Bangladeshi student Mahdia wins Judges’ Choice Award at Global AYDA Awards in Tokyo

Mahdia Rahman from Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) has won the Judges' Choice Award in the Interior Design category at the AYDA Awards 2024/2025 global finale.

The AYDA Awards, now in its 17th year, is part of Nippon Paint's global CSR initiative. This year's competition received over 8,000 submissions from students across 16 countries and regions, centred on the theme "CONVERGE: Glocal Design Solutions", which called for global perspectives on local challenges.

Mahdia's project, "Stories Unfold: The Tale of a Single Mother," transforms the concept of the traditional Bangladeshi tea stall into a safe, multifunctional space for single mothers - addressing social neglect and providing a harassment-free environment for work and childcare.

In the national round of the competition held earlier, Md Munsurun Nabi won in the Architecture category while Mahdia Rahman took the top position in Interior Design. Both represented Bangladesh at the international finals in Tokyo.

"We are immensely proud of Mahdia Rahman, who has proudly represented Bangladesh at this event," said Robin Miah, marketing manager at Nippon Paint Bangladesh.

The AYDA Designer of the Year titles went to Mike Huang of China for "18+1 Sewing Plan" in Architecture, and Adelia Meysa of Indonesia for "Mayangan Teh" in Interior Design. Each received a fully funded, three-week Design Discovery Program at Harvard University's Graduate School of Design, worth up to USD 10,000.

Sub-category winners, including Judges' Choice and Honourable Mention recipients, received USD 500. The AYDA Awards, previously known as the Asia Young Designer Awards, is a no-entry-fee platform that supports young design talent through mentorship and international exposure.