Young designers infuse new perspectives to age-old values

THEMED “Be Bold. Be Free. Be You.” to inspire young interior designers and architects to create new and refreshing concepts that encapsulate boldness, freedom and originality, the ninth Asia Young Designer Award (AYDA) has found winners who will represent Malaysia at the regional Platinum Award in 2017.

Organised by coating solutions provider Nippon Paint Malaysia Sdn Bhd in partnership with IJM Land Bhd, the awards were presented at an event held on Nov 23, 2016 at Holiday Villa, Subang Jaya — the culmination of a six-month-long competition open to all Malaysian architectural and interior design students from the second year in their diploma courses and onwards.

“We at Nippon Paint and IJM Land are certainly delighted to see the young and talented rise up to aspire to achieve not only good but great designs for the world, to reach new frontiers in design. This is the exact reason for the birth of AYDA — to provide a platform for them to shine and to nurture the next generation of designers,” said Nippon Paint Malaysia group general manager Gladys Goh.

Meanwhile, IJM Land managing director Edward Chong said: “As a developer, I was most impressed not only with the diversity of ideas but the thought that has gone into the preparation of the submissions.

“These up-and-coming designers highlighted to me the future of design concepts — visionary, forward-thinking, and environmentally sustainable while bearing hallmarks of the designer’s individuality,” he said.

In the Student Category, David Nee Zhi Kang from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia bagged the Gold Award for the Architecture Brief while Chai Min Lee from Taylor’s University won the Gold Award for the Interior Design Brief. These talented students will represent Malaysia to compete against 14 other Asian countries at the regional Platinum Award in 2017 to be held in Indonesia.

This year’s AYDA also saw the introduction of the Emerging Professional Category which was open to professionals below the age of 35. The Gold Award winners were Maryam Zamalik from Asas Architects for the Architecture Brief and Goh Sow Yee from Turn Design for the Interior Design Brief.

Sow Yee’s interior design concept was inspired by the “open air” essence of En Plein Air which showcased the bold amalgamation of wood and colour in creating an installation that was reminiscent of the sea and sky. Both features were tastefully contrasted against the monochromatic-themed furniture and flooring.

Her lifestyle-focused ideation featured a reading oasis decked in light colours with a window that stretches from the ceiling to the floor, promoting natural lighting reflective of a sense of leisure and ease.

“My design is based on Claude Monet’s famed masterpiece, The Cliff Walk. I translated the breezy, calm, and open feel of the painting into a home design that focuses on neutral colours, natural lighting, and most importantly, the users themselves, staying true to the competition’s theme, ‘Be Bold. Be Free. Be You’.

“I wish for the inhabitants to experience The Cliff Walk every time they interact with the surrounding,” said Sow Yee.

As for Maryam’s winning masterpiece, it explored the environmental and social effects of shipbreaking activities within the town of Chittagong in Bangladesh. The architectural structure consisted of a new ship recycling yard to provide an improved space for storing and processing activities, an emergency care centre which plays the role of a mini hospital and a site management component that ensures accumulated toxic waste from oil tankers at the site is properly disposed or processed.

Maryam’s colour selection was inspired by shades of rust to delineate the mood spaces. It was bold and sharp, yet naturally integrated with the surrounding and materials present within the space, consisting of grey, brown and red shades.

In the Student Category, Gold winner in the Architecture Brief Nee’s work delved into the rich history and culture of Malaysian architecture.

Through his attempt to revamp Pusat Kajian Alam Bina Dunia Melayu’s (KALAM) academic and research centre, Nee was inspired to translate the elements of vernacular design into modern technology. This was an effort to remind Malaysians of the intrinsic characteristics, elements and qualities that Malaysian architectural design encompasses.

“The revival and preservation of Malaysian architecture has always been something close to my heart, not only for the benefit of Malaysians but also for the world to witness the captivating beauty and potential it holds.

“The design for the academic and research centre of KALAM provided me with an opportunistic platform to infuse vernacular with contemporary design as one entity in enhancing a structure that is sustainable, functional and ultimately, robust with a unique identity,” he said.

Meanwhile, Gold winner (Student category) for the Interior Design Brief Chai’s concept was driven by Pudu’s rich history and her desire to curb further degeneration of the vicinity.

Her concept revolved around the transformation, rejuvenation and modernisation of the signature Pudu market into one that incorporated cross-cultural learning and the existing entrepreneurial activities of both the young and old generations. She did this by creating a learning and entrepreneurial space that brings diverse people together while preserving the robust atmosphere of the Pudu market.

AYDA was launched in 2008. 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.

This story first appeared in TheEdgeProperty.com pullout on Dec 23, 2016, which comes with The Edge Financial Daily every Friday. Download TheEdgeProperty.com pullout here for free.