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sharon davis design: women's opportunity center in kayonza, rwanda
'women's opportunity center' by sharon davis design, kayonza, rwanda
image © sharon davis design
image courtesy of v2com.biz
new york-based firm sharon davis design has commenced construction this summer on 'women's opportunity center',
a rwandan school based on the idea of enabling women to be self-sufficient. the school was commissioned by
women for women international, a non-profit humanitarian organization based in washington. they believe that in order to rebuild
a country that has suffered through genocide, the best approach is education and self-empowerment at a grassroots level.
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. the project aims to rebuild social infrastructure and restore cultural heritage.
entrance to center
image © sharon davis design
more at home in their new surroundings. set around a plaza, the structure is easily reached by public transit,
integrating the education facility into the neighborhood. the small community will consist of classrooms,
open spaces, a farmer's market, and guest lodging. a civic space being the central focus will act as a venue for graduation events,
and will host an open stage where the traditional dance and music of the rwandan people can be showcased and shared.
the kitchen and canteen allows the ingredients harvested from the nearby farm land to be turned into communal meals.
it is meant to build relationships between the students and sponsors around the world, helping to expand the facility's social footprint.
communal circulation space
image © sharon davis design
allowing 20 women to occupy these spaces at once. there are no windows, offering a sense of security,
the space between the bricks allow light inside. the bricks themselves are made by women from clay found onsite.
the sustainable approach was refined at a local manufacturing co-op. about half a million hand-pressed bricks will
be needed in order to construct the classrooms and other infrastructure.
to minimize solar heat gain while promoting natural passive cooling and shade. the direction of the openings are calculated
to take advantage of rwanda's local prevailing breezes.
partner rooms
image © sharon davis design
image © sharon davis design
onsite biogas replace firewood as the main cooking fuel since deforestation is a national issue in the country.
part of the educational program teaches women to collect animal waste from the demonstration farm for fuel.
for continued sustainability, a sand and UV water filter was designed especially for the project,
providing sustainable clean water for drinking and gardening.
agricultural classroom and demonstration farm
image © sharon davis design
open air civic space
image © sharon davis design
the concept has been awarded second place among all categories of 'future projects' at the world architectural festival 2011,
and first place in the subcategory of 'future projects: education'.
marketplace
image © sharon davis design
guest lodges
image © sharon davis design
gathering space
image © sharon davis design
model of classroom structure
image © sharon davis design
image courtesy of v2com.biz
model section
image © sharon davis design
image courtesy of v2com.biz
model of classrooms
image © sharon davis design
image courtesy of v2com.biz
gathering the raw material for brick making
image © bruce engel
image courtesy of v2com.biz
communal brick making
image © bruce engel
image courtesy of v2com.biz
rwandan community shaping the bricks
image © bruce engel
image courtesy of v2com.biz
wood and flat surfaces are used to smooth the brick, into which the 'women for women international' logo is embedded
image © bruce engel
image courtesy of v2com.biz
the completed bricke
image © bruce engel
image courtesy of v2com.biz
commencement of the buildings
image © bruce engel
image courtesy of v2com.biz
view of the land where the project will be realized
image © sharon davis design
arial of site with plan outline
image © sharon davis design
image courtesy of v2com.biz
typographic site plan
image © sharon davis design
programming of site
image courtesy of v2com.biz
image © sharon davis design
site plan
image © sharon davis design
visual diagrams representing the goals of the project
image © sharon davis design
explanation of brick building process
image © sharon davis design
diagram of classroom structure
image © sharon davis design
floor plan / level 0
image © sharon davis design
section
image courtesy of v2com.biz
image © sharon davis design
heating and cooling diagram
image courtesy of v2com.biz
image © sharon davis design
'sharon davis on WFWI opportunity center' by sharon davis design
project info:
official name of the project: women’s opportunity center
location: kayonza, rwanda
client: women for women international
principal-in-charge: sharon davis
project manager: bruce engel
project team: sam keller, molly cronin, ashley gange, dong-ping wong, jeff wandersman, laura cheung, damen hamilton
consultants: arun rimal, osd engineering, structural engineer, paul laroque, buro happold, structural engineer
john ochsendorf, mit, structural engineer, eric rothstein and ian lipsky, energy design dynamics
budget: 1,000,000 USD
project end date: construction scheduled for completion in 2011
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