UAP’s design award returns

The Design Excellence Award (DEA), a prestigious national award for architectural masterpieces in the Philippines, was relaunched last October by the United Architects of the Philippines (UAP).

The best-of-the-best of architecture is called for from the outstanding Filipino architects of our time, from different generations, in a chance to define excellence in the built landscape of the country.

Similar to the likes of SIA’s Architectural Design Awards in Singapore and the AIA Gold Medal in the US, DEA is UAP’s way of giving honor to built structures exhibiting exceptional design caliber.

The call for entries is open to all Filipino architects whose submitted projects shall have an opportunity to be awarded under one of four categories, namely: Residential, Commercial & Industrial, Institutional, and Complextype Architecture, or as the People’s Choice based on public voting during the online publication of all shortlisted entries.

The comeback of DEA from its initial conception in 1995, is a renewed challenge to all architects today to show the world how architecture uplifts quality of life, economic opportunity, environmental preservation, sustainability, and cultural identity.

In this sense, submissions encompassing a broad translation of design excellence and demonstrating exemplary skills and creativity, are anticipated.

Built design entries from all over the country shall undergo random investigation by the UAP-DEA Committee to ascertain qualification and consistency with the submitted documentation. UAP accords the whole judging process to a jury composed of no less than three Likha awardees, one guest foreign architect for the year, and one nonarchitect representative from the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) or the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

In this revival, DEA enjoins all Filipino architects to submit entries that showcase the full potential of architecture in the service of public good as placed in the varied communities that make up the Philippine archipelago and beyond.