ASEAN Architect Council Accelerates Pilot Project Planning at 50th Meeting

Penang, Malaysia — 12 February 2025

The ASEAN Architect Council (AAC) marked a significant milestone at its 50th Meeting, held on 12 February 2025 in Penang, Malaysia, back-to-back with the 109th CCS Meeting. Chaired by Ar. Chea Chantheborras of the Board of Architects Cambodia, the meeting brought together representatives from all ASEAN Member States (AMS), with Thailand and Viet Nam participating virtually.

Website Development and Monitoring Committee Updates

The AAC Secretariat (Indonesia) updated the meeting on the ongoing development of the AAC website. The Secretariat confirmed that the list of registered ASEAN Architects (AA) will be updated to reflect information from the 49th AAC Meeting. Singapore also presented updates to its Monitoring Committee membership.

Active ASEAN Architect Numbers Reach 633

The AAC approved three new AA registrations—two from Cambodia and one from Indonesia—while noting one deregistration from Lao PDR. This brought the total number of active AAs to 633 across ASEAN. The updated breakdown of registrations was presented, highlighting steady regional growth in professional recognition and mobility.

Refining RFA Guidelines and Aligning AA Requirements

Myanmar agreed to remove the years-of-experience requirement from its Registered Foreign Architect (RFA) Guidelines, as this is already embedded within AA registration prerequisites. Indonesia presented refinements to its RFA guidelines, while Brunei Darussalam showcased its updated RFA flowchart. The meeting also reviewed AMS policies regarding the ASEAN MRA on Architectural Services, clarifying that identifying a specific project is not required for RFA registration—only identification of an architectural practice is needed.

Lao PDR submitted a letter confirming the revision of its decree on minimum practical experience to align with the reduced AA requirements—two years post-graduation and five years post-licensure.

Progress on Architecture Pilot Project Competition

Brunei Darussalam briefed the meeting on outcomes from the Ad-Hoc Competition Committee, which convened in November 2024. Cambodia raised questions regarding national jury selection, to which Brunei clarified that each AMS is responsible for appointing national judges according to their procedures. Singapore proposed appointing coordinative judges to ensure consistency, and the Philippines suggested a three-stage event structure, with the third stage to be hosted during the ASEAN Architect Congress 2026. Discussions also covered cost-sharing arrangements and AMS contributions of USD 1,000 to support the competition, with the Ad-Hoc Competition Committee tasked to convene intersessionally to refine the timeline and detail.

Roadmap Updates and Education Committee Outcomes

The AAC updated its Roadmap and Implementation Plan with the latest registration figures. During the 37th ASEAN Architect Education Committee (AAEC) Meeting, chaired by Mr. Larry Ng Lye Hock, members reviewed academic collaboration and standardisation efforts across AMS.

Cambodia Prepares for 5th ASEAN Architect Congress and Festival

Cambodia shared plans for the 5th ASEAN Architect Congress, scheduled for 19–21 November 2025 in Phnom Penh under the theme of collaboration and mobility. The meeting also noted Cambodia’s successful Architect Gallery Festival, held from 27 November to 1 December 2024, featuring exhibitions, panel discussions, and industry showcases.