The highly anticipated World Architecture Festival 2023 is set to take place in Singapore, featuring a dynamic program of speakers, live awards judging, and captivating fringe events.
After nearly a decade, the World Architecture Festival (WAF) is making its grand return to Singapore. From November 29 to December 1, 2023, the city’s iconic Marina Bay Sands will play host to this prestigious event. Themed “Catalyst,” the festival promises to be a catalyst for change, exploring how architecture and design can drive positive transformations for the environment, individuals, and institutions. With an impressive lineup of speakers, live awards judging, and a range of captivating fringe events, WAF 2023 is set to captivate both experts and the general public alike.
Previewing the Main WAF Program
Inspiring Keynotes and Groundbreaking Discussions
The World Architecture Festival 2023 program boasts an array of influential speakers, thought-provoking discussions, and impressive finalists. With the theme of “Catalyst” at the forefront, the keynotes and talks will delve into how architecture and design can act as catalysts for positive change. Over the course of three days, 76 international speakers will take the stage, delivering captivating presentations in the Main stage and The Festival Hall. Notable speakers include Charu Kokate from Safdie Architects, Mario Cucinella, Sir Peter Cook, OBMI’s Islam El Mashtooly, Verform’s Mouaz Abouzaid, and Wim Walschap from Herzog de Meuron. Running parallel to the main program is the World Festival of Interiors, Inside, where renowned architect Nigel Coates will be a headline speaker. The complete list of speakers can be found on the festival website. Alongside the speaker events, the live WAF awards judging will take place, with 495 shortlisted projects competing across 17 crit rooms. The shortlist categories include Completed Buildings, Future Buildings, and Landscape, encompassing a diverse range of projects from hospitality and mixed-use to education, religion, and sport.
Unpacking Fringe Events
Guided Tours and Captivating Exhibitions
In addition to the main program, World Architecture Festival 2023 offers a series of engaging fringe events. Seven guided architectural tours will allow attendees to explore local landmarks and previous award-winning projects from the festival. Led by qualified architects and, in some cases, the lead architects themselves, these tours offer a unique perspective on Singapore’s architectural marvels. Landmarks on the tour include Heatherwick Studio’s Learning Hub building, Wilkinson Eyre’s Gardens by the Bay, W Architects | M Moser’s St James Power Station, and Safdie Architects’ Jewel at Changi Airport. Spaces for the tours are limited and available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The seventh edition of the Architecture Drawing Prize exhibition will also be a highlight of the fringe events. Celebrating the art of drawing, the exhibition showcases entries in three categories: hand-drawn, digital, and hybrid. Sponsored by Iris Ceramica Group, the exhibition features nearly 250 drawings from around the world. Winners in each category include Ben Johnson for “Grundtvig” in the hand-drawn category, Eugene Tan for “The Archatographic Map of the Incomplete Landscape on Pedra Branca” in the digital category, and Eldry John Infante for “‘Re)membering the See Monster” in the hybrid category. The winning and shortlisted drawings will be exhibited at Sir John Soane’s Museum in London from January 31 to March 3, 2024. Additionally, a second exhibition curated by Mario Cucinella Architects, titled “The Future is a Journey to the Past,” explores the evolution of sustainable thinking from prehistory to the present day.
The Fringe events will conclude with a captivating short film by local architectural photographer and content creator Kevin Siyuan. Inspired by the distinctive cinematography of director Wes Anderson, the film, titled “A Wes Anderson-ish Singapore Vol.2,” showcases the diverse aspects of urban land use in Singapore. Infusing Anderson’s signature aesthetics with his own personal touch, Siyuan captures the unique charm of the city’s architecture and urban landscapes.
Conclusion: The World Architecture Festival 2023 in Singapore promises to be a transformative event, showcasing the power of architecture and design to drive positive change. With a lineup of influential speakers, live awards judging, and captivating fringe events, the festival offers an unparalleled opportunity to explore the latest concepts and debates in the architectural community. From thought-provoking discussions on catalytic design to guided tours of architectural landmarks, WAF 2023 invites both experts and the public to immerse themselves in the world of architecture and be inspired by the possibilities of the future.
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