The Department of Architecture at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi has earned major recognition at the Ghana Institute of Architects (GIA) Annual General Meeting held in Cape Coast from November 13–15, 2025, following a presentation on its landmark digital heritage project.
The presentation, titled “Preserving for Posterity: KNUST Digital Heritage Mapping,” was delivered by Prof. Alexander Boakye Marful and showcased work completed in 2025 by third-year Architecture students under his supervision.
The project documents, maps, and digitally preserves KNUST’s historic buildings and monuments, creating an interactive tool that tracks the university’s architectural evolution.
The session drew a strong and positive reaction from architects, dignitaries, scholars, and industry professionals in attendance.
The Central Regional Minister praised the initiative and pledged full support for its next phase, noting that extending digital heritage mapping to Cape Coast and Elmina would boost cultural preservation and tourism growth in a region home to some of Ghana’s most prominent historical landmarks.
Prof. Marful outlined future directions for the project, including the integration of tourism experiences, sustainable conservation models, and expanded research and learning platforms.
He said these additions aim to make digital heritage tools central to public engagement, architectural scholarship, and long-term conservation planning.
The Head of Department, Prof. Daniel Yaw Duah, welcomed the momentum behind the project and highlighted the longstanding gap it is helping to address.
He said that before the development of the Digital Heritage Map, many documentation and preservation challenges remained unresolved.
He added that the department now has a comprehensive suite of heritage tools, including a Heritage Book, Heritage Brochure, Physical Model, and an Interactive Digital Heritage Map, marking what he described as “a significant leap forward in how the university records, preserves, and celebrates its architectural legacy.”
The Department of Architecture described the achievement as a testament to the creativity and diligence of its faculty and students and said the success has positioned KNUST as a frontrunner in digital heritage innovation in Ghana and across Africa.
The Department was represented at the AGM by Prof. Samuel Owusu Afram, Prof. Samuel Amos-Abanyie, Arc. Nana Agyemang Cobbinah and a cross-section of students, who also exhibited selected design schemes.
