The Faculty of the Built Environment (FoBE) is celebrating outstanding recognition for its students at the 2026 Commonwealth Association of Architects (CAA) Student Awards, a result that speaks to the quality, creativity, and excellence of their work. The award-winning submissions were developed as part of semester course units completed during the recently concluded academic year, underlining the strong connection between the Faculty’s academic programme and professional recognition on the international stage.
The CAA Student Awards form part of the Commonwealth Association of Architects’ biennial Awards Programme, which invites students from across the Commonwealth to submit work engaging with contemporary global challenges such as climate change, rapid urbanisation, biodiversity loss, and social inequality. Entries are judged by panels representing the Commonwealth’s five regions — Caribbean & Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific — with winning and commended work featured in an online exhibition hosted by the CAA for global viewing.
Pearl Nanjovu — CAA Student Award Africa Regional Winner
Pearl Nanjovu, a Year 3 student in the Faculty of the Built Environment, was named the CAA Student Award Africa Regional Winner for her project “Interlude with Place,” a wellness centre proposed for Bwebajja in Wakiso District.
The project responds to the pressures of rising urbanisation in the area stress, sensory overload, and limited opportunities for rest by designing a restorative environment where visitors can pause and reflect, directly addressing SDG 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing). Working from the site’s existing forest cover and steep slope, the design unfolds as a journey through spaces zoned by sensory intensity, linked by three courtyards the Chaniwa herb garden, the Tsukiyama garden, and the Tsuboniwa meditation courtyard and drawing on Japanese wellness traditions such as the tea ceremony, onsen soaking tubs, and zazen meditation.
The design further incorporates passive strategies such as natural ventilation, passive cooling, daylight optimisation, and locally sourced materials including timber, treated bamboo, and rubble stone, reducing both energy demand and construction costs while addressing SDG 10, SDG 11, SDG 13, and SDG 15. Inclusive circulation routes were also considered to ensure the space is accessible to users of varying mobility.
Recognised with Commendations
Joshua Mooli, David Ntensibe, and Yasin Tushabe were each recognised with Commendations at this year’s CAA Student Awards, a distinction the jury reserves for outstanding entries beyond the category winners.
The Faculty of the Built Environment is incredibly proud of these achievements and congratulates all four students for representing the Faculty with distinction. Their success is a testament to their dedication, talent, and commitment to excellence in the built environment, as well as to the quality of teaching and learning within the Faculty.
