Students empowered by their culture shine at the AYDA Awards

When the AYDA International Awards returned to Bangkok for its 18th edition, it brought together much more than just exceptional design. It gathered a passionate group of young creatives ready to make a positive difference. Under this year’s theme CONVERGE Crafting Cultural Legacies, over 9,000 students from 17 countries and regions were challenged to honour cultural heritage while actively shaping the spaces of tomorrow.

Finding Common Ground 

What unfolded during the event was deeply heartwarming. Beyond the formal presentations and competitive rigour, the true magic happened in the quiet and shared moments. During the initial ice-breaking sessions, nervous energy quickly melted into genuine camaraderie. As participants gathered to share stories over local cuisines, a beautiful realisation emerged. Despite coming from vastly different backgrounds and borders, they shared profound commonalities in their hopes, struggles, and design philosophies.

Designing with Deep Empathy 

This personal connection translated seamlessly into the projects themselves. The entries this year were not just structural blueprints but emotional narratives that tugged at the heartstrings. Ejhey Durias from the University of Mindanao, Philippines claimed the Designer of the Year for Architecture with Banuas Lawod, a moving project addressing the quiet displacement of traditional fishing communities. By designing a holistic aquaculture hub, he sought to restore not just a physical livelihood but the very soul of a people whose home has always been the rhythm of the tides.

Equally moving was the Interior Design Designer of the Year Jackie Jiang Haoran from the Central Academy of Fine Arts, China. His project Echoes of Xuan Paper tackled the crisis of fading traditional crafts—a cultural narrative frequently overlooked in the rush toward rapid modernisation. While many people rarely associate interior spaces with the preservation of ancient manufacturing, his design translated the craft of paper-making into a tangible spatial language. By reimagining a master craftsman’s workshop into a living community hub, he transformed a dying art into a sustainable and breathing part of daily village life. This beautifully proved that preserving heritage can seamlessly sustain the future.

Inspiring the Industry Veterans 

These touching and highly personal ideas left a profound impact on the room. The seasoned panel of international judges openly admitted that the sheer depth and empathy of these young minds took them by complete surprise. Many noted that they walked away having learned something entirely new themselves, proving that inspiration flows in both directions. The judges were so deeply impressed by the calibre of the submissions that several other outstanding projects were recognised across both categories for their unique approaches to sustainability, colour, and design impact.

Architectural Category Winners

• Designer of the Year – Ejhey Durias (University of Mindanao, Philippines) for Banuas Lawod
• Nippon Paint Colour Award – Shiu Jerome Millian (National University of Singapore) for Hardship’s Paradise The Story of Paper and its Makers
• Best Sustainable Design – Michelle Vun Yi Ling (University Malaya, Malaysia) for Reimagining Floating Future Tanjung Aru Experiential Tourism Hub
• Best Design Impact – Sinem Göl (Istanbul Technical University, Turkiye) for Industrial Alchemy Kinesis State of Memory
• Honorary Mention – Pavithran Thurairatnam (University Of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka) for In-between Presence and Absence

  

  

  

  

  

Interior Design Category Winners

• Designer of the Year – Jackie Jiang Haoran (Central Academy of Fine Arts, China) for Echoes of Xuan Paper
• Nippon Paint Colour Award – Patricia Danielle Malijan (De La Salle College of Saint Benilde, Philippines) for KAMPIHAN
• Best Sustainable Design – Sasit Kitiprasert (Chulalongkorn University, Thailand) for Lost & Found
• Best Design Impact – Jeeshnu Kalidhas (Chennai Academy of Architecture & Design, India) for Continuum of Knowledge
• Judges’ Choice – Xu Yinghai (City University, Malaysia) for TRACK-INK
• Honorary Mention – Shuvro Kumar Ghosh (Khulna University Of Engineering & Technology, Bangladesh) for Threads of Hope Reviving Nokshikantha Through Community Design Intervention
• Honorary Mention – Hsu Lawoon (Raffles College of Higher Education, Singapore) for LOOM

As Ejhey and Jackie prepare for their fully funded Design Discovery Program at Harvard University, they carry with them a powerful reminder that the future of our built environment is in incredibly empathetic hands.

This is not just the end of an inspiring chapter but the foundation for an exciting road ahead. With the competition rapidly approaching its remarkable 20th anniversary, the stage is already set for the next wave of talent. The upcoming AYDA Awards will challenge students to look even closer to home under the new theme CONVERGE Embracing Hyperlocal. If the empathy and brilliance showcased in Bangkok are any indication, we can expect another spectacular year of designs that go far beyond building spaces to truly transform communities.