YIIDEC 2025 Award Gala Celebrates Young Designers and Creative Excellence

The Youth Innovative Interior Design Challenge (YIIDEC) 2025 Award Gala took place on 7 November 2025 at the MDMT Ballroom in Datum Jelatek Shopping Centre. It was an elegant evening that brought together emerging designers from across Malaysia to celebrate creativity, innovation and forward thinking design. Students from the Diploma in Interior Design and the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Interior Architecture and Design programmes represented First City University College, joining industry professionals and peers for a night that combined fine dining with inspiring performances.

Lee Chee Yen won Best Bungalow Design, while Hor Wen Cong secured a finalist position for Best F and B Design. In the Best Retail Design category, finalists included Lee Hao Thang and Alice Lee Kim Lan, with the winner title awarded to Desmond Saw Wei Zheng, Justina Lee Yi and Lee Chai Xuan. The team of Lim Lee Tong and Cheng Ming Hui also earned the top accolade for Best Sustainable and ESG Design, reflecting the Faculty’s growing strength in socially conscious design.

Lee Chai Xuan described the night as motivating, noting how inspiring it felt to see young designers recognized on a prominent stage. Justina Lee Yi added that the event reminded her of the purpose of design and its ability to connect people through meaningful spaces. The gala concluded with a strong sense of pride and accomplishment for the students who represented the university.