Appointed as the host, PT Daikin Airconditioning Indonesia (DAIKIN) officially announced the beginning of DAIKIN Designer Awards 2026. Open its registration on May 1, 2026, marking the sixth year, DAIKIN is bringing this annual competition for architecture and interior design practitioners to the ASEAN level.

"Continuing to develop this competition in every implementation, bringing it to the ASEAN level, reflects DAIKIN's strong commitment to its overarching goal: to foster inspiration for ideal residential and commercial buildings that prioritize aesthetics and the creation of air conditioning," said Ching Khim Huat, Associate Officer, Daikin Industries, Ltd. Deputy Regional General Manager, Air Conditioning Business in ASEAN and Oceania, Global Operations Division, in his remarks at the opening of the competition in Jakarta, Indonesia (April 30).

As an annual competition, the inaugural DAIKIN Designer Awards was held in 2020. This initiative arose from the need of a space for architects and interior designers to share their visions of ideal living spaces that balance overall aesthetics with comfort and well-being through the creation of ideal air conditioning.

This harmony between aesthetic design and comfortable air conditioning aligns with the spirit of the DAIKIN Home Central AC. In terms of comfort, for example, this DAIKIN central AC solution for residential and commercial buildings boasts a variety of features tailored to specific needs, complementing the cool air it produces. These include multi-layered filtration to eliminate harmful airborne particles and the ability to regulate humidity levels.

All these advantages are beautifully encapsulated in the diverse designs of the DAIKIN Home Central AC indoor units, allowing them to blend seamlessly with any building's interior design. As DAIKIN's premium line of ACs, this superior design is complemented by the practicality of placement and maintenance, thanks to its unique ability to operate multiple indoor units from just one outdoor unit.

"DAIKIN's readiness as a trusted provider of air conditioning solutions, along with architects and interior designers as driving forces in the industry, is what we hope will foster collaboration in realizing the vision of ideal living spaces," said Shinji Miyata. "Not only in Indonesia, but also throughout the ASEAN region. Expanding and developing inspiration through the various works that emerge within the DAIKIN Designer Awards," he added.

Speaking of this major collaboration, according to Shinji Miyata, it is reflected in DAIKIN's own internal collaboration. Four DAIKIN affiliates, including DAIKIN Indonesia, DAIKIN Malaysia, DAIKIN Singapore, and DAIKIN Philippines, are co-organizing the DAIKIN Designer Award 2026.

In line with this statement, the DAIKIN Designer Award 2026 is designed to be open to participants from all countries within the ASEAN region. This further foster fresh design approaches to the ideal living space. The competition is open to students, as well as professionals.

Each category offers participants the opportunity to compete based on building applications, including residential buildings and commercial F&B buildings. This includes not only built works but also conceptual architectural and interior design designs. Specifically, the built works category for residential buildings, considering the development of vertical housing, includes a subcategory for apartment or condominium buildings.

Furthermore, DAIKIN's commitment to bringing this competition to the ASEAN level is evident in its collaboration with various major architecture and interior design associations. In Indonesia, for example, DAIKIN collaborated with the Indonesian Architects Association and the Indonesian Interior Designers Association. In Malaysia and Singapore, the collaboration was with the Malaysian Institute of Interior Designers (MIID) and the Society of Interior Designers Singapore (SIDS). The Philippine Institute of Interior Designers, an association of Filipino interior designers, also collaborated in organizing this competition.

This collaboration with associations was evident in the jury, which included prominent figures in the fields of architecture and interior design. In Indonesia, prominent architects Tan Tik Lam and Cosmas Gozali served as judges, along with Alex Bayusaputro, widely recognized for his work as a professional interior designer, and Wenky Handono, representing DAIKIN. In Malaysia and Singapore, IDr Tay Ei Ling from MIID and ID1. Henry Yew from SIDS were two prominent figures in the interior design field. In the Philippines, IDr Cecil Ravelas represented PIID.

To facilitate registration for participants and provide more detailed information regarding the event, DAIKIN has opened a dedicated web page at https://daikindesignerawards.daikin.co.id/ Registration will be open from May 1 to August 31, 2026. DAIKIN has prepared various awards for the winners in each category, including cash prizes totaling 540 million rupiah.