06 October 2026
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Story Siqhamo Hlubi Jama
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Photo Jackie King
Kamthunzi's RIBA President's Silver Medal-winning project is on display at the RIBA President's Medals 2025 Touring Exhibition in Cape Town, offering visitors an opportunity to engage with one of the world's most celebrated student architectural projects.
For most architecture students, winning an international award is the culmination of years of research, design, and creative work. For visitors to the Cape Institute for Architecture Gallery in Cape Town, it is now also an opportunity to experience that work firsthand.
An award-winning vision on display
In December 2025, Kamthunzi made history as the first South African recipient of the RIBA President's Silver Medal, regarded as one of the world's most prestigious award for student architecture. The achievement also marked the first time a South African school of architecture had received a RIBA President's Medal.
A project rooted in memory, heritage and healing
The project envisages a rural memorial on the shores of Lake Malawi, where the histories of the Swahili Arab slave trade, David Livingstone's missionary journeys, and local African chiefdoms converge. By combining a slave route memorial centre with a beachside fishing village, the proposal creates a powerful commemorative landscape dedicated to remembrance, heritage, reflection, and healing.
For visitors attending the Cape Town exhibition, the display offers a rare opportunity to engage with the drawings, concepts, and design thinking behind one of the most celebrated student architectural projects in the world. The exhibition not only highlights excellence in design but also demonstrates how architecture can give voice to important historical narratives and contribute to social healing.
A proud moment for UFS
According to
Prof Jonathan Noble of the
UFS Department of Architecture, the exhibition is highly significant for both the department and the university. "It is a great moment for architecture at the UFS, because Glory Kamthunzi's design took first prize and is displayed among the winning, commended and nominated projects selected from around the world."
Prof Noble attended the exhibition opening in Cape Town with Kamthunzi and believes the exhibition provides an important platform to celebrate both Kamthunzi’s achievement and the growing international reputation of architectural education at the University of the Free State. According to Prof Noble, the touring exhibition brings internationally recognised student work to South African audiences and demonstrates the quality of architectural scholarship emerging from the continent.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies, Professor Vasu Reddy, said: “We are especially proud that a University of the Free State graduate has elevated African architectural scholarship onto one of the world's most respected stages. Great architecture does more than shape spaces; it shapes how societies remember, heal, and imagine their futures.
Glory Kamthunzi's achievement reminds us that design is also a profound act of care and historical reflection. Her work demonstrates the power of universities to nurture graduates who can connect heritage, justice, and innovation in transformative ways.”
The RIBA President's Medals have been awarded since 1836 and are recognised internationally as being amongst the highest honours in architectural education. In 2025, the competition attracted its largest number of entries to date, further underscoring the significance of Kamthunzi's achievement.
As the exhibition continues throughout October, architects, students, academics, and members of the public have the opportunity to view the project that made South African architectural history and placed the University of the Free State at the forefront of global architectural education.