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The Alumni and Friends Fund Grant, made possible through contributions from our supporter community, funds initiatives that enhance learning, broaden horizons and strengthen the student experience at the University of Liverpool. This year, the grant enabled final-year architecture students to take part in a landmark field trip to Ghana, the first undergraduate visit to West Africa organised by the School of Architecture.
Led by Professor Iain Jackson, the students spent eight days travelling across the country, visiting Accra, Kumasi, Cape Coast and the historic Aburi Botanical Gardens. The trip formed part of a new Tropical Architecture design studio, which challenges students to create buildings suited for tropical climates, focusing on natural ventilation and shading for climatic comfort.
During the visit, students explored Accra’s diverse architecture — from modern homes built with adobe mud blocks and local timbers, to galleries constructed from rammed earth, to landmark examples of tropical modernism designed by Liverpool graduates in the 1950s and 60s. They also spent time at the University of Ghana, visited traditional vernacular buildings in Kumasi, and engaged with Ghana’s rich and complex heritage at Cape Coast Castle and other historic sites.
Back in Liverpool, the students are continuing their work by designing a botanical garden laboratory for a coastal site in Accra, applying lessons learned from their fieldwork to tackle real-world design challenges.
Funding from the Alumni and Friends Fund Grant helped to subsidise in-country travel and living expenses, making the trip more affordable and accessible for students who were otherwise self-funding their place. The opportunity not only enriched their academic studies but also broadened their global perspectives, equipping them with insights into climate-responsive architecture that will shape their future careers.
About the Student Fund
The Student Fund exists to ensure that every student has the chance to succeed, regardless of background or circumstance. From emergency assistance during times of hardship to bursaries that remove financial barriers, donations provide vital support throughout the student journey.
A share of these funds also contributes to the Alumni and Friends Fund Grant, which makes it possible for unique projects and opportunities that enrich university life to get funding and support — just like this transformative field trip to Ghana.