The winning student architecture projects of the 2021 RIBA President's Medals

The 2021 edition of the prestigious Royal Institute of British Architects President's Medals has been announced marking the award’s remarkable 185th edition.

“The RIBA President’s Medals celebrate the best work of students from 102 architectural schools around the world,” RIBA President Simon Alford said in a statement.

“I remember my partners and I eagerly anticipating the result of our Silver Medal-nominated project thirty-five years ago. I was therefore delighted to be part of this year’s judging process,” Alford continued. “The judges and I were impressed by the quality and commitment of all the entries, which explored many pertinent topics — from the climate emergency to cultural identity and the increasing impact of technology.”

This year’s entries represented the largest number in the award's history with 332 in total representing 102 different schools from 31 separate nations. 

Scroll down to see a complete list of winning projects.

RIBA Silver Medal (for the best design project produced at RIBA Part 2 or equivalent):

Tiia Partanen (University of Strathclyde) for The Cloud Cooperative.

Project exceprt: "The Cloud Cooperative looks at the rise in data collection, internet surveillance and infrastructure, and storage on the cloud, which have caused people to lose control of their data. Envisioned through the actions of future activist movement The Cloud Cooperative,T iia's project seeks to challenge the current data monopoly and explores the creation of a secure, ethical new internet."

Silver Medal Commendations

Janusz Moore (De Montfort University) for Ruincarnation.

Daniel Pope (The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL) for The Earthen Land Registry.

Finian Reece-Thomas (Kingston University) for An Art School in Enugu.

RIBA Bronze Medal winner (for the best design project produced at RIBA Part 1 or equivalent): 

Ben Foulkes (The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL) for Seeding Swanscombe Marshes.

Project excerpt: "Ben proposes the construction of an ecological courthouse at the site of a planned theme park, acting as a preventative method for its further development. Seeding Swanscombe Marshes also looks at the regeneration of salt marshes in the area and the eventual degradation of the building through its natural materials, which will have ecological benefits to the landscape."

Bronze Medal Commendations

Rachel Caul (University of Cambridge) for Reclaiming the Ruin.

Conor Lawless (London Metropolitan University) for The Workers’ Enclave.

RIBA Dissertation Medal 

Richard Adetokunbo Aina (Architectural Association) for A Culture of Craft: West Africa UNObjectified.

Gergana Negovanska (Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture) for The Last Straw: A Case for Reuse, Ratho Community Centre

Project excerpt: "Richard’s dissertation explores how and why West African objects of particular tribes were crafted within their respective contexts and infrastructures, and how these sacred objects have been removed and dissociated. The Lobi peoples were selected by Richard as the thesis case study for their inherent craft and artistry, and disenfranchised artifacts."

Dissertation Medal Commendations

Ian Davide Bugarin (London Metropolitan University) for Bodies Split in Two: Contested Monsters and Queer Space in the Philippines.

Manuela Reitsma (Polytechnic University of Turin) for The Secular House: A Manual for Preservation and Seismic Improvement of Vernacular Stone Dwellings in Bhutan.

Ben Sykes-Thompson (Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL) for ‘Overlooked Sounds’: Reinterpreting Traditional Japanese Architecture as Aural Space (High Commendation).

RIBA Awards for Sustainable Design

Part I:  Gergana Negovanska (Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture) for The Last Straw: A Case for Reuse, Ratho Community Centre

Part II: Nicholas Honey and Robert Thackeray (Newcastle University) for Reclaiming Playtime.

Serjeant Awards for Excellence in Drawing:

Part I: Desislava Cholakova (London Southbank University) for Cathedral of Trade 

Part II: Elliott Afoke (Oxford Brookes University) for The Dalston Hub: A Vertical Market at Part 2.