AYDA 2025 Briefing: Reimagining Cultural Design for the Future

On Thursday, 26 June 2025, Interior Architecture and Design students from First City University College attended an inspiring briefing session for the Asia Young Designer Awards (AYDA) 2025, hosted by AYDA at the Centre for Postgraduate Studies. Led by industry representative Ms. Mae, the session introduced this year’s competition theme— “Converge: Crafting Cultural Legacies”—and encouraged students to explore how cultural heritage can be reimagined through innovative, future-forward design thinking.

AYDA is one of the most prestigious platforms in Asia for budding designers to showcase their talents, gain professional recognition, and network with top players in the design industry. During the session, Ms. Mae walked students through the competition’s goals, expectations, and judging criteria, offering valuable insights into how cultural elements can be translated into relevant, contemporary design concepts.

Students found the session both impactful and inspiring, leaving with renewed motivation and clarity. Yaashhinii A/P Krishnan, a Year 2 student from the BA (Hons) in Interior Architecture & Design programme, shared, “The recent AYDA competition brief session at our college was inspiring and insightful. The briefing was well structured and it helped clarify the objectives, expectations and design theme for this year.” Another Year 2 student, Law Jia Lin, added, “The AYDA competition briefing was motivating and informative, presented in a clear and well-organized manner. It sparked creative thinking and gave a better understanding of the competition’s direction.”

The briefing not only deepened students’ understanding of the competition’s theme but also reinforced their confidence to participate and excel. For First City University College, continued engagement with platforms like AYDA strengthens its commitment to fostering industry readiness among design students—while showcasing the institution’s creative talent on a regional stage.