Christmas Wonderland at Gardens by the Bay

Ring in the Christmas cheer this December with festivities at Gardens by the Bay – starting with Christmas Wonderland, Singapore’s biggest Yuletide event.

The 10th edition, which is presented by online travel platform Trip.com at The Meadow and Supertree Grove, features a slew of Christmas activities and performances.

The supersized fairground is tricked out with an array of light displays, tropical “snow” and amusement rides for the whole family.

Another signature event is the Flower Dome’s Poinsettia Wishes – A Nordic Christmas Adventure, the much-loved year-end Yuletide floral display.

The 2023 edition promises to take visitors on a voyage to a Viking-inspired Christmas landscape.

Visitors will also be greeted by Nordic Nisses, little beings who look like a hybrid between a garden gnome and Santa Claus.

The month-long festive calendar also includes music performances, Santa meet-and-greet sessions and art and crafts workshops.

Info: For Gardens by the Bay’s festive calendar of events, go to gardensbythebay.com.sg

Exhibition on designs which shaped Singapore

Catch a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes at the architectural practice of W Architects.

Founded by the late William Lim in 1982 as William Lim Associates, the firm was renamed W Architects in 2003 after Mr Lim retired and handed the reins to his protege Mok Wei Wei.

The exhibition, To Draw An Idea: Retracing The Designs Of William Lim Associates – W Architects, showcases 19 urban projects undertaken by the firm between the 1980s and 2010s through more than 500 artefacts and archival materials that it has donated to the Singapore Architecture Collection.

The trove of architectural records is the first extensive contribution to the collection in a major exhibition and is on display at The URA Centre in Maxwell Road.

Mr Mok, managing director of W Architects, says the exhibition is not just for designers of the built environment, but also for everyone.

“The range of exhibits includes sketches, detailed drawings, models and videos showcasing the creative endeavours of the architects,” he says.

“Through these collections, we hope to show that good architecture is more than just real estate. They are really part of the country’s cultural legacy.”

Info: To Draw An Idea: Retracing The Designs Of William Lim Associates – W Architects is on at The URA Centre till June 8, 2024. Sign up for tours and talks at go.gov.sg/tdai-progrm-collection

Global designs at the World Architecture Festival

On Dec 1, the World Architecture Festival (WAF) concluded a three-day celebration of architecture through cutting-edge design.

The festival is a platform for global thought leaders in urban design to inspire audiences. It also has a series of fringe events and architectural tours.

The event was last held in Singapore in 2015.

The highlight of the 2023 festival, which was themed “Catalyst”, was the announcement of the winners of the annual WAF design competition, which had more than 44 categories such as residential, education and culture.

The 2023 WAF global awards programme saw 495 projects presented live to an international jury on Nov 29 and 30 at the Marina Bay Sands integrated resort.

More than 800 projects were submitted in 2023 to vie for a place in the WAF shortlist.

There were 76 speakers at the forums who explained how architecture and design are catalysts of environmental change.

The big names included Italian architect and educator Mario Cucinella, as well as English architect, lecturer and author Sir Peter Cook.

Info: To catch highlights of the 2023 WAF at Marina Bay Sands, go to bit.ly/3T5SoOB