Award instituted at KNUST in honour of the a late Architect

Kumasi, Feb 7, GNA - An award scheme in memory of the late David Wilberforce Kwami Dawson, one of the pioneer architects in Ghana has been instituted at the Department of Architecture of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). Under the scheme, the overall best student in the undergraduate and masters' level would receive GH¢100 and GH¢200 respectively as their prizes.

A scholarship scheme would also be instituted under the scheme to support deserving architectural students of KNUST. Mrs Mercy Afi Dordunoo, the daughter of the late Dawson, announced this at the launch of the scheme at KNUST in Kumasi on Friday. She said the scheme which would take off this year, would be an annual affair, and that a fund would be created and manned by a three member board of trustees. "The Dawson family would also like to make some scholarships available for the benefit of students towards masters' research programme in the near future because our father's greatest passion was rural housing development and cottage industries and the award would reflect that", she hinted.

She mentioned a number of architectural designs credited to the late Dawson, among them are, the design of the Baiden Powel Memorial Hall, Accra Scouts Complex, and a few of the Captan Cinema Halls as well as the city furniture building, all in Accra. Mrs. Dordunoo said, he also designed the Photo-Finish Tower at the Accra Turf Club Race Course at Osu, the residence of the late Sylvanus Olympio, former President of Togo and also instrumental in the sitting of the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Accra. Professor Samuel Opare Larbi, who represented the president of the Ghana Institute of Architects (GIA), called on Ghanaian Architects to have a quest for African identity when ever they are drawing (designing).

He was not happy about the rate at which Ghanaians were designing glass houses at the time when the country is running out of resources. Professor Larbi, also a fellow of GIA appealed to architects to design houses which are modest, cost effective and have a longer life span as the Late Dawson did.

Professor Seth Opuni Asiama, Provost of the College of Architect announced that the college has been given a five year accreditation by the Commonwealth of Nations and that it was the first time the Department had been recognized internationally. Professor John Owusu Addo, also a pioneer architect. Who was the Chairman for the occasion, urged the students to work hard to uplift the name of the profession. He congratulated Professor Osei Kwame Agyemang on his election as the president of GIA, but was unhappy that none of the architects were honoured at the Presidential Awards in 2008. The gathering was attended by some family members and the children of the late Dawson as well as students and other stakeholders. A minute silence was observed in memory of the late pioneers of the noble profession. 7 Feb. 09