KU ISOKO

KU ISOKO Preserving RWANDAN Cultural Heritage by Rethinking the Market Typology

master of architecture thesis drury university 2019

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Angela uruhimbi SHYAKA

KU ISOKO Preserving Rwandan Cultural Heritage

by Rethinking the Market Typology

Angela Uruhimbi Shyaka

Advisor: Saundra Weddle

Submitted to the Department of Architecture in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Architecture at Drury University

Š2018 Angela Uruhimbi Shyaka All rights reserved.

Cover image: author, December 2018

Sincere gratitude to: Professor Saundra Weddle, for balancing between giving me enough space to explore the unknown and guiding me to the best of my abilities; Professor Jay Garrott, for never failing to identify the fog when I didn’t know what surrounded me; Professor Karen Spence, for perceptively finding the essence of the scattered thoughts I spilled in your office; Professor William Garvin, for your sagacious lessons and conversations, some of the most pivotal throughout my research, To all of the faculty for the insightful feedback I received; To my dearest friends and classmates, for the joy, the sweat, and the tears; and the countless philosophical, mind-expanding conversations and memories, I thank thee; To the Government of Rwanda, for the confidence in me and investment in my education, for which I am eternally grateful; But most importantly, to my parents, for ingraining in me the pride of my roots and for always inspiring me never to settle. Your unconditional love, support, your encouragements and occasional constructive criticism consistently propelled me forward.

I couldn’t have done it without you all.

“AKABURIYE MU ISIZA NTIKABONEKerA MU ISAKARA” ‘What is not found during the plowing of the plot, will not be found when the roof is installed”

Rwandan proverb

PRÉCIS INTRODUCTION

RESEARCH Nation of Banyarwanda

9 11 13

Ephemeral Legacy

PROGRAM Refocusing The Cultural Audience

Marketplace

Storytelling | A performance

Rwandan cultural reintegration Preservation

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Program Analysis SITE Rwanda

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City Spotlight

Site Analysis PRECEDENTS Obsolete Architecture

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Precedent Analysis SPECULATIONS

DESIGN Research Update

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Final Design

SOURCES Bibliography

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Buhanga Forest, Musanze District, Nkotsi sector, Bikara cell. Victor Shyaka, 2018

ISÔKO MARKET ISÔoKO ORIGIN How to tell them apart?

The intonation

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PRÉCIS Rwandan oral tradition has been an essential part of the local culture for centuries, shaping the history, values, and minds of Rwandans through language. The unfortunate divisive history of the 20th century disrupted the organic continuum of this tradition.

A thorough investigation of the role of oral tradition in the various periods of Rwandan history demonstrates the pivotal role played by the performative tradition in precolonial society as well as its changing role in the last century. Further exploration into the nature of cultural heritage and the continental awareness of the need for African-led initiatives into continental cultural and historical preservations cemented the valuable nature of oral tradition, as well as the need for its understanding, protection, and preservation, now more than ever.

The research culminated in the development of a tiered method to mitigate the alienation of culture. The program preserves the ephemera of oral tradition by actively performing and

practicing it on one hand, and on the other, critically implementing successful methods of recording, archiving and distributing the oral knowledge. In order to maximize the accessibility of the program to all ages and social classes, the programmatic activities are crossprogrammed onto a commercial typology: marketplace, or isĂ´ko.

The assessment of historical and cultural heritage, accessibility as well as economic development and potential facilitated the selection of the site for the intervention; which is Musanze.

The progressive nature of architecture can only serve as an inspiration. An analysis of successful designed precedents examined various architectural devices that could be adaptable to this investigation, and useful in the development of design concepts.

The book concludes with an identification of speculations as well as design tools aimed at successfully achieving an optimal designed iteration

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Man is a social creature, associating himself with neighbors, and forming civilizations. Man’s innate desire for identity, self-expression and existence are all at the heart of communication. Oral tradition, which broadly includes any non verbal or non-textual communication, has been a key method with which humans have expressed themselves and which reflected our philosophies, associations, understandings, and perceptions of the world.

Oral communication, in its ephemeral glory, shaped the Rwandan society by preserving its history, values and customs, beliefs, socio-political characteristics and contemporary realities through its practice and performance for centuries. The nature, practice and organic continuum of this tradition was unfortunately disrupted

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by a divisive three-tiered history in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Still, there are vestiges of the precolonial era ever-present until this day which allow for a glimpse into what the culture and society was like before.

Preserving the traditional customs of Rwanda is crucial for the development of the society; especially in the contemporary context of globalization and the easy penchant for cultural assimilation. The strongest societies today embrace their uniqueness and thrive on their differences - in true cosmopolitan fashion.

Reintegrating this tradition into the everyday life of Rwandans demands a sensible understanding of the contemporary norms of work, communication, education and entertainment.

Introduction

Entrance to the Sacred Buhanga Forest, Musanze District, Rwanda, Author, 2018

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Research

Tree symbolizing the Unity of Banyarwanda, Buhanga Forest, Musanze District,Rwanda, Victor Shyaka, 2018

Figure 1 General timeline of the history of Rwanda over the last 200 years. Includes governing powers, significant architectural interventions, and material introductions. Superimposed over this is a short time-line of the evolution of the written text and the importance of reading and writing in European everyday life as well as its equation to education and sophistication. The 20th century was a period of extreme revolution - our Industrial Revolution, as well as of horrific unfortunate darkness. Author, October 2018

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THE NATION OF BANYARWANDA Cultures are foundations of societies, developing over generations and varying socio-culturally from one place to another. Rwandan oral tradition has been an essential part of the local culture for centuries. The divisive history disrupted the continuum of the tradition through a three-tiered history in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Those tiers were: the colonial period (late 19th century until 1962), postcolonial period which culminated into the genocide (1962-1994), and the postgenocide modern period (figure 1).

Nevertheless, the reintroduction of the oral tradition into contemporary everyday life is possible by redisseminating oral histories and artifacts, lost in history through performance and recording aimed at the education and preservation of oral tradition. Furthermore, reviving the performative aspects of the oral tradition in the contemporary way by promoting stories of the present further dignifies and adds value to the process.

1. Rwandan intore, or traditional royal warriors, performing a traditional dance. Today, military are not the only ones allowed or able to perform and dance. It has transcended into normalized everyday customs.

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A SOPHISTICATED NATION The precolonial period stretched until the Rwandan nation’s first contact with European foreigners in 1894 - the last population in Africa to come into contact with a European foreigner (figure p.16).

In fact, Rwandans were a consolidated nation under the Royal umbrella since the beginning of the Nyiginya dynasty in the 11th century, although records begin in the 15th century The nation of the Banyarwanda was united language, tradition, culture and history. Naturally, as was common around the globe, social classes divided the society: Tutsi, or the cattle owners and aristocrats, Hutu, or the land cultivators, and Twa, the potters. And similarly to the realities of other nations, strains, and the awareness of social classes was a possible reality.

Through it all, oral tradition was the channel through which history, culture, tradition, values and mores were transmitted; there was no alphabet until the advent of colonization. Storytelling forms then, such as poems, proverbs, or intore’s ibyivugo (warrior’s poetic eloge) are the key to understanding the culture and philosophy of the society (1, p.15).

There were schools, which dubbed as schools of life, as it was believed that man is not whole without a civic education in addition to military training, for men, or housekeeping teaching, for women. Indeed, the future intore received lessons in umuco (culture), philosophy, spiritual beliefs,

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social structures, and ubwenge (social and emotional intelligence). The sophisticated structure of the society was evident in the language and its meticulous knowledge was respected.

Kinyarwanda, the native language shared among the population, was formed and evolved in parallel with the oral tradition.

While not unique in the world, Rwanda may be among the very few societies that managed to maintain a social stability and thrive without the written word until as late as they did (late 19th century, early 20th century).

In the meantime, a movement emerged, to transcribe history, despite the rising conflicts: •

Alexis Kagame, a Rwandan priest educated in Catholic school, the only one allowed by then King to transcribe the stories and histories of abiru (traditional royal ritualists)

•

Mgr Aloys Bigirumwami – a Christian follower also, whose research and study focused on Rwandan daily life, culture and tradition.

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Simon Bizimana, who, with the help of Pierre Crépaud, transcribed over 4,500 Rwandan proverbs.

•

Jan Vansina- a Belgian Historian, who specialized in the origins of Bantu people, Rwanda kinship and history, as well as culture research.

Transcription without continuous practice becomes obsolete, history, and loses a lot of the fluid, dynamic aspects of it. The ‘fixity’ of text, which Elizabeth Eisenstein uses in relation to the importance of written text and printing during the Reformation, applies here too1. Selective are the aspects of the culture retained, many lost for the process of transcription in and of itself implied (especially in the contemporary context within which it was executed) a sorting through.

ALEXIS KAGAME, WRITER OF RWANDA Le Rwanda et son Roi, by the famous and highly venerated abbey, writer and poet Alexis Kagame, elaborates on the artistic and literary Rwandan heritage, defending it as one of the most important components of the rich historical, socio-cultural and political Rwandan society. He argues that it should neither be forgotten, nor distorted by foreign misinterpretations; the latter frequent during colonization. Kagame used primary sources such as various orators whose knowledge he transcribed– a resource he was privileged have offered to him by the late King Mutara Rudahigwa III (2, p. 18).

Although seldom accusatory, the extent to which Kagame was influenced by Catholic beliefs is still unclear as he

seemingly explained foreign colonizer threats through associations of certain Rwandan traditions with Christianity on one hand and elsewhere criticized foreigner actions that neglected traditions and denouncing disrespectful treatment of the indigenous people and their culture.

The goal seemed to be subtlety, given that the book appears in a regional Belgian publication exploring indigenous life that catered mostly to the foreign Europeans. Clearly, history’s importance does not negate its subjectivity.

Kagame’s struggles were further explored in The Aesthetics of Transcribing Orality, by Anthère Nzabatsinda and his co-author, R.H. Mitsch. The authors elucidated the central role language played in the stabilization and promotion of the Rwandan nation since the beginning of the Nyiginya Kingdom, especially beginning in the late 16th century.

