IDR Michael Pizarro Appointed as AYDA Council Member 2019/20

Back row (L-R): Mr Astley Ng (Singapore); Mr Horace Pan (Hong Kong); Mr Michael Pizarro (Philippines); Ar Kazuma Yamao (Japan)Front row (L-R):  Mr Keat Ong (Singapore & China); Ar Ezumi Ismail (Malaysia); Mr Wee Siew Kim, Chief Executive Officer of NIPSEA Group; Ms Lea Avilani Aziz (Indonesia); Ms Vipavadee Patpongpibul (Thailand); Ar Siritip Harntaweewongsa (Thailand) and Ms Teri Choong, Director of Corporate Affairs of NIPSEA Group

The NIPSEA Group, known throughout Asia as Nippon Paint, has officially appointed an independent advisory panel for its maiden Asia Young Designer Awards Council 2019/20 (“AYDA Council”).  One of the newly-appointed members is Mr. Michael Pizarro, founder of Michael Pizarro Interior Design (MPID) in the Philippines.

Pizarro’s Interior Designing career spanned nearly two decades. After he finished his pre-Med course in Biology, he studied to become an Interior Designer at the Philippine School of Interior Design (PSID).  His enormous talent and creativity led him to emerge as topnotcher during the 1995 Interior Design Board Exams.

With his background, experience, talent and commitment to his craft, his career flourished when he became part of PSID’s facilitating and faculty team, the De La Salle University College of St. Benilde School of Arts and Design (DLSU-CSB) and Space-Angelo King Center for 11 years. He was also recognized as one of PSID’s top 35 alumni in 2002 and was part of the Philippine Institute of Interior Designers (PIID) board as Executive Director for Exhibits and Conventions for two consecutive terms. He also hosted a TV show and trained under the guidance of renowned Interior Designer Nardy Aquino, with projects for the Sukhothai restaurant chain and Josol showroom, to name a few.

“Working alongside the local and regional mentors, the AYDA Council aims to spark greater interest among industries to grow and cultivate the young generation of upcoming architects and interior designers. Over the years, many AYDA alumni became reputable architects and interior designers - from being attached to globally-recognized architectural firms to taking on leadership roles in self-established firms. Indeed, Asia Young Designer Awards has grown in the last 10 years. What’s different this year onwards is our strategic decision to form an AYDA Council,” shared Mr. Wee Siew Kim, Chief Executive Officer of NIPSEA Group.

In April 2018, Nippon Paint partnered with the Harvard University Graduate School of Design (GSD) to establish the “Gennosuke Obata Fellowship Fund,” which provides financial aid to GSD students from Asian countries to help attract, enroll, and support the region’s talented design scholars to lead in transforming society and the environment. The USD300,000 gift of Nippon Paint will help establish the fund, which includes an additional program for the Regional Winners of AYDA. Both winners from the Architecture and Interior Design categories will be awarded with a 6 week all-expense paid scholarship for the Design Discovery program, where they will have the privilege to learn and experience intensive studio work, lectures, workshops and field trips.

AYDA is spearheaded by Nippon Paint and has become one of Asia’s most renowned design awards that serves as a platform for architecture and interior design students to showcase their boundless creativity and innovative ideas. It presents participants with a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to further develop their skills through experiences such as networking and workshop sessions with renowned industry professionals and like-minded individuals.

To date, AYDA has received more than 7,000 entries from over 600 universities in 15 different regions in Asia. The competition theme, “FORWARD: Challenging Design Boundaries,” pushes young talents to think ahead beyond the perimeters of design and push the envelope of creativity through various means of disruptions, be it new-edge technology or a non-existent sustainability.

AYDA 2018/19 is now open for submissions until October 15, 2018. For more information on AYDA or to download the entry booklet, kindly log on to http://www.youngdesigneraward.ph/