KUALA LUMPUR, 17 December 2025 – Malaysia’s next generation of designers is turning cultural stories into future-ready spaces, as two local students emerged as Gold Award winners at the 2025 Asia Young Designer Awards (AYDA), an initiative by Nippon Paint to nurture young design talent across the region.
Universiti Malaya’s Michelle Vun Yi Ling (Architecture) and City University Malaysia’s Xu Yinghai (Interior Design) were honoured for projects that reimagine heritage in contemporary ways; one reviving the fragmented coastal identity of the Bajau community in Sabah, and the other transforming an abandoned Luoyang factory into a poetic space celebrating the art of Chinese calligraphy.
Their wins reflect a growing shift among young Malaysian designers: using design not merely to create structures, but to preserve identity, strengthen community, and give voice to cultural stories at risk of fading.
This direction is echoed in this year’s AYDA theme, "Coverage: Crafting Cultural Legacies," which encourages participants to rediscover the traditions, practices, and narratives that shape their communities. The theme challenges designers to consider how heritage can be safeguarded as inspiration for new, collective pathways forward.
Both Gold Award recipients will go on to represent Malaysia at the regional finals across 19 regions, with the opportunity to secure RM6,000 in cash prizes and an all-expenses-paid experience at the Harvard Graduate School of Design’s Design Discovery Program, worth up to USD10,000.
Tay Sze Tuck, General Manager of Nippon Paint Malaysia, shared, “Culture is a powerful thread that connects people to place, memory, and community. It has been truly inspiring to see how this year’s participants embraced the theme with such imagination. Their projects reflect both skill and heart, honouring the communities they represent while imagining new possibilities for the future.
“The design landscape is evolving rapidly, and young creators are stepping up with ideas that are thoughtful, bold and deeply connected to real human needs. Through AYDA, we continue to challenge participants to look deeper, design with intention and push their own boundaries, while equipping them with mentorship and experiences that prepare them for a global stage. As Nippon Paint advances our bare-to-finish system solutions, we are reminded that creating the most beautiful spaces also means understanding the layers that protect communities, preserve culture and enable future generations to thrive.”
These ideals were brought to life through this year’s Gold Award winners. From coastal Sabah to an abandoned industrial site reimagined as a cultural sanctuary, both projects reflect how thoughtful, human-centred design can preserve heritage, strengthen community bonds and respond to real social needs.
Architectural Gold Award Winner
Michelle Vun Yi Ling, Gold Award Winner of the Architecture category, caught the judges’ attention with a project that asks a powerful question: can design help protect a culture before it disappears?
Her project, “Reimagining Floating Future: Tanjung Aru Tourism Experiential Hub,” focuses on the coastal community of Tanjung Aru in Sabah, where the rich Bajau heritage has been slowly fading due to disconnected spaces and an underused waterfront.
Michelle’s solution brings these pieces back together. She designed a floating, community-led tourism hub featuring spaces like the Sambulayang Studio, a lepa boat repair workshop, and floating food areas — all inspired by the Bajau people’s deep relationship with the sea.
The project doesn’t just look beautiful. It helps revive local culture, strengthen community involvement, and create new economic opportunities. It also offers a smart model for how coastal areas can grow while staying true to their roots.
Michelle shared, “This project allowed me to better understand how culture and community are inseparable. I wanted to honour the Bajau people’s stories while exploring how design can support their future. Being recognised at AYDA motivates me to continue creating work that uplifts communities.”
Interior Design Award Gold Winner
Sometimes the most inspiring journeys are the ones where someone comes back stronger. For Xu Yinghai, this win didn’t start with victory; it started with trying again.
A Top 12 finalist last year, Yinghai returned with renewed purpose. His project, Track INK, transforms an abandoned red-brick factory in Luoyang into a serene cultural sanctuary that revives the fading art of Chinese calligraphy.
Inspired by the way calligraphy moves — the brush strokes, the flow of ink — Yinghai designed a space that lets people experience these qualities in a simple, hands-on way. He used clean timber frames, soft lighting, and easy-to-understand displays to create a space that feels calm and welcoming.
The project is organised into three straightforward areas:
A hands-on zone where visitors can try basic calligraphy strokes
A social area where people can observe, talk, and learn from one another
A learning zone that explains the history and meaning behind the art
By turning an old factory into an accessible, cultural space, Track INK brings writing, tradition, and community together, helping people reconnect with a heritage that is slowly fading from everyday life.
Yinghai shared, “Returning to AYDA this year, I wanted to use design to give voice to a tradition that has grown faint with time. Track INK was my way of translating emotion, memory, and culture into space. Winning the Gold Award reassures me that thoughtful design can still spark connection and preserve what matters.”
The judging panel for AYDA Awards 2025 was led by Ar. Datuk Tan Pei Ing, Head Judge for the Architecture category, and IDr Lai Siew Hong, Head Judge for the Interior Design category. They shared their admiration for the thoughtfulness and sincerity shown by this year’s winners, noting the depth of research, cultural understanding, and emotional resonance reflected in both projects.
Datuk Tony Ling Thou Lung, CEO of IJM Land Berhad, added, “AYDA is more than an awards platform; it is a catalyst shaping the future of the built environment, where young designers find their unique voices. Our long-standing collaboration with Nippon Paint reflects a shared belief that creativity can enrich everyday life and shape meaningful, sustainable spaces. By nurturing the next generation of design thinkers, we are investing in a future where our cities and communities are enriched through purpose-driven design.”
This year marks eighteen years since the inception of AYDA in 2008, which has grown into an impactful platform that nurtures the next generation of design leaders across Asia. The 2025 edition received an impressive 1764 submissions from students across Malaysian universities and colleges.
As AYDA continues to evolve, Nippon Paint remains committed to nurturing designers who see architecture and interior design as tools for positive change. By championing projects that are grounded in culture, community, and purpose, the platform reinforces its role in shaping a new generation of designers who design not just for today, but for the future.
For more information about AYDA, follow the AYDA Facebook page, AYDA Malaysia or visit www.asiayoungdesignerawards.com.my.
This content is provided by Nippon Paint.
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