Co-design workshops in Nyakabanda to collectively imagine future developments
As part of the library and nursery school project led by the Kigali UFI, residents, associations and local stakeholders came together for a co-design session. This participatory approach follows on from a needs assessment and enables the collective imagination of spaces that are adapted, accessible and conducive to social cohesion.
Last February, a needs assessment was conducted in Nyakabanda with the Community Upgrading Committee (CUC) to better understand expectations surrounding the library and nursery school project. This work laid the groundwork for a collective discussion on the site's development.
In line with this, a collective design session was organised to invite members of the community to become actively involved in defining future spaces. The aim was to explore together the best ways to optimise the sites, taking into account the needs expressed: access, circulation, privacy in the library, links between spaces, etc.
Based on feedback from the CUC, the Kigali UFI team proposed three possible configurations for the site. These proposals were presented to the community and then discussed in groups. The session concluded with a collaborative workshop based on a physical model: participants were able to manipulate blocks representing the different buildings, test layouts, exchange ideas, make adjustments — in short, co-create their future living environment.
This step marks an important milestone in the project: it strengthens the link between the needs expressed, technical planning and local ownership.