Malaysia shines at Asia Young Designer Award 2016

PETALING JAYA (March 28): Malaysia’s representative Chai Min Li has emerged as the Platinum winner in the Interior Design category of the regional instalment of Nippon Paint’s Asia Young Designer Award (AYDA) 2016. She competed against participants from 14 other Asian countries to take home the US$1,000 (RM4,413) prize.

Johor-born Chai’s winning concept dubbed “The Common Place: Regeneration of Pudu Market” was inspired by Pudu’s rich history and her desire to curb further “degeneration” of the area.

“I’m grateful for this recognition. To me, the world of design is filled with uncertainties and challenges, yet presents endless opportunities and possibilities, with the power to make our community a better place to live in.

“My ideation in rejuvenating the old Pudu market allows me to look deeper into human behaviour and preferences, forming solid impetus for me to develop human-centric solutions that promote community engagement, optimise space usage as well as foster cultural cultivation,” the 23-year-old interior design student said in a press statement issued by Nippon Paint Malaysia.

Chief judge for the Interior Design category Lai Siew Hong is proud of Chai being recognised as Malaysia’s up-and-coming interior designer.

“She has shown a commendable level of maturity in terms of her thought process, overall ideation as well as execution detail. Indeed, it is not an easy feat as this regional competition involved 37 judges from 15 countries, but she has done very well in presenting her idea.

“I believe that she will serve as a model and inspiration for other young designers who are passionate to make their mark in this field,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Platinum Winner of the Architecture category was 25-year-old Ueda Mitsumori’s  design  concept entitled “The Old Matsuo River School” which looks at a  seamless integration of the old town with the new town, through building schools on the site replicating the path where the river used to flow. This paves the way for the city to celebrate its past and the traditional way of life yet embracing an amalgamation with modernity – bringing out the true, unique characteristics of Izumi City in Osaka.

Held in Yogyakarta, the AYDA 2016 saw the national champions of each participating country compete for the prestigious regional Platinum award. The participants also took part in coaching sessions, study tours and sharing sessions with some of Asia’s leading design practitioners.

“What we provide is a platform that allows young designers to gain much more than just a trophy. Some gained friendships that will last a life time, some revealed key strengths they never knew about they had, while some absorbed knowledge and perspectives from industry speakers around the Asian region.

“Beyond the competition, we have brought together a group of passionate people, be it from academia, to industry partners carrying the spirit of AYDA. We even have judges who had been with us year-on-year since we started.

“On top of this, we have coaches that meticulously mentor each and every participant to further sharpen their presentation skills and prepare them not just for this regional competition, but also for the real world,” said CEO of NIPSEA Group Wee Siew Kim.

AYDA was launched in 2008 by Nippon Paint in Malaysia. It aims to nurture the next generation of talents, providing them a platform to develop their skills as well as an opportunity to network with key industry players across Asia. More than 4,500 entries have been received for this year’s contest with the theme: “Be Bold. Be Free. Be You.”