Re-Route Festival Takes Over Orchard Road with Over 30 Design Collaborations Exploring Adaptability

Re-Route Festival returns with its second edition, Re-Route: Orchard (RR), transforming Singapore’s iconic shopping belt into a vibrant design playground from September 26 to October 6, 2024. Curated by Singapore-based interdisciplinary group PLUS Collaboratives, and led by festival directors Cheryl Sim and Mervin Tan, the festival explores the theme of adaptability through more than 30 installations, programmes, and design activations, offering visitors a fresh perspective on Orchard Road.

Following its successful debut in Little India during Singapore Design Week 2022, Re-Route: Orchard embraces the theme “Be Here Now,” inspired by adaptive reuse—the practice of repurposing old structures for new uses. This year’s festival examines how design evolves in response to changing needs, not only in architecture but also in everyday behaviours and experiences. Through installations and activities, RR delves into design’s power to shape the future while drawing from its rich past.

Immersive Experiences Highlighting Orchard Road’s Legacy and Future

One of the standout features of Re-Route: Orchard is the playful mascot, Charrdo, symbolizing Orchard Road’s illustrious history and its forward-looking approach to design. Visitors will be guided through interactive installations, workshops, and creative activities, exploring how design transforms spaces and encourages adaptability.

Award-Winning Festival Brings Hidden Gems to Life

Building on its award-winning debut, Re-Route Festival continues to invite visitors to uncover unexpected paths and hidden gems within Orchard Road. The 2022 edition attracted over 21,000 visitors, showcasing a new side of Little India through creative storytelling and experiential design. This year’s festival follows suit, transforming Orchard Road into a series of site-specific design experiences.

Key Highlights of Re-Route: Orchard

• Re-think: This exhibition at Design Orchard invites visitors to explore innovative products that embrace sustainability, preservation, and adaptability. Each item showcases how design can be reimagined to meet modern challenges.
• Street Fashion: Rain Ready: Fashion students from Raffles Design Institute respond to a fictional brief inspired by Orchard Road’s past as an open canal. Their innovative creations, guided by Daniel Boey, blend functionality with style to tackle environmental challenges.
• Time-Honoured Backdrops: A photoshoot by Nikko Pascua captures the timeless charm of Orchard Road’s iconic landmarks, blending high fashion with everyday life. This installation celebrates Orchard Road’s enduring appeal across generations.
• Chairs Reimagined: This playful exhibition showcases Kopitiam chairs creatively transformed, inviting visitors to guess the concepts behind these reimagined forms.
• Adaptations: Design in Motion: Designers from Singapore and the region explore the relevance of everyday objects, emphasizing how ordinary items can be rethought and reinvented through design.
• Nostalgia Play: Far East Plaza hosts this interactive installation, where adults and children alike can enjoy playground structures inspired by the aesthetics of the 80s and 90s, blending nostalgia with contemporary design.
• Re-Route Festival: Hidden Gems: Embark on a journey through Orchard Road’s lesser-known spots, collecting stamps at each location to unlock an exclusive set of Charrdo keychains.

Tickets and Workshops

While many of the activations are free, some workshops and events are ticketed. Visitors can purchase tickets on the Re-Route website and gain access to exclusive workshops led by creatives like Nikko Pascua and The Projector.