Archifest 2018 Celebrates Design for Life as its Festival Theme
Festival director Yann Follain talks about the inspirations behind this year's theme and groundbreaking programme
Photos courtesy of Archifest
The Singapore office of WY-TO is located in a mixed-use HDB block in Chinatown. Its Head of Design, Yann Follain (above), walks past the block’s elderly residents whiling their hours away around the area. The daily interactions he has with the housing estate’s seniors resound with him – “Architecture is for people, for these people,” he says. “Architecture is there to improve their everyday life.”
Appointed by the Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA) as the festival director of Archifest 2018, Follain is now able to share this message in a big way. The festival theme ‘Design for Life’ is his way of emphasising that the purpose of architecture – of design, in fact – is to help people have a better life and a better environment.
Appointed by the Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA) as the festival director of Archifest 2018, Follain is now able to share this message in a big way. The festival theme ‘Design for Life’ is his way of emphasising that the purpose of architecture – of design, in fact – is to help people have a better life and a better environment.
“We want to celebrate life, celebrate people in this year’s festival,” Follain says. To this end, the theme ‘Design for Life’ features the sub-themes ‘Design for People’, ‘Design for Time’ and ‘Design for Environment’.
Follain and his team have redesigned signature events such as Architours and the SIA Conference around the overarching theme, whilst adding exciting new ones such as Film Screenings curated by The Projector, and a ‘Design for Silver Generation’ Symposium at the National Design Centre and Exhibition at the Urban Redevelopment Authority.
Follain elaborates on the sub-themes:
Follain and his team have redesigned signature events such as Architours and the SIA Conference around the overarching theme, whilst adding exciting new ones such as Film Screenings curated by The Projector, and a ‘Design for Silver Generation’ Symposium at the National Design Centre and Exhibition at the Urban Redevelopment Authority.
Follain elaborates on the sub-themes:
Design for People
“For me, being an architect is like being a doctor,” Follain says. “We are here to improve the lives of people.” Thus, the first sub-theme is ‘Design for People’, turning the spotlight onto architecture for the ‘99 per cent’ as Follain identifies the community. There are activities that engage from the youngest members of our community (140 children from participating Student Care Centres create their dream city in KIDsBUILD) to those who are looking for thought challenges (Film Screenings) to the oldest (Design for Silver Generation).
More information about Design for People.
“For me, being an architect is like being a doctor,” Follain says. “We are here to improve the lives of people.” Thus, the first sub-theme is ‘Design for People’, turning the spotlight onto architecture for the ‘99 per cent’ as Follain identifies the community. There are activities that engage from the youngest members of our community (140 children from participating Student Care Centres create their dream city in KIDsBUILD) to those who are looking for thought challenges (Film Screenings) to the oldest (Design for Silver Generation).
More information about Design for People.
Design for Time
This sub-theme pertains to conservation, particularly that of modern history, says Follain. “It’s not only Singapore that is confronted with the concept that we are demolishing our modern history, the icons of brutalist architecture (think Pearl Bank Apartments), for example.”
Follain hopes that with the activities planned for ‘Design for Time’, Archifest will be able to drive the discussion on future-proofing design, conservation, adaptive reuse and appreciation not just during the festival but as an on-going issue. Activities include talks, sketching workshops and exhibitions.
More information about Design for Time.
This sub-theme pertains to conservation, particularly that of modern history, says Follain. “It’s not only Singapore that is confronted with the concept that we are demolishing our modern history, the icons of brutalist architecture (think Pearl Bank Apartments), for example.”
Follain hopes that with the activities planned for ‘Design for Time’, Archifest will be able to drive the discussion on future-proofing design, conservation, adaptive reuse and appreciation not just during the festival but as an on-going issue. Activities include talks, sketching workshops and exhibitions.
More information about Design for Time.
Design for Environment
Sustainability is a subject that belongs to everyday life – we carry reusable shopping bags, personal coffee cups and metal straws as a matter of course now – and this sub-theme explores its applications in architecture.
“I was inspired by these young architects I met who volunteer, outside of their day jobs, to provide services to a community that needs it but cannot afford it. They demonstrate truly that architecture is for everyone, not just those with money,” says Follain.
“Also, as they do this, they’re able to marry vernacular materials with contemporary processes to create architecture for sustainable communities.” Urban farming workshops, talks on sustainable materials and building techniques, and other activities round out this sub-theme.
More information about Design for Environment.
Sustainability is a subject that belongs to everyday life – we carry reusable shopping bags, personal coffee cups and metal straws as a matter of course now – and this sub-theme explores its applications in architecture.
“I was inspired by these young architects I met who volunteer, outside of their day jobs, to provide services to a community that needs it but cannot afford it. They demonstrate truly that architecture is for everyone, not just those with money,” says Follain.
“Also, as they do this, they’re able to marry vernacular materials with contemporary processes to create architecture for sustainable communities.” Urban farming workshops, talks on sustainable materials and building techniques, and other activities round out this sub-theme.
More information about Design for Environment.
As serious and engaging as the sub-themes are, Archifest is a celebration at the end of the day – of design, of those who create it and more importantly, those who use it.
Follain is personally most looking forward to three events: Design for Silver Generation Symposium, KIDsBUILD which happily coincides with Children’s Day, and the Artifacts party organised by Darker Than Wax. “I love to dance, so I’m really looking forward to this party with the architect-DJ-music producer. Being an architect also means being creative on the dance floor,” says Follain.
Archifest 2018 runs from September 28 to October 10. See the full lineup.
TELL US
What are you looking forward to seeing at Archifest this year? Let us know in the Comments section.
MORE
What You’ll See on Architours in Archifest 2018
Follain is personally most looking forward to three events: Design for Silver Generation Symposium, KIDsBUILD which happily coincides with Children’s Day, and the Artifacts party organised by Darker Than Wax. “I love to dance, so I’m really looking forward to this party with the architect-DJ-music producer. Being an architect also means being creative on the dance floor,” says Follain.
Archifest 2018 runs from September 28 to October 10. See the full lineup.
TELL US
What are you looking forward to seeing at Archifest this year? Let us know in the Comments section.
MORE
What You’ll See on Architours in Archifest 2018
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