Master of Architecture student LEUNG Yat Tai has achieved international acclaim by winning the prestigious Highest Social Relevance Award at the ARCASIA Thesis of the Year (TOY) Award 2026. Yat Tai received the accolade in person on September 11, 2026, during the official award presentation ceremony held at the 23rd ARCASIA Forum in Jaipur, India.

Organized by the ARCASIA via its Committee on Architectural Education, the TOY Award is a highly competitive international platform for graduating architecture students across 24 Asian member countries and regions. The global initiative aims to elevate architectural education by showcasing projects that are innovative, sustainable, and socially impactful.

Yat Tai’s winning design thesis, titled ‘A Neuro-architectural Study of Therapeutic Spaces for Patients with Depression in Hong Kong’, addresses a critical healthcare and societal challenge. By blending neuroscience concepts with architectural design in nature, the research and design envisions innovative, therapeutic spatial interventions specifically tailored to support mental health recovery in high-density and high-stress urban environments like Hong Kong. The one-year Thesis was supervised by Thesis Supervisor Mr Charles KWAN and the submission entry was guided by Dean Prof Paul CHU.

His path to the international stage began locally. His thesis was selected by the ARCASIA Committee of The Hong Kong Institute of Architects (HKIA), who nominated it top regional entries to represent Hong Kong in the international judging rounds against Asia's finest young architectural talents. By securing the Highest Social Relevance Award, Yat Tai has spotlighted the role of empathetic, health-centric architecture in modern society, bringing immense pride to the College and the Hong Kong architectural community. Big congratulations again, Yat Tai!

Architecture student LEUNG Yat Tai receiving the Highest Social Relevance Award at the Ceremony. (From the left: Ar. Preethi Agarwal (TOY Convenor), Ar. Saifuddin Ahmad (ARCASIA Immediate Past President), student Mr. LEUNG Yat Tai, and Mr. Kartik Kajaria (Sponsor Representative Gresbond by Kajaria)