The physical make up of Rwanda, a landlocked hilly nation, imposed social isolation. This isolation greatly influenced the language and ends up “promoting and protecting the national sentiment”2.

They identified and assessed the motivations and challenged faced by

1

Eisenstein, Elizabeth, Western Christendom Disrupted, in the Printing Revolution in Early Modern Europe.

New York: Cambridge University Press, 1993. Pp 148-186.

2

Nzabatsinda, Anthère & Mitsch, R.H, “The aesthetics of Transcribing Orality in the Works of Alexis Kagame, Writer of Rwanda, Research in African Literatures, Vol. 28, No. 1, The Oral-Written Interface, 98-111, Indiana University Press, 1997.

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2. King Mutara III Rudahigwa with French missionnairies, 1949. https://www.pinterest. com/pin/357121445424926915/

Alexis Kagame in the transcription of orality. The subjective nature of the Kagame’s choice of works and methods of transcription, and his argumentation of Rwandan traditional spirituality, was contrasted by his nationalistic yearning to preserve the heritage of Rwanda before it is too late; doing so in ways which would be as nonthreatening to the European rulers as possible The authors attribute Kagame’s decisions to the immense responsibility he was given by the King: that of transcribing the nation’s oral tradition.

Dubbed ‘Writer of Rwanda’, Kagame’s initiative and rich legacy is still undoubtedly one of the most comprehensive sources of understanding the Rwandan kingdom, traditions and culture. His transcriptions, while some of the most accurate and comprehensive

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to date, share common characteristics as oral tradition:

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The inevitable perspectivism that comes with the ability and power to be a part of writing down history,

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The subjectivity which engendered unreliability when it comes to how a poem, proverb is analyzed or explained. This was particularly evident in Kagame’s explanation and justification of Rwandan spirituality through its comparison with Catholicism, and finally,

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The selectivity of the stories and experiences which are memorized, or in this case, written down, as it is known for Kagame to neglect stories which didn’t align with his personal Christian or royal beliefs.

In Poésie Dynastique du Rwanda traditionel, Gassel discusses the Royal dynastic poetry, which is one of the three types of purely oral royal tales, as being a result of cultural integration. Her study was performed from a ‘sociology of literature’ perspective rather than that of ‘historical preservation’, most likely due to an American audience. Gassel assessed translated Rwandan dynastic poems to understand the mechanisms behind the classification, composition and preservation of dynastic poetry.

Dynastic poems, which function similarly to Western monarchical recorded poetry or royal chants, embellished the position and role of the King; immortalizing him as mighty, These poems are, alas, the historical record of an elite few, whose stories are just a fraction of the population alive then. We may never know just how culturally diverse our Rwandan customs and traditions were. That is the unfortunate reality of history, a social construct operating similarly to natural selection; insuring the ‘survival of the elite’.

There are three key characteristics of the nature of orality in precolonial Rwanda:

the entire body.

3.

Oral tradition is subjective, and perspectivistic, similarly to transcriptions of orality. While any form of self-expression, written or spoken, will ultimately reflect the author’s devotion or beliefs one way or the other, the ephemeral nature of oral tradition allowed for the fluidity of subjectivity. Orality is does not offer the full picture. The stories recorded were very limiting.

Only part of the population had a voice that transcended time and still known today. And those whose stories were available and recorded orally could have been lost with the lack of passing down. Unlike the written text, orality has no fixity, and relies wholly on man’s knowledge.

Endless Catching Up The exponential globalization of the late 20th and early 21st century coincided with the post-genocide national reconstruction; thus influencing the vulnerable culture tremendously.

Nevertheless, the essence of several cultural traditions has been preserved through continuous performance and practice. Most notably, the gusaba3, or the dowry, one of several premarital ceremonies. Secondly, the uruhimbi, a sacred corner or location in the shepherds’ abode, represented prosperity and health. Today, uruhimbi

1.

Language and oral tradition mutually complimented one another in the Rwandan society.

2.

Intonations, tonality and rhythm were important as the performance transcended the words and involved

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Kinyarwanda word for ‘dowry’. Traditionally occurring weeks before the wedding, it is quite common to have it scheduled for the week, day before the wedding, and sometimes on the same day.

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are ubiquitous in residential homes, a symbol of fertility and prosperity as well as a clear connector to the Rwandan tradition. Dance and music also witnessed a renaissance. Traditional dances, one of the major performances of the Rwandan society, while widely popular, have succumbed to the lack of archival original choreographies.

In fact, many known choreographies, when analyzed closely against their namesakes from the monarchic period convey a modernization of movements, and a change in movement patterns4.

While the perpetuation of traditions is wonderful, it is evident that many are being engaged on a surfacelevel, either without fully knowing or understanding the history behind it, or simply performing or knowing of a specific tradition . There is an intergenerational disconnection as the elderly, traditionally considered gems whose knowledge would be passed on through oral tradition, and the youth do not interact on the same level.

The modernization of the nation, the focus on socio-political development in addition to European customs transmitted throughout colonization, left the culture vulnerable to a quasiwesternization. The genocide broke the trust and unity Rwanda revolved around. In order to rebuild, sacrifices had to be made, for the unity had to

be restored. President P. Kagame: ‘the future of Rwanda was more important than justice’.

The focus being on the cultural and historical preservation, it was time to rebuild the nation and re-unifying the population by foregoing the pseudoethnic, social terminologies, and replace them with common identity: that of a Rwandans. The current President Paul Kagame coined the contemporary atmosphere and governmental focus of the time by saying that “the future of Rwanda was more important than justice”5. The focus on political and economic stability as well as technological development and social welfare came first in the post-genocide period.

ORAL TRADITION Today Interestingly, African countries, and Rwanda in particular, have always been proud nationalists, recognizable for representing their nation with dignity.

In Rwanda, the cultural heritage is looked at today in the same way.

However, due to the lack of an system which would record the past, present and future in the hopes of capturing the ephemerality of contemporary oral tradition; the latter is conserved in a very sloppy manner: ‘traditional dance’ choreographies supposedly from

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Beata M. Shyaka, Danses Rwandaises traditionnelles des Intore, 1925-1959, Editions de l’Universite Nationale du Rwanda, 2013,

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Kagame, Paul, Humans of New York [quote posted on instagram from interview], 2018

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the monarchy have been affected by modern music and dance industry, but no one is keeping track or assessing the dances in search for accuracy.

There is a social embrace of the fluidity and ephemerality of oral tradition, and culture in general, which is poetic and epitomizes human nature.

However, it also exposes the need for a new hermeneutic that transcends the simple preservation of the past through conscious reintroduction of the oral tradition.

Because language is so closely knit with the formation and understanding of our culture through oral tradition, the latter, must be preserved so that our language prevails. For true understanding of the depth and breadth of our culture is only possible with Kinyarwanda, the intangible, vocally transmitted knowledge, coexists with the dynamic actions relating to the performance of oral tradition. They’re mutually inclusive. One is irrelevant without the other, and without language or the oratory performance of the latter, as well as the understanding of the language, the foundation of Rwandan culture is highly susceptible to absorb, assimilate with, and normalize aspects of foreign cultures.

The use of oral tradition in precolonial Rwanda was much more elitist and selective than some of today’s storytelling initiatives, such as the Spoken Word or iDebate. In fact, oral tradition was the means to recount history, and legitimize the King’s role and nature as the ‘Eye of God’ . Most of the most elaborate poems are dynastic poems. Today, however, oral tradition doesn’t have to be segregationist.

The approach proposes a sustainable intervention that reintroduces past cultural practices in a contemporary and contextual way so as to celebrate the diversified and aware, culturally cosmopolitan world. Moreover, a hybrid yet humanistic alternative for cultural preservation transcends the preservation of the past to:

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Embrace the epistemological problems arising from the transcription of orality,

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Anticipate the revival and the future shape of language in contemporary culture, and finally

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Attempt to eliminate the ‘interpreter’, and providing direct curated accessibility to primary sources through (digital or other)

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EPHEMERAL LEGACY Having established oral tradition as a crucial component of the Rwandan culture, how can one go about safeguarding this heritage and why is it essential?

GLOBAL SUPPORT The legacy of the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in identifying, encouraging, protecting and preserving natural and cultural legacies around the world only supports the necessity and urgency of research and preservation.

The organization defines heritage as “our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we pass on to future generations. Cultural and natural heritage are both irreplaceable and sources of life and inspiration” (UNESCO, 2018).

Man’s existence on earth is finite, but the his physical and cultural legacy transcends his existence, but it also transcends humanity. This is why preservation is essential. As man, we wouldn’t be where we are if it weren’t for the knowledge and lessons learned from our past.

Rwanda has a multitude of legacies which fall into most of these types. Oral tradition is identified as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO’s definitions, along with performing arts, food, dance, or rituals1. In its and fleetingness, oral tradition has a unique quality of connecting us to one another within a community as everyone who participates shares ownership of the tradition, whereas they also shape it through their individuality2.

Out of the 8 UNESCO goals, 5 stand out in particular:

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Encourage countries to sign the World Heritage Convention and to ensure the protection of their natural and cultural heritage;

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Help States Parties safeguard World Heritage properties by providing technical assistance and professional training;

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Support States Parties’ public awareness-building activities for World Heritage conservation;

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Encourage participation of the local population in the preservation of their cultural and natural heritage;

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Encourage

the

international

1

Types of Heritage, UNESCO, 2018.

2

Farah, Paolo Davide and Tremolada, Riccardo, Desirability of Commodification of Intangible Cultural Heritage: The Unsatisfying Role of Intellectual Property Rights, Transnational Dispute Management, 2014

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cooperation in the conservation of our world’s cultural and natural heritage3.

These goals reiterate the necessity to identify, value and preserve our cultural heritage; because ideally, preservation is irrespective of political, economic, social ramifications; preservation for its empyrean sake.

CONTINENTAL AWARENESS African leaders recognized the need and importance of preserving local heritages.

