Opening doors to opportunities to be heard, the University of Baguio BS Architecture Program welcomes the Asia Young Designer’s Award (AYDA) Awards 2025 with this year’s theme “Converge: Crafting Cultural Legacies” where participants are encouraged to create spaces that celebrate heritage while embracing innovations within the bounds of social relevance. The UBaguio was one of the ten (10) schools identified by the organizers in their national school caravan. The goal was to encourage young student designers to join in the competition. Ar. Aristotle Alvarez, Jr., a faculty member of the BS AR Program, also gave a short talk on culture and legacy to inspire the student participants.
The AYDA Awards, which began in 2008, have grown into a global movement. For 17 years, the Awards have encouraged students to challenge design limits and address real-world issues, encouraging passionate Architecture students and design mentors to submit designs that bridge cultures and foster a sense of community, where futures are shaped with designs that not only create beautiful spaces but also tell powerful cultural stories. This aligns it with UB’s goal of attaining the Sustainable Development Goals, mainly:
- Goal No. 4 (Quality Education) – giving students the opportunity to partake in competitions and build connections with professionals and other students facilitates active and accessible learning in and beyond the classroom,
- Goal No. 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) – encouraging architecture students to embrace cultural heritage in their design concepts and ideas allows them to embrace creative, innovative, and sustainable infrastructure that is modern while still being rooted in local identity, preserving tradition and history while addressing contemporary needs, and
- Goal No. 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) – collaborative programs with private institutions provides the students with the opportunity to form platforms primed for idea exchange and mentorship from global industry leaders, strengthening connections that facilitate skill development, professional growth, and the pursuit of sustainable community development.
AYDA bridges the gap between the academic world and professional practice while providing unique opportunities for students to create networks with their peers and notable industry leaders. Beyond financial gains, student finalists have the possibility to work with distinguished mentors and shape their perspectives into becoming well-informed and socially conscious designers ready to meet future challenges towards a sustainable future.
The University of Baguio encourages students to join in these competitions to showcase their talents, expand their learning experiences, and complement their formal academic training. Often, these activities provide opportunities for real-world experience, skill development, and networking opportunities, which are often challenging within a traditional classroom setting
