In a landmark moment for African architecture, Glory Kamthumzi from the University of the Free State (UFS) has secured the prestigious RIBA Silver Medal. This marks the first time a South African university has won one of the top honors at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) President’s Medals, the world’s most prestigious student architecture awards.
The 2025 awards saw a record-breaking number of entries—378 from around the globe—with RIBA President Chris Williamson praising the “exceptional calibre and diversity” of this year’s emerging talent.
The Big Winner: Glory Kamthumzi (RIBA Silver Medal)
Project: Dialogues in Sticks and Stones: Spatial testimonies of the East African slave trade in Nkhotakota, Malawi
Kamthumzi’s project is a profound exploration of heritage and healing. Located on the Nkhotakota lakeshore in Malawi, the design serves as a memorial landscape where the traumatic history of the Swahili Arab slave trade intersects with the missions of David Livingstone and local African traditions.
The Vision: The project merges a slave route memorial center with a functional beachside fishing village, creating a space that bridges the gap between painful history and contemporary communal life.
Other Top Honors of 2025
The 2025 awards highlighted a strong focus on sustainability, biodiversity, and the reimagining of extractive landscapes.
| Award | Winner | Institution | Project Theme |
| RIBA Bronze Medal | William Li | Bartlett (UCL) | Multi-species inhabitation and dam demolition in Helsinki. |
| Dissertation Medal | Finlay Aitken | Bartlett (UCL) | “Island-making” and landscape identity in the Shetland Islands. |
| Sustainable Design (Part II) | Anastasiia Kalinina | Architectural Association | Cryo-cultural infrastructure on thawing permafrost. |
| Sustainable Design (Part I) | Toby Ritson | University of Bath | Renovation and wharf infrastructure. |
Excellence in Drawing (Serjeant Awards)
Visual storytelling remains at the heart of the medals, with the Serjeant Awards honoring the most evocative draftsmanship:
- Part II: A collaborative urban vision for Bhopal, India, by a team from the University of Bath.
- Part I: Pung Pung Phonoi from The Bartlett (UCL) for the poetic “In Search of Memory’s Vessel.”