Not only as a strategy for emancipation from the cultural imperialism African societies have been subjected to during the colonial period, but also through the realization that native traditions and culture are as valuable as any other; and only when the appreciation and dignity comes from the communities to which they belong will the legacy truly matter. Many leaders have been vocal for decades regarding homegrown solutions and the re-appropriation and dignifying of vernacular culture.

Julius Nyerere, former president of Tanzania, addressed the development and prosperity of Sub-Saharan Africa, in his 1998 speech to students at the London School of Economics4.

According to him, the development of Africa could and should originate from within the continent through adequate

forward-thinking policies, regional and continental cooperation as well as the end of Western countries’ interference in African politics.

Nyerere uses personal experience and knowledge as former President of Tanzania, draws from historical events as well as current political and socio-economic realities to explain current regional conflicts and propose home-grown solutions to them because he believes that it is the best way to become emancipated from those cultural imperialist pressures. This approach contributes to changing the image of Africa in developed countries while inspiring African populations to be resourceful and independent.

The validity of Nyerere’s approach is proven by the success and stability of the East African Community, as well as Rwanda’s fast move towards a complete emancipation from foreign aid support.

However, aside from socio-economic and cultural emancipation from European and American monopolies, another hurdle African countries face is the control over information - even that indigenous to the continent.

In The Digitization of Africa,Peter Limb elaborates on the African continental struggles with information control and monopoly exercised by foreign corporations from European

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Goals and information regarding UNESCO resourced from unesco.org

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Nyerere, Julius, African Today and Tomorrow, Review of African Political Economy, Vol. 25, No. 75, 149152, Taylor & Francis, 1998

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and American countries, as Limb describes them. He conveys Africa’s powerlessness at the mercy of foreign corporations, but also stresses the importance of access, sustainability and fairness of information to African population.

His thorough investigation includes success stories of African initiatives aimed at making education and information accessible, and elucidates on several of unsuccessful and unfair systems. Limb’s conclusion is that ultimately, the solution to upending the Western control over African informatoin needs to come from within the continent, for several reasons.

Despite having independence, most African countries still suffer from information control coming from development corporations. Africa’s efforts to emancipate itself from European and Western imperialism, while optimistically underway, faces serious challenges.

Limb’s works showcases the sociohistoric complexity of African cultures, and raises epistemological questions pertaining to the validity and variety of narratives regarding African cultures and their history.

There is a need for African countries to take ownership of their knowledge and vernacular information, and to develop resilient, continentally-grown solutions upending the omnipresence of foreign information control, overcoming the

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impacts of colonization and imperialism on the understanding, recording and preservation of the cultures.

There are several benefits to continental information ownership:

1.

First and foremost, the knowledge and/or information belongs to the respective nation, tribe, or group of people. And it ought to be dignified in that setting.

2.

It dignifies the national value and knowledge

3.

It solidifies the reality that every culture is different and not everyone has to accommodate Western (colonizing) global trends to be relevant.

4.

It helps ground us in our history and remind us of where we belong.

Which is something to only be proud of.

CONTINENTAL ACTION Recognizing the need and importance to preserve and practice the native culture and traditions within the contemporary context, the Organization of African Unity signed the Cultural Charter for Africa in 1976 (including a signature from Rwanda that same year).

The goal of the organization was to “preserve, distribute, archive, and disseminate native cultures and traditions as it was believed to be the only way to keep African cultures and

emancipate them from western cultural imperialism while advocating for global cultural acceptance and sharing:”5 Rwanda’s role was the maintenance, promotion and development of culture in the country.

In 2003, Constitutional Norms relating to the culture and the preservation of heritage were signed. Article 51 (with regards to Rwanda), ‘the state needs to preserve and promote national values and cultural traditions so long as they do not contradict human rights[…], the state needs to oversee conservation of national cultural heritage and genocide sites and memorials’6 While the second part of the article has been successfully implemented through various events to raise awareness, conserve and preserve genocide sites, and memorials, the promotion of national values and cultural traditions can be harnessed in terms of oral tradition for the betterment of the population at large.

In 2006, an update to the ’76 was signed by the now African Union, re-baptized the Charter for African Cultural Renaissance, 2006. The Rwandan government has yet to sign this document.

NATIONAL MOVES Within Rwanda itself, action has been taken, acknowledging the need to conserve the cultural patrimony of the nation. In fact, the vision of the Ministry of Sports and Culture (MINISPOC) is to“brand Rwanda as a sports country and to ensure that our development is grounded in our culture”.

Although they are responsible for promoting and implementing programs for cultural promotion and preservation, seldom are resources accessible or helpful for the public to assess their success.

The Rwanda Archives and Library Services Authority, which the ministry oversees, is a great opportunity to have access to information regarding Rwandan history in a variety of media.

However, archive records only date back to the 1930s and comprise of physical records. Furthermore, Touristic initiatives ground in culture, such as Kw’Ita Izina7; a baby naming ceremony for gorillas, which spawned from the Rwandan tradition of the community coming together to name a newborn.

Despite the variety of initiatives, there is a tendency for the ministry, and

5

Quote from UNESCO’s Organization of African Unity’s vCharte Culturelle de l’Afrique,1976

6

UNESCO Cultural heritage Laws and Database, Normes constitutionelles africaines relatives a la culture et a la sauvegarde du patrimoine, 2003

7

Kinyarwanda expression meaning ‘To Name One”.

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governmental organizations, despite their good intentions, to capitalize on culture for tourism, hence increasing economic gain. Seldom are initiatives

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genuinely catered to the Rwandan population as a result of a genuine interest in proliferating the culture and traditions.

PROGRAM

Interior view of the Agri-Market, Musanze, Rwanda, Author, 2018

REFOCUSING THE CULTURAL AUDIENCE What more deceptive portrayal of society than the reduction of its cultures into quintessential characteristics capitalized for foreign pleasure?

The worrisome capitalization of Rwandan vernacular cultures devalues and alienates the latter. Their touristic promotion demands a critical review.

The focus, currently on foreign audiences and economic gain, needs to be redirected to the local community.

The mindless chase for profit distances the middle and lower classes from accessing and benefiting from the physical and cultural heritage. This was epitomized in May 2017 when the Rwandan Development Board announced an absurd fee increase of Gorilla Trekking: from around $35 for locals (Rwandans) and $750 for internationals to $1,500 for all1. As Man gets attached to what he knows and has access to, accessibility to cultural heritage, in this case oral tradition, is one of the most important goals for the program.

Aiming to maximize the accessibility of the designed program to the Rwandan population at large, the isoko was chosen as a solid foundation with reinvigorating and re-dignifying potential. The trading program will be infused with preservationist and practice 1

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programs aimed at the perpetuation and preservation of oral tradition.

A space dedicated to the multifaceted nature, interpretation and performance of oral tradition embraces the unpredictability and incoherence of scale, dynamics, and sound levels, but also offers adaptability and room for a ‘happening’ to occur. This notion affirms the importance of spatial suggestion and multiplicity, while recognizing the role of design in service of the ‘happening’.

The addition of a more rigorous and authoritative program, which includes research, archive and distribution program as an additional program promotes a cosmopolitan understanding and appreciation, knowledge and recording of the Rwandan culture.

Although initiated in developed countries, and hence a western, the more fixed and rigid yet scientific method of data collection remains a widely used framework of understanding. Our minds are wired to understand it as normal.

The communal aspect of our lifestyle has all but disappeared form the modern architecture as cultural imperialism reigns and affects our built environment.

Reclaiming our roots by reinterpreting the modern positive technological development and applying them critically to local setting is a must.

|New Times|, RDB announces new gorilla permit tariffs, The New Times, 2017

MARKETPLACE Isoko, or farmers markets are the most common intergenerational hubs used regularly by all ages, and economic backgrounds, connecting people. A native-centric knowledge is catered to the local population.

In Rwanda, two typologies of markets are present. First, the typical, old version is characterized by densely spaced, open, gabled-roofed pavilions, whose enclosures are a mixture of bricks and gates. They are usually disorganized, the noises and smells from different compartments mixing together to create a loud, messy, smelly, shaded space (1, below) . Stalls are reserved for beans, flowers, fruits and vegetables. On the edges of the market are small shops and

boutiques selling non-perishable foods and goods items. Meanwhile, helpers roam around, looking for extra money helping customers carry bags back and forth between the market and their cars.

Second is a contemporary exploration of the urban markets and modern western boutiques, as well as their subsequent merging (2, p.30). It is a hybrid between markets stalls and boutique shops, a large container with a multitude of shops, united through a central vacuum for vertical circulation; and borrow more architectural inspiration from conventional colonial architecture embellished with industrial materials.

1. Market in Gakenke, Rwanda. Gakenke.gov

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2. Interior view of the new shopping market, GOICO Plaza, in Musanze, Rwanda. Kigali Today

Neither of those iterations truly reflect the Rwandan culture, for they lack the public component - Rwanda is a very public and expressive society. In a way, they manage to impede on the freedom and self-expression. The latter is not, however, a completely new idea to Rwandans, or in general.

The idea of a publicly-oriented market that combines oratory and commercial activities can be traced back to the Roman period, where the Roman forum housed rostra, and under which speeches and news were given (3,

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p.31_. Similarly, Speaker’s Corner in London’s Hyde Park reiterated the individual freedom of speech ideologies.

A park’s edges being inherently blurred, this move to incorporate a freedom of speech in a natural environment - which can be considered as the essence of freedom-, was a clever double entendre.

Although historically, the park has grim connections to a hanging spot, the Speaker’s corner’s tradition still accommodates rallies and large group demonstrations (The Royal Parks).

STORYTELLING | A PERFORMANCE Orality exists at the heart of many civilizations, communication being an ephemeral human reality. Oral performances are fluid, mutable through time, and much less authoritative than a the rigid textual counterparts, whose every word is weighed down by the limits of the medium. Our inherent curiosity to hear and our desire to share stories transcends time and cultures.

Working with living, audible stories has a completely different effect than

reading a transcription. Recording one’s voice amplifies the speaker, propelling us into a universe activated through sound, movement, sight hearing, and imagination. Taking full advantage of the exceptionally interconnected world we are a part of would entail harnessing the technology which connects us to retain the stories. The following initiatives encapsulate storytelling, rejuvenating it with modern context.

