27/07/2026
＜The 14th Asian Contest of Architectural Rookie's Award＞
The 14th ACARA was held last weekend at Hongik University in Seoul, South Korea. Starting with a workshop on July 17 and continuing into the 18th, five ad-hoc teams presented their unique ideas alongside their tutors under the theme "Domestic Mutation."
Back when I was a student, the Hongdae area was a quiet residential neighborhood. Today, its transformation is so drastic it would have been impossible to predict. Such dynamic changes are happening everywhere in the modern world, making it a crucial challenge to evaluate these phenomena and apply those lessons to future urban development.
On the final day, July 19, a open jury session was held where 16 shortlisted students from 8 countries presented their architectural projects. Once again, we witnessed the rich diversity of Asian architectural culture. The first round of voting determined the Top 10, and the second round narrowed it down to the Top 3—two students from Taiwan and one from India.
With six jurors split 3:3, the final decision came down to my vote. However, instead of choosing between the two, I voted for another Taiwanese student who had received no votes, making the final tally 3:3:1 and resulting in a tie. I then declared co-winners for the top prize, bringing the event to a close. While the caliber of both architectural works was outstanding, I remained focused throughout on supporting the project that best resonated with this year’s topic.
With that, the 14th ACARA came to a successful close. The 15th ACARA is scheduled to take place in six months.
Dr.LEE, YOUNGIL
Professor architect
President of AUA Association
