Dr. Kim Hyun-Sun, chairman of the 2025 Asia Design Prize Jury, awarded the Judge's Choice to Apex Lin, Chair professor of Asia University in Taiwan, in recognition of his long-term contribution to Asian design.
The Asia Design Prize, established in 2016, is a collaborative initiative between Japanese and Korean design communities aimed at discovering outstanding design works across Asia. The competition is organized by the Korean design media company "DESIGNSORI" and strives to create a world-class design award. Competition categories include Industrial Design, Space/Architecture Design, Communication Design, and Social Impact. In 2025, a total of 1,879 entries were received from 22 countries, with only 304 works selected as winners. This year's jury consisted of 42 experts from different countries, with Dr. Kim Hyun-Sun, President of the Korean Federation of Design Associations, serving as the jury chair. The award ceremony was held on March 26 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul, bringing together award recipients from around the world.
In 2024, ADP presented its first "Judge's Choice" to Professor Kim Nando of Seoul National University in Korea, recognizing his dedication to advancing market consumer trend research. The 2025 ADP "Judge's Choice" was presented to Apex Lin primarily to recognize his long-term artistic and design work featuring Taiwan's island image. He has not only established a clear personal identification symbol but has also promoted Taiwan's image globally, transcending design services for clients and markets to present deeper philosophical thinking. As this year's jury chair, President Kim Hyun-Sun wrote in the award citation: "Design is not merely about form, but a creative act that can interpret trends of the times and pioneer the future... Professor Lin Pang-Soong's design philosophy goes beyond simple visual expression to become a powerful medium for sharing cultural values and leading social change, presenting works that transcend eras with outstanding creativity and design insight. These achievements have not only created aesthetic value but have also established an identity for Asian design and made important contributions to elevating the status of Asian design in the global design field."
In addition to his personal creative achievements, Apex Lin has long directed arts and design talent cultivation programs for Taiwan's Ministry of Education. Among these, the "Taiwan International Design Strategy Initiative (IDC): Encouraging Students to Participate in International Art and Design Competitions" has, from 2006 to 2024, helped Taiwanese students win over 1,920 awards in global design competitions, including more than 300 bronze or higher-level awards, demonstrating Taiwan's design strength on the global stage. Since 2014, he has consecutively organized the "Design Power from Asia" lecture and workshop series for 11 years, inviting over 70 distinguished designers from 20 countries to Taiwan to conduct international design forums and workshops. This provides Taiwanese teachers and students the opportunity to receive direct guidance from globally renowned designers, establishing a solid foundation for Taiwan's design education and building bridges for design exchange between Taiwan and the world.
Since 2008, Apex Lin has directed the "TISDC Taiwan International Student Design Competition" for Taiwan's Ministry of Education, with sponsorship from the iSee Taiwan Foundation and the Sayling Wen Cultural & Educational Foundation. Each year, the competition invites collaboration from 21 international design organizations across five continents, including WDO, Cumulus, BEDA, NY ADC, JDP, DBCS, and PADI, creating a design platform that offers fair competition and exposure opportunities for students worldwide. TISDC annually receives entries from over 60 countries and regions, representing more than 1,000 academic institutions, with approximately 20,000 submissions. It has become a collaborative platform for global design leaders to regularly visit Taiwan for in-depth design exchanges, evolving into a significant event in the Asian design community.
This prestigious "ADP Judge's Choice" represents a significant milestone in recognizing Professor Lin's lifetime of dedication to design. Beyond honoring his personal achievements, ADP acknowledges his pivotal role in elevating Taiwan's design presence on the global stage and his enduring contributions to Asian design development. Through his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment, Lin has not only shaped Taiwan's design landscape but has also inspired a new generation of designers across Asia, cementing his legacy as one of the region's most influential design leaders.Hashtag: #AsiaDesignPrize #ADP
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