Winner of a 2014 Holcim Award for Sustainable Construction. Launching from a participatory urban design studio at the Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (now University of Rwanda), this project synthesizes research and community input, directing the design towards the need for public space, green infrastructure, urban farming and local food production, and the reinforcement of economic opportunities of local cooperatives fuelled by the nearby Gakinjiro workshop.

The urban design strategy capitalises on existing pockets of green space to create small public spaces and urban farming initiatives, triggering integrated community development dynamics. A strong green infrastructure component informed the scheme, both during the participatory planning process and in the technical elaboration of projects/solutions.  The topographical study led to the creation of additional, linear green spaces and distributed/terraced bio-swales as natural water management strategies, while a proposed public market in the Kimisagara valley allowed for a direct crop-to-market opportunity for local urban farmers, whereas the cooperative building is designed using local materials; and design is kept simple to allow local fabrication cooperatives to participate/manage the construction.