Nippon Paint crowned Lim Jeng Ying from Universiti Malaya and Jesslyn Tew Chien Yeen from INTI International University & College as Architectural and Interior Designers Gold Award winners of the 2023 Asia Young Designer Awards (AYDA), respectively. 

The two talented designers will represent Malaysia in a competition against 15 other regions for the prestigious title ‘Asia Young Designer of The Year’ next year, alongside a spot at the Harvard Graduate School of Design in the US.

As part of the main prize, the winners will have the opportunity to attend a 3-week programme at Harvard Graduate School of Design, Harvard University. Other participating regions include Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkiye (formerly known as Turkey) and Vietnam.

Providing a platform for successful talents in the design field

“The AYDA Awards was firstly introduced back in 2008 to nurture the next generation of Architectural and Interior Design talents as well as to connect passionate design communities. To make the award more meaningful, each year we come up with a different theme, to push the participants innovation boundaries further. Design paradigms are always evolving to meet societal demands. It is thus important for designers to constantly be critical and  innovative to meet current market demands,” said Datin Wong Meng Lee, Assistant General Manager of Marketing at Nippon Paint Malaysia.

Under the theme, CONVERGE: Championing Purposeful Designs, AYDA participants are encouraged to explore the possibilities of combining personal design interest with causes worth fighting for. The end goal is to build beacons of hope for communities in need while promoting the development of humanity. 

Dive into 2023 AYDA Awards Winning Projects

Both Jeng Ying and Jesslyn Tew conveyed their gratitude to Nippon Paint for offering platforms like AYDA, providing them opportunities to develop their design skills through cross-learning opportunities and networking with key industry players.

“During my AYDA journey, I have gained a lot of knowledge, including how to improve my design abilities and project presentation. Being able to ask advice from the judges also helped me prepare to compete at the next level” said Jeng Ying.

For Jesslyn Tew, participating in the AYDA Awards has given her the opportunity to learn more beyond the syllabus provided in her university. Being closer to the experts, they have guided her on how to sell and pitch her idea to the industry players. “I hope that this project will captivate the judges in the next stage, which will take place in Chennai, India next year.”

“We are proud of the 2023 AYDA Gold Award winners, Jeng Ying and Jesslyn Tew. Their achievements inspire our commitment to providing a platform for successful talents in the design field,” said Chen Lee Siong, General Manager Group Trade Use Business of Nippon Paint Malaysia.

2023 AYDA Awards received the highest number of submissions

Over the years, AYDA has grown exponentially in reach and stature, firmly establishing itself as one of Asia's premier design awards. This year, AYDA Awards has received over 1490 submissions for both Architectural and Interior Designer categories from 52 colleges and universities across Malaysia. 

As part of AYDA initiative, Nippon Paint has organized three ‘Cakaplah’ sessions, inviting professional leaders and AYDA alumni to share their insights with AYDA students. Additionally, AYDA finalists have the opportunity to engage in one-on-one coaching sessions with the AYDA judges.

In collaboration with IJM Land Berhad, one of Malaysia’s top developers, Nippon Paint will continue to expand this robust design community to nurture budding architects and interior designers across Asia. 

Be part of the 2023 AYDA Awards experience by following the AYDA Facebook page AYDA Malaysia or visit www.asiayoungdesignerawards.com for more info!