AWARD YEAR
2017
CATEGORY
Home
GOALS
Gender Equality
KEYWORDS
safety, domestic violence, sustainability
COUNTRY
Finland
DESIGNED BY
Hollmén Reuter Sandman Architects believe in innovations by investigation, where the landscape, sensitivity towards materials and site-specific interventions are the means for a new architecture. Involving the users in the design process is essential to grow the roots of a building for it to stand and bloom for a long time and thus be sustainable. The architects founded Ukumbi NGO in 2007 as an instrument for offering architectural services to communities in need.
WEBSITE
http://www.hollmenreutersandman.com/
KWIECO Shelter house
The building provides, as the only one in Northern Tanzania shelter to victims of domestic violence.
Kilimanjaro Women Information Exchange and Consultancy Organization KWIECO is promoting human rights, economic justice and gender equality since 1987. The Shelter House project was done in a collaboration between Ukumbi NGO and KWIECO. The architecture of the Shelter House is designed to respect the Tanzanian culture, climate and spatial hierarchy in order to provide the clients of the Shelter with a safe environment for protection and healing. The Shelter is situated in the inner half of the plot, whereas the 2nd phase of the project will create a protecting volume for the Shelter. The design solutions are made to minimise environmental impacts, taking into account local conditions and making use of all possible resources. Local manpower and know-how are of importance, as well as participatory planning to ensure the feeling of shared ownership among the people. The Swahili words on the “kanga” of the main gate have the meaning: “Equal rights for all are the basis of development”.
