PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (Sept. 17, 2025) – Prairie View A&M University’s School of Architecture student team has once again brought home the AIA Sandcastle Design College Challenge Award at the annual Galveston Sandcastle Festival.
The PVAMU team competed against student groups from Rice University, the University of Houston, and the University of Texas at Austin. Their entry — a sand replica of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial — earned them the top recognition in the collegiate category.
Dr. Ikhlas Sabouni, dean of the School of Architecture, praised the students’ dedication and preparation. “Stephen Song, Director of the Fabrication Center, and Abel Simie, Fabrication Manager, prepared the student team well, which resulted in another win for PVAMU SOA students,” Sabouni said.
The festival, which draws thousands of spectators to Galveston’s East Beach each year, featured 27 teams in total, most from professional architecture firms, competing for the coveted Gold Bucket Award. According to the Houston Chronicle, contestants had just five hours to transform 15 cubic yards of sand into intricate works of art, with entries ranging from pop culture themes like Harry Potter and Minecraft to architectural icons such as the Great Pyramids.
PVAMU senior Cole Patin told the Houston Chronicle that the experience, while challenging, was rewarding: “It’s a lot, but it’s fun.”
This latest win adds to the School of Architecture’s history of success at the event, where PVAMU students have repeatedly proven their talent and creativity against peers across Texas.
Read more about the Galveston Sandcastle Festival in the Houston Chronicle (subscription may be required).
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