Since its inception, the exhibition has faced significant disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which halted global events and upended countless plans. Among its many impacts on the cultural calendar was the postponement of the 17th Venice Biennale International Architecture Exhibition.
Between September and October 2020, discussions with exhibitors and international experts revealed intertwined themes of speculation and reflection. This video explores key emerging ideas—Health and Density, Sharing and Solidarity, and Presence and Distance—highlighting how the pandemic has subtly reshaped Singapore’s familiar spaces.
Screened in the Pavilion’s “Living Room” section, this video invites visitors to reflect on the past year and its profound effects on the way people gather and interact.
Contributors
Images and Photography
- Kampung Kakis¹
- Studio DO: Pulau / Lee Kah Hui
- Ernest Goh / Ayer Ayer Project²
- Stillusion Photography
- Open Narrative
- Patrick Bingham-Hall
- DP Architects
- Both Sides, Now
- Gin Tay
- Sim Yi Shien
Videography
- Open Narrative
- Desire Lines
¹ Kampung Kakis (website) is a neighborhood buddy system that pairs volunteers with residents in need based on proximity, language, and specific requirements. “Kampung” means village, and “Kakis” means buddies. The initiative also includes SmilesSalamSG (Instagram), which organizes bi-monthly pop-up grocery stores across Singapore to provide free essentials and strengthen community bonds.
² Ayer Ayer (website) is an ecologically driven initiative that engages communities through participatory artworks and citizen science. With a focus on ocean plastic pollution in Singapore’s waterways, Ayer Ayer develops public art, research, and education projects in collaboration with public and private organizations. The initiative is also advancing closed-loop recycling methods for plastic waste. Ayer Ayer has established art studios and research outposts in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