3. Roman rostrum in forum romanum. Used for speeches, and self expression. O. Scarpelli, https://www.pinterest.com/pin/455215474809641685/?lp=true

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4. Humans of New York shot and Snickers. Humans of New York, 2018

STORYTELLERS | GLOBAL Living Storiesing Knowledge Globally, over the last several decades, omni-popularity has grown and everyone’s story matters. The history of the modern world represents not the story of the wealthiest, the educated or the literate but the story of the masses, varies in perspectives, cultures, opinions and stories.

Story Corps is a worldwide active organization, working mostly within the United States, that aims at creating an archive for future generation, and reminding us of our humanity through stories. The power of listening in connecting people and “weav[ing] into the fabric of our culture the 1

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understanding that everyone’s story matters.”1 Ted Talks are global connectors of minds, whose mission is to spread powerful ideas on the topics of technology, entertainment, design and more.

Operating on two scales, TED National, and TeDx talks, the latter independently run within smaller communities around the world (i.e TEDx Amsterdam or TEDx Arusha, TEDx Nyarugenge until 2016 - Rwanda) Humans of NY is an encouraging testimony to the power, and unpredictable beauty of spontaneous development.

A photography project, turned into an inexhaustible catalogue of stories and photographs of people, immortalizing a moment and context in time forever.

(4, above)

[online description] StoryCorps, About StoryCorps, 2018.

Spoken Word Rwanda – The powerful voices of the youthful generation recounting experiences, the influence of technology, cultural connections and tradition nostalgia. Their oral communication resonates with the vernacular tradition. However, the practice has not been confirmed to be a direct correlation.

Ubumuntu (Being Human) Arts Festival is an annual festival in Kigali, following the last week of the 100th day of commemoration of the genocide.

Brings together worldwide artists for performances, workshops, panels and genocide memorial visits, and serves as a cultural hub. Its legacy is bound to the genocide and its aftermath, hence looking through a lens of history and culture (and from a certain perspective) Kigali Up is a world music (reggae, funk, blues, hip-hop, and root artists while showcasing the beauty of Kigali, traditional food and African arts. It serves the youth and focuses on an outward exchange and performance.

Hobe Rwanda – cultural one-day event in Kigali since 2011. Brings together a variety of artists, performers and poets to educate and motivate the youth to learn more about the Rwandan culture, music and traditional activities. What it lack is widespread information and audience. In 2016, it was held at the Prestigious five star Serena Hotel.

Acoustemology Storytelling is not limited to verbal narratives. Steven Feld, a musician anthropologist, in his lecture to the University of New South Wales in Australia, defined acoustemology as the “Ethical and aesthetic value or sensibility of listening beyond horizons, beyond boundaries, beyond borders; listening across vocations, incommensurable, the divides guld and hurts history, culture and art, across species and technology, listening that performs cosmopolitan ethics and aesthetics by ways it acknowledges, engages, promotes and perform expanse of the imagination and a solidarity in difference”2.

His long collaboration with Nii Oto Annan served as a continuous testimony of the ‘discrepant cosmopolitanism’ (James Clifford)3. Famously recording The Goldberg Variations imagine what Bach would sound like had he grown up in Ghana. Cultural cosmopolitanism, as Feld coined it, reflects a society where humans thrive in learning about other cultures through music; and explore oneself by way of music and sound; the relativity of the interpretation and level of understanding is unique to each individual. In an ideal world, these differences will not be frowned upon, but embraced in dynamic explorations.

2

Feld, Steven, The Ethics and Aesthetics of Cosmopolitan Listening, Roger Covell Public Lecture at UNSW School of the Arts & Media, UNSW Arts & Social Sciences [video lecture], 2015

3

Feld, Steven and Annan, Ni Otoo, Bufo Variations, Codbaby, 2008

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RWANDAN CULTURAL REINTRODUCTIONS Various cultural initiatives by the Government of Rwanda testify of the remarkable will to develop an attention to the future of Rwanda, and solidarity building. These various initiatives are examples of Rwandans commitment and acknowledgment of the importance of not only practicality, but centrality of culture in driving national transformation.

Each of these events resonates with and draws from traditions present in precolonial Rwanda and reintegrates them within the appropriate . contemporary context Itorero – traditionally an elite male military school, transcended military school by including a ‘school of values’.

While women weren’t originally allowed, and had a ‘school of life’ of their own, the 21st century re-launch of the Itorero program as a post-secondary school program put patriotism-building, and value-based learning at the forefront and is currently co-ed.

Igitaramo – a cultural evening where dance

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performances, history accounts, and storytelling – hence intergenerational exchange and education- would occur.

Introduced as a part of the training program, the cultural evenings teach traditional dance, drums, songs and cultural values to Rwandan soldiers.(5, across) Gacaca – literally means “justice among grass”, and is rooted in the traditional value of community healing and solidarity, it is a traditional community justice court system reintroduced after the genocide to promote communal healing and rebuilding (from 2005 to 2010).

Umuganda – (1998-now) practice rooted in traditional culture of self-help and cooperation as well as homegrown solutions, occurs once a month on the last Saturday of the month. The community (adults) gathers to clean up their neighborhoods. It has also merged into incorporating neighborhood meetings discussing matters of security, community events. (6, across).

[top] 5. Traditional Rwandan dancers. James Kakwerere, 2005 [bottom] 6. Rwandans working on trench during monthly community work (umuganda) KTPress

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PRESERVATION Preservation entails the protection, maintenance, conservation, and continuity among other realities surrounding its meaning. When it comes to the preservation of oral tradition, three main activities come to mind to achieve a perpetuated preservation of the tradition: research, archive, and distribution. Interestingly, these three activities are uniquely intertwined in three different typologies.

Archives are used to store, maintain, sustain, record, and curate information, goods, and artifacts. While Rwanda doesn't have a culture of archiving, strictly speaking, its introduction into the conscious mentality of the population is crucial to promote the process and value of conservation.

The latter needs not to infringe or try to replace the platform taken by oral

tradition even today. (8, p.37) Museums use the research archive distribution. Museums focus on the proper storing of expensive materials.

Rwanda has several museums, however, the native public is slim;, accessibility being one of the major hurdles.

Libraries mostly house research and archive parts of the program. They are the most public, and meant for academic or entertainment purposes with the goal being to gain knowledge. Rwanda's dedication to education is visible in its libraries. Yet again here, the need to render these normally highly academic programs accessible to the largest number of the population requires it to be stripped down from the barriers set by enclosing the knowledge these spaces contain in separate buildings,

7. Exterior shot of the Mediatek Laboratory of Architecture. ArchDaily

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[top] 8. Exterior render of the National Archive Krakow. ArchDaily [bottom] 9. Interior shot of the Mont de Marsan Mediateque. ArchDaily

which speak to a certain audience. (7, below) The program proposed will require all three programs to be accommodated as well as the modern technological

possibilities, a multimedia (9, above).

Nevertheless, their introduction in the context requires critical assessment, so as not to indulge, ironically, in the westernization condemned and criticized in this research.

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PROGRAM ANALYSIS Reintegrating the oral tradition into Rwanda’s everyday life demands a sensitivity to the contemporary norms of work, communication, education and entertainment. It is essential to keep in mind the three foundational components that surround its implementation: conservation, reinvigoration and preservation ; their relationship being that the lower level has to be satisfied in order to access and successfully take part in a higher level (figure p.14).

Conservation relates to the sustainability and improvement of the commercial program. It is the foundation on which the following two components rest.

Reinvigoration concerns the added

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vitality and value to oral tradition through performative and educational activities.

Last but not least, preservation comprises the research, archive and distribution activities meant for the recording, archiving, and dissemination of knowledge and practices locally, and nationally.

Although a cultural reinvigoration is a national effort, the program aims to serve as a headquarter. Microversions of the reinvigoration and preservation programs can be adapted modularly throughout the nation in key locations and revolves around the rethinking of the typology of the

[opposite] Figure 1. Conceptual programmatic diagram. Author, December 2018 [top] Figure 2. Programmatic activities diagram. Author, November 2018

isĂ´ko. Transprogramming the typical isĂ´ko with cultural and research programs engages the commercial with the cultural activities, affecting and infecting their respective usual actions.

The physical and digital connection created between sister markets.

Trade is the main component of the commercial program. Visible, public and dynamic commercial activities such as shopping, relaxing, eating and drinking, are activated during operating hours as customers move around and perform various organic tasks. Customer circulation is marked by its incoherent and organic nature, especially when adjacent to public transportation systems and market produce trails.

Characterized by their non-restrictive nature, visibility and loudness, the aim is to optimize an organized, coherent, dynamic and welcoming organization and engaging circulation.

Performance activate the space throughout the day, past the market operating hours. Ranging from recitals

to dance performances, dialogues, and educational workshops, these activities are an intergenerational connection that facilitates dialogues on the role of oral tradition in the last century, today, and in the future, and pioneer a conscious practice of Kinyarwanda. Furthermore, they address the ambiguity of the nature of oral tradition and the lack of critical discipline in the preservation and perpetuation of oral tradition today. Nonetheless, they present an opportunity to collect information.

However, the variety of activities within the performance program allows for a range of from loud to quiet experiences, such as hosting igitaramo or a cultural festival, in contrast to dialogue with the community and institutions outside of the market.

The Education program makes knowledge accessible and encourages reflections on the cultural significance of oral tradition in contemporary life.

Education facilitates both visible and public activities; more focused, and private experiences through, among

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others, research teaching conferences as opposed to general performances.

The Research agenda aims at a system that can record and track our cultural development. The administrative side involves the processing, outreach and project development, as well as oversees the smooth execution of research and archival functions. It also facilitates and communicates with the cultural and civic institutions about the archiving, collecting, distribution and sharing of material and artifact.

The Archive addresses the ephemeral and fluid nature of oral tradition.

