The DAIKIN Designer Award (DDA) 2026 is approaching its highly anticipated finale. This annual competition, organized by DAIKIN to recognize outstanding achievements in interior design and architecture, is open to participants from several ASEAN countries this year and has recently reached the Live Judging stage.
Held at the head office of PT Daikin Airconditioning Indonesia at Menara Astra, Jakarta, this session marks the final evaluation stage for shortlisted entries in each competition category following the initial selection process. During the Live Judging session, invited participants presented their projects directly or online before the panel of judges.
Reflecting the diverse nationalities of the participants, the DDA Live Judging panel also comprised distinguished representatives from five ASEAN countries: Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia. Each judge is a highly regarded professional in the fields of architecture or interior design, representing their respective countries.
During the Live Judging session, participants had the opportunity to present their projects and explain the concepts and design approaches behind their work directly to the judges. This process enabled the panel to assess each entry's creativity, overall quality, and the participants' ability to articulate their design vision before determining the best entries in each category.
This year's DDA 2026 features seven competition categories, covering architecture and interior design projects for both residential and commercial developments, particularly in the Food & Beverage (F&B) sector. The competition is open to both professionals and students, reflecting DAIKIN's commitment to supporting the development of design talent across generations.