Nippon Paint announces NPYDA 2015 winners

MANILA, Philippines – Nippon Paint (Coatings) Philippines has announced the local winners who will represent the Philippines in this year’s Nippon Paint Young Designer Award (NYPDA) 2015, a regional competition across 12 Asia Pacific countries organized by Asia’s no.1 coatings manufacturer Nippon Paint. 

Jose Augustine Ricarte, an architecture student from the University of Santo Tomas (UST) who submitted the entry “Marikina Link,” and Martha Joyce Tomas, an interior design student also from the UST with her entry “Biojet,” bagged the gold award for the Architecture and Interior Design categories, respectively. 

The two students used this year’s theme “Design with Heart,” as their guiding principle. The theme  challenged the participants like never before to further push the boundaries for future living by creating spaces that can connect people from all walks of life—including the physically challenged community, the elderly, the young, and nursing mothers—as well as enhance experience and transform lives.

“With the official launch of the NPYDA in the Philippines last year, we have noticed how Filipino designers have this genuine passion in creating spaces which are people-oriented and environment-friendly,” said Michael Chung, general manager of Nippon Paint (Coatings) Philippines.  “We are confident that this year’s winners can maximize their innate talent to step up and compete with other countries.”

Each of the Gold awardees won P50,000 cash prize, a six-month internship at Lor Calma & Partners (for Interior Design)/ Casas Architects (for Architecture), plus an  all-expense paid overseas trip for a once-in-a lifetime learning program, an exclusive workshop crafted especially for winners featuring internationally renowned speakers in the fields of architecture and interior design.

The winner’s professor/adviser also received P10,000 cash prize, while his or her academic institution also received P10,000 cash prize and P10,000-worth of paint voucher.

The winning entries were evaluated based on their Green and Sustainable Design Concept, Color Concept, Design Innovation, and Design Concept Statement.

Judges for the architecture category were architects Jose Ramon Carunungan Eduardo Calma, Rolando Cordero, Chona Elvas-Ponce, Consuelo “Peach” C. Buencamino, Carmelo “Meloy” Casas, Abelardo M. Tolentino Jr. and Nina Bailon Arce.

Judges for the interior design category were interior designers Michael Pizarro, Rachelle Medina, IDr. Vincent Louie Tan, Belen Morey, Jose Maria “Johnny” Hubilla, Wilfrid Nicholo Magcase, Marichie Costelo and Roland Laurena.

Among the other awardees were Marko Alab Adviento, UST, Silver Award-Architecture; Courtney Gatus, University of the Philippines (UP), Silver Award-Interior Design; Ruben Felizarte, Far Eastern University, Best Colour Choice Award, Architecture; Courtney Gatus, UP, Best Colour Choice Award, Interior Design; Kae Ann Aguila, UST, Best Green Innovation Award, Architecture; and Martha Joyce Thomas, UST, Best Green Innovation Award, Interior Design.

For information, visit www.youngdesigneraward.ph.