Alas, the mere transcription of orality triggers the ‘fixity of text’, which, as Elizabeth Eisenstein points out, kills its organic and fluid nature. Regardless, this medium is essential. The program requires care, privacy and security, implying restrictive, private and structured characteristics. The archive

is fragmented to comprise a public display artifacts, as well as a public back-of-the-house function which deals with the curation, storage and upkeep of artifacts, both digital and physical.

Although mostly static, the dynamic nature of the subject of the archive – oral tradition- may also permeate.

The Distribution program includes that of knowledge, and resources digitally and physically. It includes the administrative activities relating to distribution.

Digitally: through form of pod cast, as well as digital resources Physically: transporting archival material, human resources, so there needs to be space which allows for the storage, and allows physical transportation methods to park/rest/ exchange.

Figure 3. Qualitative exploration of program. Author, November 2018

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Figure 4. Additional qualitative program distribution based on figure 3 but organized according to conceptual hierarchy in figure 1. Author, November 2018

To better understand the needs of each programmatic component as well as their desired relationships, a series of analyses were executed, exploring qualitative characteristics (figure 4).

The Program qualitative explorations assign qualities to program elements

and attempts to analyze qualitative relationships in a general sense (figure 4), organized through conceptual program hierarchy (figure 5). Figure 6 sampled the two omnipresent qualities to study the intensity of the qualities throughout the programs. Conveyed are the sometimes inversely proportional

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[top] Figure 5 Exploration of range of dynamic and restrictive qualities across programs Author , November 2018 [Bottom] Figure 6. Volumetric analysis of circulation; abstracted Plan and Section. Author, December 2018

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Figure 7. Program distribution and detailed spatial distribution; understanding the possibility of the program to modify over the course of the physical design exploration.

Author, December 2018

relationships between the two qualities as well as between programs. Fore example, the highly dynamic and low restrictive performance is contrasted by a highly restrictive but low dynamic distribution program.

The Volumetric distribution (figure 6) begins to show a conceptual spatial allocation and its. This diagram can be read both in planar or elevation format, the circulation being simultaneously vertical and horizontal. The entrance

has been decided to be coming through archival program, directly or indirectly.

Intangible programmatic value does not always reflect in spatial size, as conveyed in the Spatial allocation diagram (figure 7). In fact, the research and archive programs, despite being key programs for reinvigoration and preservation, may not require as much spatial allocation, especially as much of the storage will be digital.

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Figure 8. Abstracted parti diagram of program, looking at spatial distribution, adjacency, spatial and volumetric hierarchy, and site relationships. Author, December 2018

Finally, the abstracted parti (figure 8) attempts to summaries a multidimensional set of information as a concept for the future designed intervention. Performance is the dominant program, despite the trading program being more important spatially.

The performative program takes central stage around which other programs

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revolve; it is the meeting point, and the central distribution from which all programs can be accessed. The archive can be read as simultaneously the most private, and a program which may happen underground. The roads intersecting the site offer interesting opportunities for edge treatment and street engagement.

SITE

Aerodrome field, Musanze, Rwanda. Author, 2018

RWANDA The multi-dimensionality and regionwide aspect of culture calls for a befitting, and equally significant location; especially one that would accommodate and contribute to this meaningful initiative. The overall vision of the project presumes that the reintroduction of oral tradition into the Rwandan life requires a national implementation. Preservative performance markets will become nodes in specific cities, and create a nation-wide dynamic and interactive network (figure 1, p.48). Hence, the sites promote strategic interventions by taking into account geographic and socio-cultural factors.

Rwanda, dubbed the ‘land of a thousand

hills’ for its endless hills, is located South of the Equator and benefits from a tropical climate in most of the country.

The small yet densely populated country, whose size is a little smaller than the state of Maryland, is divided into 5 provinces: Northern, Eastern, Southern, Western, and the Province of Kigali.

Kigali City’s rise as a monopolistic socio-economic and cultural hub over the years, and especially in the 21st century, sharpened the development gap between the capital and the rest of the developing cities in the country; strategically dubbed ‘secondary cities’ by government agencies in the hopes of boosting their development1. Secondary

1 Rwanda Governance Board, and Future Moves, Secondary Cities as the Future, Development through Governance, 2017

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cities present an opportunity to stimulate secondary city core development through markets by influencing the local urban development and addressing cultural preservation.

Additionally, they encourage the decentralization of economic investment, relieve Kigali City from the responsibility of carrying the cultural weight, and dignify the local inhabitants by making the knowledge – through the program- mobile, and accessible to a wide portion of the population.

Finally, promoting development in secondary cities, enhance the reputation of Rwanda and follow Rwandan Government goals2.

Four criteria determined the optimal location to house the intervention:

1.

Historical significance of the city and surrounding area, especially heritage tying back to traditional history and culture through oral tradition (such as proverbs, dynastic poems, tales, etc)

2.

Cultural heritage of the city and region, particular attention given to landmarks and cultural institutions;

3.

Economic potential with regards to node-creation; assessed through urbanization level, population density, economic success, poverty levels and socio-cultural attraction, and

4.

Regional and National accessibility in terms of transportation network between other secondary cities and Kigali, as well as intra-provincial connectivity.

2 Vision 2020, Vision 2050, Republic of Rwanda

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Figure 1. Map of Rwanda. Focused on assessing the urbanization , which is concentrated, naturally, around the capital city, with small hubs representing developing or hub cities.

This was looked at against the roads to assess accessibility. Author1, December 2018 1

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Road information from ArcGIS, Musanze Road Network, 2016

Figure 2. Map of Rwanda. Focused on assessing poverty ranges, cultural and historical hubs as well as physocal attractions. It seems as though Kigali city is a hub for many of these factors. Author1, December 2018 1

Landmark information from ArcGIS, Musanze Points of Interest, 2016

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CITY SPOTLIGHTS KIGALI Historic

•

Nickname for Rwanda: ‘Rwanda rwa Gasabo’, an homage to the location where the country is believed to have been founded. The Gasabo tree is found in the city of Northern part of the city.

•

During the 1994 genocide, the Nybarongo river, which flows through the city, was witness of massacres, and countless bodies were thrown in it over the course of the 100 days of massacre.

•

Unfortunately, all these benefits come with disadvantages,. The most obvious one being the oversaturation of investment coming into the city, leaving the rest of the country’s cities in a much more detrimental situation, and without as many opportunities for development.

•

Booming socio-economically, housing the biggest Genocide memorial, stadium, and luxury upscale hotels and shops as well as tech think tanks (fig 25, 26)

Cultural

Accessibility

•

•

The most accessible city in the country as located in the center (fig 23)

•

Its population approaching 800,000 inhabitants1; the urban sprawl dissipates throughout the provincecapital.

Home to the first colonial house, which was also the first brick house in the country: the Kandt house, built in 1908 for the German.

Socio-economic

Socio-economic

•

The current Capital city of Rwanda.

1 World Population Review, 2018.

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[top] 1. Aerial view of Kiyovu - the Center of Business District, brightly lit in the middle ground, and Gisozi and Gacuriro neighborhoods in the background - upscale residential hills. Source: Getty Images. [bottom] 2. Drone aerial shot of the Kigali Convention Center on the right and the Radisson Blu Hotel on the left in the foreground; as well as the Kigali Heights - a contemporary shopping center - lit up in the middle ground.. Source:

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HUYE Historic

•

Province secondary city

Former capital city of the country, named Astrida during the Belgian colonial period

Cultural

•

Intellectual hub, although the youth tends to leave for Kigali in hopes for better opportunities.

•

Cultural and potential

It is stagnant but in need of a booming development

educational

hub

•

Home of the first University in the country - National University of Rwanda

•

• •

Rwandan ethnographic museum

Accessibility

City of ‘Education, knowledge and historic and cultural heritage’2

•

Southernmost; connects to capital through Nyanza.

•

International access to Burundi.

Socio-economic

•

89,000

2

World Bank Group, Note 1: Urbanization and the Evolution of Rwanda's Urban Landscape, Reshaping Urbanization in Rwanda, 2017

3

World Population Review, 2018

inhabitants.3

Southern

3. Huye National Ethnographic Museum, exterior view.

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[top] 4. exterior view of National University of Rwanda [middle] 5. Aerial photograph of Huye city center. [bottom] 6. Typical peripheral landscape around Huye - but very common around the country too.

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NYANZa Historic

•

Last Royal Capital (circa 19081962) before the independence off 1962.

•

Commuter Hub for surrounding secondary cities

•

Main tourism hub regarding Royal history.

Cultural

Accessibility

•

•

Home of Royal Palace.

Socio-Economic

Main road between Kigali and Huye which are the most well known cities for economic and rooted reasons.

•

Booming ikivuguto and brochettes business4 (see fig 59)

4

ikivuguto is the Kinyarwanda word for yoghurt and brochette is a borrowed word from French translating to shish kebabs.

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[left] 7. Haji Nyanza is a nationally acclaimed shop selling ikivuguto and brochettes. [top right] 8. Traditional Rwandan Palace. Here, Traditional Royal House made of thatch, bamboo and cemented floors. [bottom right] 9. Royal Palace - the new one built by Mutara III Rudahigwa before his death. He never got to live in it, and it now serves as the Royal Museum in Nyanza.

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MUSANZE Historic

•

15th century home to the nomadic Royal Court ( surrounding area)

•

Buhanga Forest - Royal purification and coronation grounds.

•

Northern area was where the nation traveled and settled through around the 15th century.

gorilla trekking, national cyclist, cultural performances, caves, etc)

•

Transitional city - opportunity for growth, capital of the Northern province, and secondary city.

•

Agricultural productions

•

Vernacular materials

and

pyrethrum

Economic

Access

•

Secondary city, hence already on the map for development

•

National connector in the Province, with access to the rest of Rwanda.

