PULAU PINANG – On 7 March 2026, a student from the Product Design Programme, School of the Arts, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Prathiin Saravanamuthu, brought recognition to the university after receiving the Special Mention Award at the MIFF Furniture Design Competition 2026 (FDC), organised in conjunction with the Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF) in Kuala Lumpur.

The prestigious competition attracted 138 submissions from 21 design institutes and 16 private institutions, demonstrating a strong level of competition among emerging designers. Through the first stage of evaluation, Prathiin successfully advanced into the Top 20 finalists.

During the second round of judging, the Top 20 finalists were required to present their design concepts before an international panel of judges consisting of industry experts from across Asia, led by Chief Judge Dr. Eric Leong. The presentation session took place at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL) on 9 January 2025, where Prathiin’s design further progressed into the Top 10 finalists of the competition.

The theme for this year’s competition, “Playful. Practical. Purposeful: Furniture for Generation Alpha,” encouraged participants to design furniture that is functional, creative, and relevant to the needs of Generation Alpha, a generation of children growing up in a highly digital and technology-driven environment.

In response to the theme, Prathiin developed a modular bedroom furniture concept known as “StackaBlock,” a furniture mock-up designed to support children’s learning, play, and development within a flexible and interactive environment.

During the final stage held at MIFF 2026, the Top 10 finalists were evaluated through a combination of jury assessment and public voting, where public votes contributed 20 percent of the overall score during the first two days of the exhibition. In the public voting session, Prathiin achieved the highest number of votes among the finalists, reflecting strong public appreciation for the design.

Based on the overall evaluation by the judging panel together with the public voting results, Prathiin Saravanamuthu was awarded the Special Mention Award, with the award ceremony taking place at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC), Kuala Lumpur on 6 March 2026.

The Malaysian International Furniture Fair is recognised as Southeast Asia’s largest furniture trade exhibition, bringing together manufacturers, designers, buyers, and industry players from around the world. Held annually in Kuala Lumpur, the event serves as a major platform for showcasing innovation and the latest developments in the global furniture industry.

Alongside the exhibition, the MIFF Furniture Design Competition 2026 aims to discover and nurture young design talents, providing students and emerging designers with opportunities to present innovative furniture concepts to an international audience and industry professionals.

This achievement reflects the creative excellence and innovative capability of students from Universiti Sains Malaysia, particularly from the School of the Arts, in producing design solutions that are competitive at the international level.