Top student architecture projects of 2025 honored at RIBA President’s Medals

The Royal Institute of British Architects has announced the winners of the 2025 RIBA President’s Medals. The awards recognize the best student architecture projects each year, and this year were chosen from 378 entries. 

“It’s fantastic to see the highest-ever number of entries for the President’s Medals, and a first win for a South African university,” RIBA President Chris Williamson said. “The work was of such exceptional calibre and diversity that the judges once again awarded additional commendations in every category. I’m hugely encouraged to see emerging architects embracing new, innovative ways of thinking and designing to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving world.”

Below, we have outlined the 2025 winners. You can compare this year’s winners to those of previous years by reviewing our ongoing coverage of the award series here.

RIBA Silver Medal: Glory Kamthumzi from the University of the Free State, South Africa, for ‘Dialogues in Sticks and Stones: Spatial testimonies of the East African slave trade in Nkhotakota, Malawi’

RIBA excerpt: “The project reimagines a rural memorial on the Nkhotakota lakeshore, Malawi, where the histories of the Swahili Arab slave trade, David Livingstone’s missions, and local African chiefdoms meet. Combining a slave route memorial centre with a beachside fishing village, the proposed design transforms into a powerful commemorative landscape that offers a sensitive space for remembrance, bridging history, heritage, and healing.”

RIBA Bronze Medal: William Li from the Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL for ‘Contemplating the “Dam”olition: A study in multi-species inhabitation’

RIBA excerpt: “The project imagines the Vanhankaupunginoski Dam in Helsinki being demolished, unlocking a bold new future where the nature flourishes and the biodiversity in the area thrives. Building on this vision, the project advocates for a shared ecosystem and argues that we must rethink our priorities to build a sustainable future.”

RIBA Dissertation Medal: Finlay Aitken from the Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL for ‘Remaking the Extractive Island: Landscape, custom and misrule in Shetland’

RIBA Excerpt: “This creative and critical thesis reimagines the shifting landscapes of the Shetland Islands using the idea of ‘island-making’, a form of self-mapping that shapes how people relate to their surroundings. Tracing different periods throughout the history of the Shetland Islands and analysing the nuances of walking the line between spatial strategies of environmental management and symbolic expressions of identity, the thesis ultimately argues for a renewed approach to extractive spaces and infrastructures.”

Serjeant Awards for Excellence in Drawing (Part II): Joel Boyd, Siena Cornish, Jamie Ferguson, Benjamin Hanger, Beth Kippin, Marco Lin, University of Bath, for ‘Mohalla Van: A post-masterplan urban vision for Bhopal’

Serjeant Awards for Excellence in Drawing (Part I): Pung Pung Phonoi, Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL for ‘In Search of Memory’s Vessel’

RIBA Award for Sustainable Design at Part II: Anastasiia Kalinina, Architectural Association, for ‘Dancing on Falling Land: Cryo-cultural infrastructures on thawing (perma)frost’

RIBA Award for Sustainable Design at Part I: Toby Ritson, University of Bath, for 'Renovation Wharf'