•

87,000 inhabitants5. Cultural and Eco-tourism hub (volcanoes and

•

International connection to Uganda and Congo

5 World Population Review, 2018

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[opposite top] 10. Musanze city, slightly more hilly perspective, with the NR 4 main road dissecting the picture, the new GOEvO Market in the left foreground. Source: [opposite bottom] 11. Musanze city, slightly more hilly perspective, with the NR 4 main road dissecting th5 picture, the new GOICO Plaza market in the left foreground. Source: [top] 12. Volcanoes in the background on a clear day, and plateau-ed downtown Musanze as seen from the top of GOICO plaza, a new shopping center across from the NR4 main city road. One-story shops form the edge along the main road in downtown Musanze. Author, 2018 [bottom] 13. Stone path at the entrance to the Buhanga National Eco Park, Musanze district, Nkotsi sector, Bikara cell. (see figure 11). Author, 2018

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SITE ANALYSIS Musanze, a secondary city located in the Northwest of Rwanda, presents unique opportunities to draw from its genius loci stemming from its rich context. Dubbed the city of 'Ecofriendly mountain tourism and industry’ by the National Urbanization Policy, it is known and publicized for its unique and luxurious tourism as it neighbors the country’s volcanic range and gorilla treks, is home to a plethora of hospitality and is surrounded by arable land1.

This existing visibility was harnessed

to address the identity of Musanze as a transitional city by making it a node within the district, province, and country.

The Buhanga forest is one of the country’s best kept secrets; a significant historical landmark which is unknown to many, however, and was a crucial criteria in choosing this location (figure 2, below). The forest is believed to be the legendary royal ritual coronation grounds2 (13, p.57). It was also the home

1 World Bank Group, Note 1: Urbanization and the Evolution of Rwanda's Urban Landscape, Reshaping Urbanization in Rwanda, 2017 2 Historically, Rwandans first settles in the Northwestern lands as they conquered neighboring territories. it was

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[opposite] Figure 2. Map of Musanze and the surrounding area. distance between Musanze intersectionand the Buhanga forest through the main white road is about 10 minutes by car.

Author, December 2018 14. Historic Hotel Muhabura - one of the first hotels in town, accessible from the main road NR 4.

to Gihanga, the first king of Rwanda.

The only way in which the knowledge of this forest and the activities it hosted is available to us today is through the oral tradition, transmitted for generations.

Over the last couple of years the Rwandan Development Board has been working on developing the forest into an Eco-park, and accommodate cultural and natural tourism location.

Nevertheless, the location is still unknown or disregarded by many Rwandans today.

A ten minute drive North of the mystical forest, the project site is located within

the commercial hub of Musanze, dissected by a secondary road (p.75).

The site’s strategic location has a trifecta of benefits. The setback from the main road challenges the transitional nature of Musanze while remaining within the peripheries of the commercial district of the city (figure 3, p.60). Simultaneously, it maintains visibility to the main road, the main southern hill of the city which symbolically creates a southern focal point towards the Buhanga forestand a physical connection to the rest of the city.

not until the early 20th century that the Royal courts permanently migrated to the Southern city of Nyanza.

Based on Stewart Adington’s Kings of Rwanda: Fathers of a Nation, transcribed by Palacide Kayitare, 2014.

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Figure 3. Additional Site analysis Author, December 2018

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61

Figure 4. Site map contextual analysis of major transportation routes, built environment, and zoning. Author, December 2018

Moreover, half of the site is currently occupied by a farmers market (15, below), while the western part is a green space housing the local branch WASAC, the country;s electrical company. The site subtly extends the exposure of the project’s performative and preservation programs by engaging both sides of the secondary road, activating the intersection visible from the main national road, NR4.

Finally, its location – recessed from upscale and oversaturated

commercialized parts of the city (figure 4, p.61) – serves as a bridge between the social echelons, promoting accessibility; thus making cultural education and practice truly a unifying activity that transcends social echelons and intellectual acuity.

By resonating with the traditional art of orally transmitted information, the perpetuation, understanding, recording and transmission of language and culture is activated.

[top] 15. (1 on figure 30) Interior view of the current conditions inside the Agri Market - on site. There are only two entrances (16, 17, p. 63) to the market, through which hundreds of people walk in and out of every day. The narrow paths between rows of stalls are filled with additional items, making circulation for employees as for customers, very difficult.

The lack of rooftop coverage during rain hinders economic gains during the rainy season.

Finally, the the construction of the GOICO plaza saw the temporary displacement of the vendors from the latter location into the Agri-market while the new market was being built.

Although the new plaza has been opened for over a year, there are many vendors still present in the Agri-Market - who do not sell agricultural products- who haven't moved yet.

In the future design, the nature of the market - or markets- will have to be defined. Google Photos

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[top] 16. (2 on figure 30) Main entrance to the Agriculture Market, adjacent to an office of the sector's branch of SACCO (Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations), a government organization aimed at increasing the financial stability of the population of rural areas through financial investment. The program of the SACCO building, which is crucial for the market vendors and entrepreneurs of the area, ought to be accounted for in the designed intervention. The main entrance on the Southern side is barely noticeable, hidden behind umbrellas of tiny kiosks, trucks parked in front of its gates, and the SACCO building. The narrow streets and the lack of sidewalks do not help the . Author, 2018 [bottom] 17. (3 on figure 30) Northwestern entrance to the market from the alleyway between the EWSA and Agri Market lots. Next to the entrance, a small building with a hairdresser and a boutique. The entrance and path is overwhelmed with corn. Although the agri-market accommodates street vendors to clean up streets, several still prefer to set up outside the market in the peripheries. Author, 2018

63

[top] 18. (4 on figure 30) View of the side of the street across from the market. Landscape disturbed while works are being done and tubes installed underground. The corner is busy, and not as clear as it looks on maps such as figure 5 (p.66). Author, 2018 [bottom] 19. (5 on figure 30) Busy street activity as seen from the entrance of the alleyway dissecting the project's site. There isn't enough space on the street for comfortable movement, and the lack of any roadside engenders such vehicular turbulences. Author, 2018

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[top] 20. (6 on figure 30( Dissecting alleyway seen from the Northwestern entrance to the Agri Market. Unpaved and uneven. Author, 2018 [bottom] 21. (7 on figure 30) Dissecting alleyway seen from the main road. The wall on the left becomes a retaining wall for the hill seen on photograph 35. Author, 2018

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Figure 5. Detailed site map analysis. Corner treatment is crucial for circulation, accessibility and visibility improvement. Author, February 2019

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PRECEDENTS

Fatima Hotel, Musanze, Rwanda. Author, 2018

At it’s best, architecture’s function is hermeneutic, learning from its various predecessors with a range of success rates. Assessing what has been done in the past is one the benefits that records, and written word has given to us. Designers learns from the past and the future of design is simultaneously unpredictable yet ineluctably connected to the past. The progressive nature of man - and through man, design - makes change constant.

Assessing previous examples is imperative to understand the challenges and opportunities which relate to the issue at hand, as well as possible solutions in the hopes of forging a successful solution.

Musanze’s small urban scale compared to Kigali, or other prominent Rwandan cities, remote location and the multiplicity of the program proposed.

Musanze being at the cross roads between an urban city agricultural lands.

Looking into the contemporary local architecture unravels the realities and design philosophies which guide current architectural and design interventions.

Understanding them within their direct and broader context is crucial for the design stage in order to stay true to the vernacular nature, while keeping track of the contemporary trends. A critical mindset minimizes straying tendencies and annihilates non-contextual interventions.

1. Traditional house living room.

2. New shopping mall in Musanze. Source: The New Times

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Three questions surrounded selection of designed precedents.

the

1.

Vernacular architecture,

2.

Crossprogramming/ disprogramming strategies

3.

Reinvigoration of cultural heritage within local community.

The Brown Sugar Factory by Design and Architecture, and the School Library in Gando by Kére Architecture as well as the Yagan Square by Lyons Architects are striking examples showcasing not only an architect’s commitment and success in revitalizing vernacular materials and culture through the built environment, but also a designer’s opportunity to be a part of an effective development plan.

3. Interior night shot of the Brown Sugar Factory during production. Source: DnA Architecture 4. Exterior Shot under Yagan Square canopy. Source: Aspect Studio

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OBSOLETE ARCHITECTURE Rwandan exposure to foreign building materials and technology exploded in the 20th century (figure 1, p.14).

Government regulations, as well as the prominence of foreign technology render the traditional vernacular building technology obsolete and/ or illegal. Thatch (5, p.70) is an illegal material to use in urban areas.

Furthermore, Rwandans are required to enclose their every lot in urban settings, and install metal or shingled roofs and sturdy walls. There is thus a need to find solution transcending the available realm in order to innovate architecture.

There are two main issues broadly prevailing in the Rwandan society and which need to be addressed with regards to architecture and the built environment. First, the lack of research or exploration of vernacular building technology endangers its extinction.

Second, a more pressing issue being the realization of the psychological

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and biological effects of the built environment on man.

The last decade has seen an emergence, of architects and designers advocating for more conscious and healthier design. The Kintobo Hospital by Active Social Architecture (ASA) exemplifies an awareness of the positive impact of good design, and a dedication to design excellence to improve the quality of life and empowering communities (8, p.72). Furthermore, the Umubano Academy by Mass Design Group further exemplifies the value of locally made materials and labor; every project striving to transcend design and impact communities (9, p.72).

The future of architecture and design in Rwanda is a hopeful one, thriving in locally-made materials, and innovation will arise from harnessing global knowledge and implementing it meticulously in the local context.

[top] 6. Kandt’s house, first colonial house built in Rwanda for the German protectorate Kandt, Kigali, Rwanda. [bottom] 7. The Kigali Convention Center (right) and the Radisson Blu Hotel (left)- the newest addition to contemporary modern architecture in the booming city., Kigali, Rwanda.

Source:

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[top]8. Exterior shot of Kintobo Hospital. Source: Active Social Architecture [bottom] 9. Interior shot of Umubano Primary School. Source: Iwan Ban

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BROWN SUGAR FACTORY The Xing Village Brown Sugar Factory is one of the interventions aiming at developing the Songyang district in China. Designed by DnA architects, the factory exemplifies a forward thinking contemporary design and contextual architectural intervention which dignifies the local culture. The designer’s attune attention to and awareness of vernacular architecture and traditions of the village as well

as her subsequence respect and enhancement of the latter is a catalyst of development; intending to overturn the local brain drain whilst promoting cultural exchange and preservation.

