The ninth edition of the annual Sydney Architecture Festival begins on Friday 2 October, and will feature a packed schedule of design and architecture inspired activities at various inner Sydney locations.

To be presented over four days, the Sydney Architecture Festival this year will feature a new format condensing the previously 10-day long program into an action-packed extended weekend of talks, events, tours, competitions and activities. The new program consists of a mix of free to the public and ticketed events that will run from morning until late evening throughout the Festival at different locations around inner Sydney.

A directorship approach has been implemented for the first time in the Festival’s history with Archrival, a Sydney-based collective of young design creatives, in partnership with JOC Consulting, taking over as the Festival Event Directors.

According to Archrival Co-Founder Claire McCaughan, architecture is a driver for city lifestyles to become more sustainable, connected and liveable. A key objective of this Festival is to capture this potential and broadcast it to a city undergoing massive change.

Observing that Sydney was on the cusp of a creative boom, Tim Horton, Registrar of the NSW Architects Registration Board said that the re-envisaged, four-day Sydney Architecture Festival opens a channel between the public, policymakers and professionals to explore the growing impact of creative industries on shaping the city’s people, culture and buildings.

Shaun Carter, NSW Chapter President, Australian Institute of Architects explains that the Sydney Architecture Festival will open the door of some of Sydney's secrets, reveal the ideas behind the bold new buildings and take everyone on an intimate stroll through the streets to explain the ideas of “how we are, and how we can together, make this city great”.

Festival-goers are invited to participate in a diverse range of events including conversations about design and architecture; short films; food and music experiences; children’s activities; and guided tours. Social media will play an important role in this year’s Festival by providing the platform for active engagement. Each day of the Festival will have a dedicated hashtag: Day 1 #DesignSecrets; Day 2 #TheGoods; Day 3 #NewCity; and Day 4 #GoGlobal.

#DesignSecrets

The Festival launches on Friday 2 October #DesignSecrets with three key events: a breakfast announcement of the winning ideas for re-imagining George Street for 2020 with the Urban Land Institute; from 2pm the future of Sydney homes will be the topic of conversation at the Australian Design Centre with architects Guy Luscombe and Bradley Swartz, and Senator Scott Ludlam of the Australian Green Party; and from 6pm to 9pm at Customs House, Design Secrets invites the public to join a Q&A style forum with Joe Snell from Channel 7’s House Rules, Peter Maddison from Lifestyle’s Grand Designs Australia and Tony Been from the online phenomenon Houzz.

#TheGoods

The flagship public event for the festival #TheGoods will be held on Saturday 3 October at one of the most exciting urban regeneration projects in Sydney. The day will include yoga, tai chi, talks, symposiums, a zine fair, after dark short film festival and a pop-up installation designed by Sydney Architecture Festival-goers.

#NewCity

Day three of the Festival on Sunday 4 October, #NewCity offers behind-the-scenes tours of important new buildings and ideas shaping Sydney, led by the designers and people who commissioned them.

The three tours are: Sydney - What next? #newwork, exploring what urban narratives are being written and how the city skyline will change in the future; Inner-City Suburbs #newliving, guiding walkers through the regeneration and contemporary residential projects of inner city suburbs such as Ultimo, Surry Hills and Redfern; and The Architect’s House #newhomes providing a sneak peek inside the homes of some brilliant Sydney architects.

A children’s workshop at Customs House called The Architects of Tomorrow will be held from 10am until 12 noon on Sunday 4 October.

The final day of the Festival on Monday 5 October is presented with the theme of #GoGlobal, with a day- long event to launch and follow World Architecture Day 2015. #GoGlobal offers TED-style talks, exhibitions, discussions, videos and social media activity, bringing together the people, practices and projects shaping Sydney as a global design leader.

Getting architecture to the table: an industry summit will also take place from 2pm to 4pm the same day. This professional summit will explore ways Sydney based design, architecture and engineering services can access support and compete in the global game for trade and investment along the Silk Highway.

The Sydney Architecture Festival (#sydarchfest) is an annual public event presented by the Australian Institute of Architects (NSW Chapter) and the NSW Architects Registration Board. The Festival will be officially launched at an event held on 2 October at Customs House from 6pm to 9pm.

Sydney Architecture Festival will be presented across four days from Friday 2 until Monday 5 October 2015 at various locations across inner Sydney.

For full program details please visit: www.sydneyarchitecturefestival.org