SINGAPORE - Instead of occupying a single location, this year's Archifest will take a new form of 100 events spread across the island.

These include tours of Singapore's built and natural heritage, as well as workshops and talks, said the event's organisers.

There will also be activities such as coastal kayaking to raise awareness about the work of landscape architects as well as a panel discussion on the fate of the iconic Haw Par Villa.

Set to run through the month of October, Archifest is an annual event celebrating Singapore's architecture organised by the Singapore Institute of Architects.

First held in 2007, the aim of the festival is to create a vibrant design culture and a more design-conscious society, according to the organisers.

This year's theme is design evidence and the focus will be on five areas: arts and culture, community and inclusivity, environment and sustainability, history and heritage, as well as technology and methods.

Aside from the decentralised events, Archifest will also be holding its flagship annual conference virtually between Oct 12 and 14.

It will feature speakers such as Ms Rossana Hu, founding partner of architecture and design practice Neri & Hu; Mr Brandon Clifford, director of the Master of Architecture programme at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and Ms Ong Ker Shing, principal of Lekker Architects Singapore and director of the architecture undergraduate programme at the National University of Singapore.

The conference will open with a discussion on "old worlds, new futures", looking at how knowledge from the past can inform the way people design and build for future cultural and environmental sustainability.

Festival director Razvan Ghilic-Micu said: "Design evidence (this year's theme) is an invitation to debate, discover and redefine what architecture could be. We believe that bringing together a diversity of voices is a step towards a more inclusive dialogue."

Singaporeans can also look forward to a series of design documentaries set to be screened at independent cinema The Projector, and workshops on Singapore's traditional kopi, or coffee.

For information about events, tickets and prices, visit this website.