This particular intervention challenges the typology which housed the centuriesold tradition of brown sugar production and enhances it programmatically, spatial, formally, and materially (11, p.73).

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[previous top] 10. Exterior shot of the factory with village in the background and plantations in the foreground. Source: DnA Architecture [previous bottom] 11. Interior night shot of the Brown Sugar Factory during production.

Source: DnA Architecture [top] Figure 1. Site Map of the factory for sense of scale and proportion to the village and surrounding villages. Author, October 2018. [bottom] Figure. 2. Aerial shot of factory and sphere of influence. Author, October 2018.

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[top] Figure. 2. Program distribution diagram. Author, October 2018. [bottom] Figure. 4 Programmatic qualities and trans-programming execution. Author, October 2018.

Programmatically, while the functions, and activities are not new, their organization is (figure 2). The factory’s exhibition area lifts up the community, open to everyone throughout the year, serving as a village community space.

Their adjacency allows the exhibition space to absorb the workshop space during the off-season; this turns out to be two thirds of the year (figure 4).

The clever juxtaposition of unrelated functions resulted in the factory becoming a cultural hub and an intervillage node, spurring cultural exchange

and preservation as surrounding villages join for performances and events. The appropriation of the formal, spatial and aesthetic needs of a cultural center dignifies the ancestral production and flaunts it as center stage, first and foremost. This power of the spatial condition is exemplified through the strong presence of natural light, a complete visibility onto the fields, the courtyard, and the exhibition hall that reveals the production processes; and finally, the exaggeration of the workshop space (14, p. 78). Staying in

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[top] Figure 12. The five main concept diagrams exploring visual access, translucency, natural light, noise. Author, November 2018. [opposite top] 12. Shaded View of the Exterior corridor facing the exhibition area towards the west. Source: DnA Architecture, 2017 [opposite bottom]13. Elder members of the village using factory permanent tables as sitting during a cultural event in the off-season. Source: DnA Architecture, 2017

touch with the vernacular and locally present materials, the factory uses bamboo as screening devices along the courtyard, alternating the openness and privacy of the spaces. The bricks are locally found, and the metal for the roof

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and upper portion of the workshop are a nod to contemporary constructions. (12, p.77) Acting as an attraction node, Xing Village’s tourism increased, boosting

the economy, and improving the quality of life. Addressing a need in a sensitive way which transcends the conventions or the minimum requirements oftentimes results in bigger, healthier crops.

However, this is also proof that in order to create positive change, there needs to be involvement from multiple key agents, such as the government (being the main one), municipal government, local craftspeople and village communities themselves (13, p.77).

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14 Daytime longitudinal shot of the factory during the brown sugar production season.

The skylights blend into windows and let light in. The raised roof creates an empyrean experience of the space. Source: DnA Architecture, 2017

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15 Skylights blend into windows and let light in the exhibition area as well. Vegetation is allowed in. All these moves blur the lines between interior and exterior, whilst using vernacular bricks, modern building materials (i.e metal) and technology combines old and new architecture and design. Source: DnA Architecture 2017

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SCHOOL LIBRARY IN GANDO Francis Kéré is known for his contemporary reiteration of vernacular African architecture. For Kéré, the key to a successful African contemporary architecture is the nature

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of the foundation; while embracing contemporary technologies and design techniques, the basis for design should always be reminiscent of and sensitive to the traditions of the local culture.

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Figure 14. Scale comparison of the school and scarce Gando village to the Harrison Stadium at Drury University in Springfield, MO. Author, November 2018

16. Rendering of multivalent shading devices turned into roof, and seating devices. KĂŠrĂŠ Architecture.

[opposite bottom]

[opposite top] Figure 13. Map of Burkina Faso with location of Gando with relations to capital city and neighboring countries. Author, November 2018

Traditions, because of the history of colonization, and the need to redirect, and rediscover the African-ness in architecture.

The Library at Gando the fourth part of a project aimed at providing education in his hometown while training his compatriots in how to use vernacular cheap materials in new creative ways (figure 15).

There are similarities between what we understand as contemporary forms and design techniques and vernacular architecture (figure 18).

The elliptical shape of the library may be contemporary, but the idea of a curvilinear building is not a new idea in Burkina Faso.

The library is straight forward in its primary program, and while sitting on the premises of a primary school, however, it serves the community (figure 16).

In fact, beyond the educational program that serves the primary school, the library facilitates intergenerational transfer of knowledge, with the practice of oral tradition, performances and teachings in mind. The organization of the bookshelves on the edges and walls rather than having furniture in the middle of the room allows for the openness. The combination of modern innovation in building technology to the vernacular building material is true to architectural cosmopolitanism (figure 19).

Figure 15 Timeline of Francis Kere’s projects in Gando. Author, November 2018

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[top] Figure 16. Programmatic distribution of the whole school, and of the library itself. it is clear that hybrid programs are emphasized through a dominance of outdoor spaces .

Author, November 2018 [middle] Figure 17. Plan of the library. Author, November 2018[bottom] Figure 18.

Vernacular Material analysis with modern passive ventilation system for a successful hybrid solution. Author, November 2018

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[top] Figure 19 Community engagement process for innovative construction. Author, November 2018 [bottom] 17 Final Exterior rendering of Library with screening. Source: Kere Architecture [opposite] 18. Yagan Square Angled shot exterior. Source: Arch Daily

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YAGAN SQUARE The Yagan Square, named after the aboriginal warrior Yagan, was designed

by Lyons Architects, and exists in Perth, Australia. A conglomeration of public gardens, plaza and open spaces, market shops, transit stops as well as embodies, quite literally, an immersive and multi-layered holistic celebration of multiculturalism and historical and cultural education and inclusiveness in the community.

The focus of this precedent deals less with its programmatic design layout as it does in the reiteration and successful exemplification of a contemporary multi-layered genius loci.

The goals for the Square were to celebrate the late Aboriginal Warrior Yagan, promote cultural education and

dignify the Aboriginals of Perth whilst making a politico-social statement, invigorating Yagan with a heroic status, overlooking the passersby.

The geometric shading devices and overwhelming asymmetrical structure intrigue those interacting with the square without making them uneasy; for it is all but the positive that shines through the corners. The architectural intervention is as modern and extravagant as it is subtle and peaceful, it is as loud as the steepest of its panels, and as quiet as the shallowest depths of its water features.

Just like abstraction offers one a blank canvas where imagination can wonder, the exaggeration and abstraction of the forms are decisions made to stimulate an emotional experience. The intimidating

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[top]19. Yagan Square Aerial View. Arch Daily [bottom] Figure 20. site plan analysis of Yagan Square Design. Author, November 2018 [opposite] 20. Exterior light designed by Ramus to showcase Aboriginals art and narratives.

Curated by the Aboriginal organizations Ramus

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shapes, almost breathing as they move from narrower to wider sizes, converging and diverging; activating the space both inside and out (see 19, p.88). The physical and metaphorical convergence gathers the narratives of those focused on – the aboriginals- and of everyone experiencing and going through the public square.

The project epitomizes a spiritual translation of Yagan’s existence throughout the four-dimensional sphere.

Paul Carter beautifully describes the genius loci of public space saying that:

“Public space dramaturgy understands performance as a long-term and recursive project. The interweaving of bodies, and of bodies in place, does not have a theatrical time frame. [If] we imagine the people who fade in and out of the frame of Yagan Square as grains of sand cast towards water, we have a rough analogy for the intelligence of the crowd intermittently gathering there. At a macro scale, each grain belongs to a larger pattern; however, at the micro level of the individual, each follows its own trajectory.” 1 This duality is an existential reality,

1 Carter, Paul, Places Made After Their Stories, Design and the Art of Choreotopography, 346-348, 381-384, University of Western Australia Scholarly, 2015

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which is another reason why this project is successful. Man, in terms of our species, is an individual, living and breathing, existing on his own and making his own choices; however, Man is also existing among other men, hence making man one and all, whole and fragmented all at once.

While the program has clear divides between more private and public areas, completely shaded or in-house and open-air activities, the design manages to blur those lines as one interacts with the space divided into private and public, open and housed activities (photographs 21). The museums and exhibition spaces as well as the transit areas which are located indoors have a much more different experience, seemingly private whilst opening to the public.

The digital media and lighting experience was delivered in

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collaboration with the Whadjuk Working Party, to provide a place for people to “meet, discover and celebrate Western Australia’s unique local produce, culture and heritage.” (20, p.

87) The Square transcends its immediate context and direct set of visitors on one hand by creating a detour in the public transit in the area, thus forcing an interaction with the square at different levels (photographs 19, 22). The presence of the building in and of itself is almost mystical.

This project is very successful in encouraging a more immersive engagement with local communities (photograph 23). Furthermore, the Square’s eminent boldness married with deep genius loci proves that design doesn’t have to be visually bland to be highly contextual.

[opposite] 21. Exterior view under geometric shade. Aspect Studio [top] 22. Tod-down view over the fountains, Aspect Studio [bottom] 23 exterior view of the Square with sculpture of Yagan raised. Arch Daily [opposite] 24 Exterior view of the garden and connecting path to the Square. Aspect Studio

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90

SPECULATIONS

View of Muhabura volcano, Musanze, Rwanda, Author, 2018

SPECULATIONS Speculation in design transcends its usual function as problem-solving intervention and enquires tentative impacts of design in its broadest sense (figure 1). Five speculations have been identified as desired positive impacts of the future designed intervention; and will serve as a guide throughout the practical exploration.

2.

•

Design philosophy

•

Vernacular materials and blending local/traditional and modern building technology.

1.

•

Accessibility

3.

•

Community engagement

•

Ease of access and transportation around and within the market.

•

Engaging in participatory design to engage community throughout

Non-elitist access knowledge.

to

cultural

Local and national paradigm shift in design and architecture, recognizing the latter's impact on the health and wellbeing.

Active participation in the proliferation, practice and thus preservation of traditions.

