The AYDA Awards, an annual event by Nippon Paint, highlighted the exceptional talent of Asian designers who dominated the winners’ list in both architectural and interior design.

Asian designers excelled at the AYDA Awards 2023/2024, with Malaysia’s Lim Jeng Ying named Designer of the Year in Architecture and Indonesia’s Alifiah Azzahrah in Interior Design.

Jeng Ying’s winning project is a riverine museum inspired by the daily life of locals in Sungai Petani, Kedah and the cultural significance of the river for Malaysians, while Alifiah’s Payabo House, focuses on improving living conditions for the scavenger community in Sumba Opu, South Sulawesi.

From left: Indonesia’s Alifiah Azzahrah, Interior Design Designer of the Year, and Malaysia’s Lim Jeng Ying, Architecture Designer of the Year at AYDA Awards 2023/2024. IMAGE: AYDA Awards.

Both winners’ exceptional submissions resonated deeply with the theme of the 2023/2024 edition, CONVERGE: Championing Purposeful Designs. Their visionary creations captivated both judges and audiences alike, offering not just aesthetic marvels but also tangible solutions to real-world challenges.

As part of their well-deserved recognition, the winners will embark on a transformative journey at a three-week Harvard University Graduate School of Design’s Design Discovery Program in June 2025, fully funded up to USD 10,000.

Malaysia’s Lim Jeng Ying was named Designer of the Year in Architecture for her project ‘River Reverie,’ a riverine museum highlighting Sungai Petani’s cultural significance. IMAGE: AYDA Awards

Jeng Ying expressed her gratitude and vision, stating, “Winning the AYDA Designer of the Year award and being able to advocate for impactful solutions is an honourable achievement. I am deeply grateful to have my work acknowledged on a global stage and I would like to thank AYDA for this opportunity.”

Alifiah also shared her excitement, “I believe in the transformative power of purposeful design to shape a better future. I’m thrilled that my project was selected as the winning project and I was able to shine a light on the plight of the scavenger community of Sumba Opu. I would like to thank AYDA for this opportunity that enables students like me to participate at a global level.”

Lim Gia Zhun of Singapore won the Best Sustainable Design award for ‘BEYOND BORDERS,’ a modular housing solution for migrant workers in Singapore. The mock cheque of USD 1,000 was presented by Wee Siew Kim, Group CEO of NIPSEA Group. IMAGES: AYDA Awards.

The AYDA Awards 2023/2024 received over 6,000 submissions from 17 countries, showcasing the diverse talent and innovation in today’s design landscape.

Asian designers were recognised across various categories at AYDA 2023/2024, with notable achievements in architecture and interior design.

Highlights include Amirmasoud Aghajanizadeh from Iran winning the Best Design Impact award, Danh Minh An from Vietnam receiving the Best Sustainable Design award, and Nilrandha Fonseka from Sri Lanka earning the Nippon Paint Colour Award in the Architectural category. Each winner received a cash prize of USD 1,000.

Danh Minh An (second from left) from Vietnam received the Best Sustainable Design award, and Nilrandha Fonseka (right) from Sri Lanka earned the Nippon Paint Colour Award in the Architectural category. The mock cheque of USD 1,000 was presented by Wee Siew Kim, Group CEO of NIPSEA Group. IMAGES: AYDA Awards.

In Interior Design, Jesslyn Tew of Malaysia achieved the Best Design Impact Award, Lim Gia Zhun of Singapore was honored with Best Sustainable Design, and Panisa Wongchaom (Porpla) from Thailand won the Nippon Paint Colour Award. Truong Thanh Qui from Vietnam was also recognized with the Judges Choice Award, showcasing the diverse talents and contributions of Asian designers at the awards.

Truong’s ’21C MUSEUM HOTELS’ blends modern technology with cultural immersion, functioning as both a hotel and an art museum inspired by the evolution of written language. It includes a lobby timeline of script evolution, AI-powered translation at reception, and interactive displays on the history of writing.

Amirmasoud Aghajanizadeh from Iran won the Best Design Impact award for ‘Unity Springs’, aiming to foster peace and nature immersion through innovative architecture. IMAGES: AYDA Awards.

The AYDA award judges included esteemed experts from well-regarded architectural and interior design firms.

Nina Bailon-Arce, Senior Partner at Arce-Bailon-Arce Architects and an AYDA judge, highlighted the AYDA Awards as a key platform for emerging talents in architecture and interior design.

She praised Nippon Paint’s commitment to nurturing young designers and fostering purposeful design, emphasizing the awards’ role in advancing industry standards through innovative entries driven by technological advancements.

“I have been judging AYDA for a few years now and I am so proud to see the quality of entries each year that evolve with the advancements in the industry and technology.”

Amirmasoud Aghajanizadeh from Iran won the Best Design Impact award for ‘Unity Springs’, aiming to foster peace and nature immersion through innovative architecture. IMAGES: AYDA Awards.

“We are thrilled to witness the incredible talent and innovation showcased at this edition’s AYDA Awards. The competition stands as a beacon of meaningful innovation and creativity, providing a space for emerging talents to shine and thrive,” said Santi Alaysius, Co-Founder at Domisilium Studio and DMDIO, one of the AYDA Interior Design judges.

The AYDA Awards 2024/2025 theme, ‘CONVERGE: Glocal Design Solutions,‘ seeks innovative designs addressing global social, urban, and environmental challenges. This theme emphasizes design’s role in creating a sustainable, resilient future by integrating these considerations to promote community cohesion and societal growth.