November 25, 2008 | Digests Reports

Archifest 08: The Summary

This is part of our coverage on Archifest 08, produced in collaboration with SA magazine. For a more detailed coverage of Archifest 08, check out issue #248 of SA Magazine with articles written by our very own FFW writers. Also,  For more, check out www.fivefootway.com/tag/archifest.

If you’ve blinked in October then you’ve probably missed Archifest 08. This low-key event which took place during that entire month included events which mostly architects, designers and architecture-enthusiasts in the know attended. The highlight, which left most participants discussing, however, was the two day Forum at the National Library. A variety of speakers from all over the world like Jo Noero (South Africa), Gerard Reinmuth (Australia), Andrew Maynard (Australia), Fernando Menis (Spain), Ken Yeang (Malaysia), Richard Hassel (Singapore), Poh Siew Fatt (Singapore) and Madhura Prematilleke (Sri Lanka), presented their take on this year’s theme of Man + Environment.

Using their works to exemplify their perspective on the theme, young architects shared the platform with more experienced ones to discuss their practices’ stand on topics like the S-word and architecture itself. Overall, the discussions were delightful and provocative enough to get students in the audience nodding and oh-ing at each other. Gerard Reinmuth subversively questioned the credibility of the supposed green architecture of today, Andrew Maynard’s self-depreciative eloquence of cheeky architecture that works tickled and awed everyone while Jo Noero’s firm social beliefs put to shame the bourgeois architect in me; the speakers were expressive individuals that held comprehensive and explorative views which made listening to them, both enlightening and entertaining.

FFW and SA managed to acquire for itself the privilege of some one-to-one time with some of the architects. A full article of the interviews and forum will be featured in next month’s issue of SA. We have portfolios on five architects from the forum and Dr. Hitoshi Abe, winner of this year’s SIA-Getz Award. The architects that we interviewed were Gerard Reinmuth of Terroir, Jo Noero of Noero Wolff Architects, Madhura Prematilleke of Team Architrave, Andrew Maynard of Andrew Maynard Architects and Fernando Menis of Menis Architects. Their portfolios reveal their take on the theme ,their modus operandi as architects and their advices for newbie architects.

Also, do remember to check out our coverage of the other events that made up Archifest 08 such as Architours , the forum nd also the other Fringe Events. For in detail coverage, make sure to get a copy of Singapore Architect’s magazine issue 247 out on magazine stands in December 2008.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------