To enhance students’ understanding of architectural competitions, the Undergraduate Architecture Program, Department of Architecture and Planning (DTAP), Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Gadjah Mada, organized a guest lecture titled “Competition – Testing Creativity, Building a Portfolio” on Friday, February 21, 2025, from 08:00 to 11:00 AM WIB in Room K1 DTAP. The program invited two guest speakers with professional backgrounds: Ar. Gilang Dwi Alridho, principal architect at Inklusi Design/PT Intuisi Kolaborasi Solusi, Yogyakarta (a graduate of the UGM Undergraduate Architecture and PPAr programs), and Arif Rachman Hidayat, S.T., principal architect at Suatudio, Bandung.
The event began with an opening speech by Harry Kurniawan, S.T., M.Sc., Ph.D., Head of the Undergraduate Architecture Program, followed by the moderator, Adam Joe (a 2020 undergraduate student), who introduced the speakers. Ar. Gilang Dwi Alridho then shared his journey to becoming an architect, starting from his university years, during which he actively participated in various competitions to build his portfolio. Graduating during the COVID-19 pandemic posed challenges in finding a firm to work at, leading him and his peers to establish Inklusi Design, which now operates in Yogyakarta and surrounding areas.
The session continued with Arif Rachman Hidayat, S.T., who shared his experience of founding Suatudio, an architecture firm based in Bandung, with his college friends from the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB). Their active participation in national competitions and multiple championship titles opened doors to prestigious government projects, making Suatudio increasingly recognized by the public.
After the presentations, students enthusiastically took turns asking for tips and tricks on winning architectural competitions. This lively discussion provided an inspiring conclusion to the event, demonstrating the students’ eagerness to grow and achieve excellence. With the knowledge and motivation gained, they are expected to become more confident in honing their creativity, building portfolios, and boldly following in the footsteps of the speakers as competitive young architects.
Through the speakers’ stories of struggle and success, students were reminded that every challenge is a stepping stone toward greater achievements. This edition of Archilecture played a crucial role in igniting the spirit of young aspiring architects, encouraging them to keep innovating and moving forward in the ever-evolving world of architecture, aligning with SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.
