sharon davis design organizes women's opportunity center like a village in rwanda

sharon davis design organizes women’s opportunity center like a village in rwanda
images courtesy of sharon davis design
photography by elizabeth felicella

using architecture to empower a community of women in rwanda, sharon davis design has collaborated with women for women international to establish the opportunity center in kayonza. based on a two-hectare site, the scheme has been realized as a cluster of pavilion-like buildings. the arrangement is reminiscent of a vernacular rwandan village and at the same time, evokes a sense of togetherness and security. the construction of the scheme involved the clay bricks being made by the center’s future users where local building techniques were utilized.

the arrangement of the buildings is reminiscent of a vernacular rwandan village

the center will be both a permanent residence and a gathering place for women survivors of war as they learn new skills including crafts and brick making. simultaneously rebuilding the social infrastructure and restore cultural heritage. fabricated with a combination of found and new materials, the spaces are cooled by a curved green roof and hosts classrooms, animal pens- arranged around an inviting and accessible plaza, a marketplace showcases the center’s economic potential where the women sell food, textiles, baskets, and other products produced on site, as well as potable water harvested from the center’s rooftops.

read our previous article on the women’s opportunity center here.

the small community will consist of classrooms, open spaces, a farmer’s market, and guest lodging

 ingredients harvested from the nearby farm land is turned into communal meals

designed with women for women international—an organization that helps women survivors of war rebuild their lives

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set around a plaza, the structure is easily reached by public transit