LIXIL, the maker of pioneering water and housing products, hosted an awards ceremony and exhibition at The Arts House Singapore to celebrate the winners and finalists of the American Standard Design Award (ASDA) 2023. The event included the award ceremony and a gala dinner. The winners and finalists also got an opportunity to participate in a design workshop at the LIXIL Design Studio the next day. The workshop was followed by an architectural tour and a tour of LIXIL’s showroom located at 24, Mohd Sultan Road.
With the theme of “A Home to Love, A Space for Everyone”, the ASDA seeks to uncover the power of design, to create a bathroom space that is truly loved by everyone in the family. The second edition of the competition was launched and was open for Second Year and above tertiary design school students from ten countries across Asia: Australia, Cambodia, India, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. Close to 1,500 entries were submitted, a two-fold increase from last year. The entries were judged by creative minds and thought leaders across the region.
The winners are, APAC Grand Prize Winner/ 1st Prize Winner from IndoChina (Cambodia/Laos/Myanmar) Sin Ponleu, 1st Prize Winner from Australia Azra Hrnjic, 1st Prize Winner from India Riya Awati, 1st Prize Winner from Malaysia Grace Wong Jing Yee, 1st Prize Winner from the Philippines Aevan Georgeline de Jesus, 1st Prize Winner from Singapore Rossalinda, 1st Prize Winner from Thailand Marisa Chonpracha, 1st Prize Winner from Vietnam Duong Pham Ngoc Hoai.
Expressing his happiness on winning the APAC grand prize, Sin Ponleu said, “I am very grateful for this achievement; it has been such an incredible experience for me to move forward to higher levels. With this achievement, I will remember to keep pushing myself to improve and continuously learn new things, all in the pursuit of enhancing the quality of life through architecture.”
Grace Wong, Malaysia’s 1st prize winner, also shared: “I felt an overwhelming sense of happiness and pride in winning this award. I joined the ASDA competition because I wanted to test my abilities and learn from others in the field. Seeing the work of fellow participants has allowed me to broaden my perspective and gain valuable insights. I also want to thank the judges for their valuable feedback and comments. The judging session was truly the highlight for me. These experiences have been instrumental in my growth as a designer, allowing me to continuously strive towards becoming better.”
The entries were judged at two levels – National Level and APAC Level. At the national level, a judging panel made up of architecture and design luminaries from each country evaluates entries received from local participants. The regional competition was conducted across Asia-Pacific and the 1st Prize Winners from each country were evaluated by the Asia-Pacific judging panel to determine the APAC Grand Prize Winner.
“I am truly impressed that this year’s designs demonstrate an in-depth understanding of each space, material, color, lighting, and ventilation conditions. Overall, the entries reflect clear purpose, attractiveness, allure, and high feasibility. And within it, there are technical elements, sanitary technology, convenience, and aesthetics as core values that we all aim for. ASDA has played a very crucial role in initiating and creating challenges for young designers,” said Arch. Le Troung, Founder and CEO of TT – Associates and one of the APAC jury members.
“The American Standard Design Award was created as a platform to nurture and recognize exceptional talent in the industry. We are thrilled to honor the winners and showcase their groundbreaking ideas. Through its rich history of over 140 years, American Standard has continuously set new benchmarks in delivering bathroom solutions that combine purposeful designs and pioneering technologies. American Standard continues to be trusted by generations for its progressive and dependable products. This event not only celebrates their achievements but also acts as a catalyst for further innovation and collaboration for sustainable architecture and design,” said Antoine Besseyre Des Horts, Leader, LIXIL Global Design, Asia.
The National winners each won a cash prize of USD 2,000 with the APAC Grand Prize winner walking away with a total of USD 5,000 cash prize. The APAC winner and finalists were also invited to participate in a half-day tour and a design workshop at the LIXIL Design Centre in Singapore.