ASEAN Architect Council Accelerates Mobility and Launches Pilot Competition Initiative at 43rd Meeting

Pasay City, Philippines — 27 September 2022

The ASEAN Architect Council (AAC) reaffirmed its commitment to advancing professional mobility, education collaboration, and regional integration during its 43rd Meeting held in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines, on 27 September 2022. The hybrid meeting was held back-to-back with the 102nd Meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Services (CCS), bringing together delegates from across ASEAN to review key developments and future initiatives.

Strengthening Regional Coordination Through Digital Updates

The AAC Secretariat reported progress on updating the ASEAN Architect (AA) database, incorporating new and revised lists from multiple Member States. AMS that had not yet provided updated contact information were encouraged to do so to facilitate improved communication and mobility of registered architects.

Active ASEAN Architect Numbers Remain Steady at 619

The Council approved 11 new ASEAN Architect (AA) registrations, including applicants from Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Viet Nam. At the same time, 10 deregistrations from Singapore and one from Indonesia were noted. As a result, the total number of active AAs across ASEAN stands at 619.

Delegates reaffirmed the decision from the previous meeting to focus exclusively on reporting active AAs for internal and public dissemination. Each Member State will continue to provide updated active lists prior to future meetings to ensure transparency and consistency.

Advancing Architect Mobility and Mutual Recognition

The Meeting reviewed the status of Registered Foreign Architect (RFA) procedures, noting no new submissions since the 38th AAC Meeting. Indonesia reported progress on finalising its RFA framework, expected to be completed the following year. Malaysia proposed developing guidelines based on the experiences of the Philippines’ RFA registration in Singapore, which could serve as a model for further cross-border collaboration.

The Council also agreed to implement the previously decided reduction in years of experience required to become an ASEAN Architect within the AAC process, without amending the Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA).

Educational Collaboration and Roadmap Progress

The AAC Roadmap and Implementation Plan were updated to include Brunei Darussalam’s identified site for the Architecture Pilot Project Competition. The 30th ASEAN Architect Education Committee (AAEC) meeting highlighted the role of Boards of Architects in shaping curricula, shared outcomes of Viet Nam’s 2022 student festival, and announced plans for the next festival in 2024 in Hue City, Viet Nam.

The Exchange Programme Committee restarted its work with the appointment of Ar. Grace Ramos as Chair. Singapore presented its architectural accreditation process and shared manuals with Member States.

Brunei Leads ASEAN Architecture Pilot Competition Initiative

Brunei Darussalam presented a proposal for a Pilot Project Architecture Competition in Kampong Batang Duri, Temburong. The initiative aims to address key themes including sustainability and environmental design. A dedicated pilot project committee was formed, comprising representatives from Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam, to refine competition guidelines and oversee implementation.

Brunei Darussalam was tasked with providing further site details, environmental impact statements, and expected project outcomes to support the development of a comprehensive competition brief.