On 20 July 2026, Gisela Athaya Aglin and Viory Hizkia Hutauruk, students of the Architecture Study Program, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Sumatera Utara (FT USU), won First Place in the International ArchContest Competition.

The team members in the competition consisted of Viory Hizkia Hutauruk and Gisela Athaya Aglin, students of the Architecture Study Program at FT USU, along with Yahya Ayyash from Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS). They designed a work entitled "Mending Through Absence." Through this work, the team presented a spatial concept that explores the meanings of loss, memory, and emotional healing through a reflective architectural approach.

Their work took first place, while second and third places were awarded to participants from China and the United States. This achievement is a verified result that placed FT USU students at the highest rank in the competition.

The achievement demonstrates the capacity of FT USU students to develop and communicate design ideas in a competitive forum. It also has the potential to strengthen FT USU's academic reputation and provide a reference for students to continue developing their creativity and design quality.

From a sustainable development perspective, this achievement most closely supports SDG 4—Quality Education through the development of graduate competencies. The elements of creativity and design idea development are also related to SDG 9—Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure.

FT USU is committed to strengthening architectural education that promotes academic excellence, creativity, and graduate readiness to contribute to professional forums at the national and international levels.