Award ceremony in a 150 million-year-old cave
After three seasons held at iconic locations in Asia such as Marina Bay Sands (Singapore), SO/Bangkok (Thailand) and The Shilla Seoul (Korea), Vietnam was chosen as the destination of this year's season.
The event gathered hundreds of architects, designers, hotel - tourism businesses, project developers, creative experts and media partners from nearly 20 countries and territories.
With the theme "Influential Asia", the 2026 season honors individuals, projects and brands that contribute to shaping the new face of the region through creativity, innovation, preserving cultural identity and sustainable development.
Speaking at the award ceremony, Mr. Tan Quee Peng - Chairman of the Judging Council - said that the event not only recorded outstanding achievements in the fields of architecture, design and hotel - tourism, but also reflected the trends that are leading the development of Asia.
He said that in recent months, the Jury has accessed hundreds of dossiers from many countries in the region. Each project brings a unique perspective on how architecture, design and hotel services can improve quality of life, preserve cultural identity, and at the same time open up new approaches for sustainable development.
Nature took more than 150 million years to create the Dragon Pearl Cave. And here, we honor the people who are building the future with creative thinking, responsibility and aspiration to create sustainable values for the community," Mr. Tan Quee Peng emphasized.
According to the Chairman of the Judging Council, what creates the mark of the projects is not only in the professional quality or creativity but also in the pioneering spirit and ability to create long-term values for society.
Many Vietnamese projects honored
In the field of architecture, many projects are highly appreciated for their solutions to adapt to climate change, regenerate space and connect communities. Typical is Coastal Quang Ngai - A Community by HAUS with a orientation towards climate-adapted urban development.
In addition, Picture Book Dream Maru (Korea) transforms old water reservoirs into community cultural spaces; Amami House (Japan) pursues a model of symbiotic housing with nature; Da Lat House combines resort, health care with forest landscape preservation.
Many Vietnamese projects were also honored, from housing projects such as WMS House, Banh Mat House to Sola Peninsula, One Central Saigon and projects in the field of furniture production and processing such as LandProduction of Landco Corporation. According to the Organizing Committee, more than 20 Vietnamese projects were named at this year's season.
Mr. Tan Quee Peng assessed that Vietnamese projects show clear maturity in architectural and design thinking, not only in professional quality but also in the ability to create long-term values for the community, contributing to shaping the future of cities.
In the fields of tourism, travel and experiential services, eco-tourism models, boutique hotels and new generation tourism products are highly appreciated for promoting local identity, tourist experiences and sustainable development.
Some outstanding projects honored include Ulaman Eco Luxury Resort (Bali, Indonesia), Sataa Resort Nan (Thailand) and Athena Premium Cruise with a model combining modern design, health care, technology application and activities towards sustainable development.
The highlight of this year's awards ceremony is the space organized inside Ngoc Rong cave - a geological wonder formed about 150 million years ago with a limestone system and large-scale cave structure.
During the awards night, the heritage space was combined with 3D Mapping projection technology, contemporary music and art performances, creating a special stage in the heart of the cave.
Closing the 2026 season, AAO announced the theme of the next season as "Visionary Asia". From 2027, the two award systems will apply a year-round evaluation and result announcement model instead of just announcing once at the end of the season.
The 2027 annual awards ceremony is scheduled to take place in Bangkok (Thailand).
