Suhasini Ayer is an Architect and Urban Planner, and the co-founder of the Auroville Centre for Scientific Research (CSR) Trust. This collaborative organisation works with multiple agents and agencies in applied research for sustainable settlement planning, solar passive architecture, appropriate building materials and technologies, water and waste management, and renewable energy.

She heads Auroville Design Consultants, a planning and architectural design studio focused primarily on planning, designing, and implementing applied research development projects within Auroville. This approach responds to the natural and human geography, local climate, and culture to evolve minimal and elegant built forms. The underlying theme in all the projects is creating integrative systems, including water, energy, waste, building materials, and technology, to create passive sustainable networks between people and the built and unbuilt spaces, empowering them to take responsibility for their environment.

Suhasini hopes to bring her sustainability perspectives to the AYDA participants.

Michael Pizarro was a Partner and Principal Interior Designer for Mercado Mercado Amadeo Pizarro Architecture and Interior Design Consultancy Company (MMAP), until he founded his own firm, Michael Pizarro Interior Design (MPID) and its subsidiary company, Acanthus Home Furniture and Furnishing.

Currently, he is an executive board member of the International Federation of Interior Architects/ Designers and the College of Fellows (COF) to the professional interior design association, Philippine Institute of Interior Designers (PIID).

Last but not least, Michael is a long-serving judge and recent outgoing advisory panel member at the Asia Young Designer Awards. In his commentaries, through his journey with AYDA, he exclaims: “What I find exciting for me is not how enticing the future looks like to them. What draws me is the amount of passion, commitment and enthusiasm each and every student devoted over the last months, if not a year. If that is how the future looks based on their intentions, we will be in good hands.”

IDr Lai Siew Hong is the Co-founder and Chief Executive Designer of award-winning interior design firm Blu Water. Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur since 2010, the design studio focuses on hospitality archetypes and the design of hotels, resorts and F&B establishments around the region.

As the creative backbone of Blu Water, Lai believes in creating innovative spaces and solutions while crafting a meaningful narrative in each design brief. His creative process has kept the interests of a wide variety of clients over the last 30 years.

Today, he continues to be the mastermind behind some of the most stunning luxury hotels and resorts in the world; most recently recognised as Tatler Asia’s Most Influential MY 2021. Lai is also the immediate Past President of the Malaysian Institute of Interior Designers (MIID) 2022-2024.

His passion for nurturing young emerging talents have led him to mentor graduate students at China Academy of Art in Hangzhou, China, and he is now serving as the Master Coach for Interior Architecture and Design Programme at The One Academy. Internationally, he has been a valuable AYDA Judge since 2016.