Events

2025’s Singapore Archifest urges more to not “(just) think like an architect”

June 26, 2025
by Aisha Capulong

A powerhouse gathering of Pritzker laureates and luminaries in architecture, 2025's installation of the Singapore Archifest is set to take the city over to commemorate the nation's 60 years in design

Seeing its 19th edition in 2025, the Singapore Archifest (SGAF) is an annual celebration of architecture and the built environment open to design aficionados from all walks of life as well as the general public. On programme this year? An invitation for the masses to adopt a new outlook around design.

Taking place citywide from 25 June to 25 July 2025, this year’s festival carries the provocative theme of, “Don’t (Just) Think Like An Architect”, encouraging audiences of both professional and general calibres to view architecture not simply as the creation of buildings, but as a transformative force that shapes communities and influences how the future is lived.

First organised by the Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA) in 2007, SGAF has become a key hotspot in the region’s architectural calendar. Supported by the DesignSingapore Council and helmed by RT+Q Architects, the 2025 edition places an even stronger emphasis on public participation and dialogue to welcome Singapore’s Diamond Jubilee anniversary.

Singapore's 60 years of cultural legacy

Within Singapore’s 60-year journey as a nation, every decision has come from a thoughtfully deliberated process. Known as a “Nation by Design” starting from its very foundational policies to its speedy urbanism, Singapore contains a legacy township called the Katong-Joo Chiat precinct: the location of this year’s SGAF.

In collaboration with the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), the festival seeks to pay tribute to this iconic locale by populating it with a series of events meant to eulogise the nation’s cultural successes. Also commemorating the 60-year mark is SGAF’s initiative of over 60 Singaporean architects featuring both seasoned pioneers and rising talents in the industry for a day of dynamic dialogues at the Architects Roundtable.

What to expect at the 2025 Singapore Archifest
Singapore AF Conference, happening 25 – 27 June 2025 at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre
An interdiscpilinary gathering of architect minds across different industries

Some key names of note:

▶ Grace La & James Dallman, award-winning principals of LA DALLMAN recognised for their innovative integration of architecture and urbanism across diverse scales
▶ Takaharu Tezuka, the visionary architect behind Tezuka Architects, celebrated for designing playful, human-centric spaces that redefine
interaction, and most notably in educational environments
▶ Rishi Naleendra, a Michelin Star chef who artfully crafts narratives through food, renowned for his original approach to taste and fine dining

SGAF+, happening 27 June – 25 July 2025, island wide
A sequence of events open to public participation for greater awareness and appreciation around architecture’s impacts on the past, present and future of society

High points in this year’s SGAF+ event calendar:

▶ Blueprints of Imagination will showcase the newfangled work of emerging design talents from nine spatial design schools, offering a glimpse into the next generation’s vision for our built environment
▶ ArchiPavilion & other installations allows the general public to experience the power of design firsthand through interactive and inclusive systems placed around the Katong-Joo Chiat precinct to spark conversation and creativity

For more information on the 2025 Singapore Archifest and ticketing details, please visit the official website at www.archifest.sg