceted responsibilities and roles. Another noteworthy session to check out is The Transforming Power of Light on Sept 28 at the Archifest Pavilion @ Raffles Place Park where lighting designers and members of the International Association of Lighting Designers discuss how different lightning techniques can create various atmospheres while sharing how they work, and play, with light.

TO BASK IN FESTIVITIES

Drop by the Archifest x Barter Market organised by Singapore-based curatorial project Briefs and non-profit social enterprise Indigoism on Oct 9. The pop-up market at Archifest Pavilion will feature 15 vendors such as Acorn & Coral, a photography and design collective that is looking to exchange any interesting creations with its personal items, such as a three-part-series postcard set. Chill out to jazz and hip-hop music as Amsterdam music collective Master Kin Music performs live music on site.

KEEPING THE YOUNGER ONES INSPIRED

To keep your little ones entertained, Archifest has organised an ArKIDtecture Children Workshop as part of Children’s Day, on Oct 7 and 8. The workshop at Archifest Pavilion will provide children with a hands-on design interactive experience where they can use their imagination to create their own musical instruments, which are inspired by the rhythm and tempo of Singapore.

ART INSTALLATIONS

Who says you can’t use technology to slow down and relax? Step into another world of virtual reality in two installations. There’s Elevate by non-profit social enterprise Indigoism, which will be held from tomorrow till Sept 30 at Archifest Pavilion. Elevate will take its viewer on a multi-sensory session that incorporates binaural beats, ambient sounds and soundscapes, putting them into a state of calmness and deep relaxation. Then, there’s Bike To The Future, which will be available from Oct 5. It brings users on an immersive 360-degree virtual reality experience into an alternative future in Tiong Bahru, where Seng Poh Road has been reimagined and redesigned for cyclists and pedestrians.