Figure 1. Speculation diagram. Elvia's Blog for everything, 'What is Speculative / Critical / Fiction / Design? – Part 1', 2017

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Figure 2. Speculation diagram organized by scale (local, national) and realms (social, design) of influence. Author, December 2018

the construction process as well as throughout future design processes.

4.

•

•

Preservation mentality Change of attitude towards preservation through active, conscious and dynamic practice of diverse local oral traditions (performances, recitals, dances,etc) Rise of a rigorous process of preservation of ephemeral heritage through archiving, research, education and distribution.

•

Enhancing population curiosity about cultural and historic heritage.

5.

•

Development initiatives

market typology with contextual modification in scale, size and program

•

Development of the historic and cultural Musanze, transcending the long-term unreliability of hospitality and touristic economy.

•

Creation of a nation-wide network of similar interventions for knowledge and cultural exchanges.

Figure 2 shows their organization across two realms and two scales of influence.

Dissemination of an optimized

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Eight design tools have been identified as crucial for the designed intervention:

1.

Vernacular materials

2.

Building technology

3.

Natural ventilation

4.

Views

5.

Multi-functional spaces

6.

Street Corner treatment

7.

Programming

8.

Spatial hierarchy.

Their relationships to the speculations are analyzed in figure 3.

Figure 3. Relationships between speculations and design tools are represented in this diagram. Widths indicates the usefulness of a tool. Author, December 2018

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DESIGN

This section draws from and further develops previous site and program studies, and documents the design exploration behind the final proposal.

Inspired by the strong centrality of the Rwandan traditional house, the Musanze Cultural Exchange provides a curvilinear approach and experience through the site, as well as through the built spaces. The natural curve encourages a playful journey throughout the site, providing moments of pause, reflection, quiet, as well as energetic and active spaces. A comprehensive

contextual sensitivity to the local materials, topographic environment, climate, current site approach and function further guided the overall organization of the design.

The following design development represents one possible way to address the issue, following a more urban scale of intervention, and using a built architectural intervention. Many other approaches can be achieved to address this issue, at various scales of engagement.

Figure 1. Schematic design exploration plan. Author, February 2019 Figure 2.Schematic design exploration plan. Author, February 2019

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Figure 3. Schematic design exploration plan. Author, February 2019 Figure 4.Schematic design exploration plan. Author, February 2019

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SITE ANALYSIS

Figure 5 Urban Fabric Author, March 2019

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Figure 6. Surrounding Activity. Author, March 2019

99

Figure 7. Road Types. Author, March 2019

100

Figure 8. Main commercial activity zone. Author, March 2019

101

Figure 9. Green Spaces. Author, March 2019

102

Figure 10. Current Site Approaches. Author, March 2019

103

Current site observations | issues • • •

No sidewalk Uneven/unclear alleyway road Grown vegetation is an obstacle for unified site

• •

Narrow congested entrance Insufficient parking space - hazardprone

•

SACCO building typology) Congested entrance Invisible market

Fig 11. Main intersection and central alleyway entry, Author, February 2019

Fig 12. Main entrance (close-up), Author, February 2019

• •

Fig 13. Main entrance | Bus Station, Author, February 2019

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(typical

• • • •

Insufficient storage space Lack of overhead protection Exposed goods Narrow congested circulation path

•

Current and future view restrictions due to code height limits (3-8 stories) Lack of public green space Lack of public seating Street vending

Fig 14. Current market appearance, Author, February 2019

• • •

Fig 15. Surroundings and site viewed from North alleyway.

Author, February 2019

• • • • •

Narrow uneven alleyway Steep topographic condition Street Erosion-prone Not enough space within the current market space for sellers.

Fig 16. Site Alleyway, Author, February 2019

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PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

commercial

MARKET SHOPS

MARKET KIOSKS

CAFE

RESTAURANT

OUTDOOR PLAZA

GREEN SPACE & PLAYGROUND

exchange

cultural

PAVILION MULTIPURPOSE CLASSROOMS

EDUCATION

LIBRARY

research

RESEARCH LAB

MULTIMEDIA ROOMS

PROCESSING | ANALYSIS ARCHIVE

archive

CURATORIAL SPACE

DISTRIBUTION

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES

Figure 17. Program update. Author, February 2019

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EXHIBITION GALLERY PROCESSING AND DISTRIBUTION

Figure 18. Program update. Author, February 2019

107

Figure 19. Conceptual mapping of year-round program activities. Author, March 2019

108

109

Figure 20. Conceptual mapping of daily program activities. Author, March 2019

CONCEPT

Figure 21. Conceptual diagram of exchange Author, January 2019

Figure 22. Conceptual diagram of igitaramo as the gathering space for cross-generational exchange Author, January 2019

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centrality

within a single urugo

hearth within a single compound

village compound

enclosed space

open space

space formed by surrounding

Figure 23.Spatial exploration of the Rwandan umuryango. Author, February 2019

111

circulation

Operations

Figure 24. How does alignment affect experience of space? Studying longitudinal vs curvilinear layout. Exploration of spatial experience in the two cases, arguing for a more fluid and less rigid experience in the latter option. Author, February 2019

Figure 25. Exploration of the location of and access to the central gathering space in relation to other program activities (black circles), their sphere of influence and the creation of a journey. Author, Spring 2019

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Figure 26.. Circulation-based layout exploration. Author, February 2019

scattered

gradual

Figure 27. Program organization along path. Circles represent the fluid programs (i.e. commercial), while the square refer to the rigid program (archival, educational, research) Author, February 2019

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circulation MERCHANTS

ADMINISTRATORS

RESEARCHERS

YOUTH CULTURAL EXCHANGE

COMMERCIAL EXCHANGE

RESEARCH

DISTRIBUTION

ARCHIVE

Figure 28. Program vs user group exploration. Author, March 2019

a ial Exch Commerc

RESEARCH

DISTRIBUTION

LIBRARY

nge

ARCHIVE

PAVILION | PLAZA RESEARCH DISTRIBUTION

PAVILION | PLAZA

ARCHIVE

LIBRARY

PRIVATE

PUBLIC

Figure 29. Circulation diagrams .Author, Spring 2019

114

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Figure 30. Conceptual central plaza radiation across site. Author, Spring 2019

Figure 31. Site connections - the central plaza organizes the commercial program. .Author, Spring 2019

115

topography studies

Figure 32. Sectional studies. Author, Spring 2019

Figure 33. Plan studies.Author, Spring 2019

Figure 34. Massing diagrams Author, Spring 2019

116

Figure 35. Topographic relationships .Author, Spring 2019

Figure 36. Experiential journey exploration - longitudinal .Author, Spring 2019

Figure 37. Connection between fluid and solid spaces .Author, Spring 2019

Figure 38. Site movement and scalar relationships. Author, Spring 2019

117

FINAL DESIGN

39. Aerial Render Author, April 2019

118

119

site organization

The organization of the program on the site facilitates access to resources, interaction and the exchange of knowledge.

1. Market | the welcome and main component

of the Musanze Cultural Exchange. It offers a familiar program while erecting the additional cultural program from within.

2. Archive | the main archive is underground,

requiring exploring and engaging with the topographic context to access the space. The restaurant, located on the floor above, offers a moment of pause and visibility to the entire site.

3. Library | the first accessible resource, oriented towards the public coming from the main Southern entrance.

4. Research | Oriented with unobstructed views towards the plaza and the other structures.

Figure 40. Roof plan. Author, April 2019

120

4

2

3

1

121

Figure 41. Plaza views. Author, April 2019

Figure 42. Aerial view | library and markets. Author, April 2019

Figure 43. Layered site experience, Author, April 2019

122

buhanga forest

Design doesn't, and shouldn't, limit itself to the structures that occupy physical space. Instead, a site's extended context can be further harnessed to enhance the experience. The Musanze Cultural Exchange evokes the Buhanga forest,

both through genius loci as well as through more literal analogies, such as the centrality and causation of placeness, a meaningful journey and dense vegetation. This connects the spaces on both physical and metaphysical levels.

Outdoor Plaza

Central component of the design, the plaza unifies the complex and gathers all. The plaza is the main gathering space where events, formal igitaramo as well as informal interactions, would occur.

Dense Green Approach

Continuing the immersive experience of the Buhanga forest, the approach remains densely vegetated, clearing itself gradually as one approaches the central plaza.

Reconnecting Paths

The paths are intertwined, flowing through various topographies and allowing for a varies experience of the area, while leading the visitors and merchants towards cultural activities.

Building platforms

The buildings are oriented to radiate towards the center of the Musanze Cultural Exchange, encouraging a holistic engagement.

Green space

Ample green open space reconnects one with nature, even in a busy urban environment. Similarly to the Buhanga forest, the green connects Man, Earth and heaven.

Figure 44. Layered site experience, Author, April 2019

123

program organization

Exchange Education Research Archive Distribution Utilities

Figure 45. Program distribution exploded axonometric Diagram. Allow for an interaction all the way throughout the building. Every floor has an exchange component which allows people to truly enter the spaces. Author, April 2019

124

building components Tensile roof

The tensile roof provides a translucent and breathable solution to the markets, while creating interesting light experiences through the incorporation of kitenge material.

Overhead screens

Placed along the paths adjacent to the main buildings covering the path. Aside from creating shade, the lower position offers a more intimate experience.

Support system

Provides additional support and visual connection throughout journey.

Shading system

Spread deliberately around the site, the wooden shading system creates intimate spaces for interaction, as well as shade from sun and rain.

Roof support

MARKET

The light yet long tensile roof system is supported mainly at the corners of the market platforms.

Market Platforms

Organized radially in response the buildings they introduce, and oriented towards the plaza.

Figurer 46. Building components exploded axonometric diagram. Author, April 2019

125

circulation studies

Figurer 47. Main access points. Author, April 2019

Figurer 48. Market, Author, April 2019

126

Figurer 49.Plaza - Classroom - Gallery, Author, April 2019

Figurer 50. Market - Cafe - Library. Author, April 2019

127

Figure 51. Ground level plan. Author, April 2019

128

129

MARKET | EXCHANGE PROGRAM 1. Market Stall 2. Open Space 3. Main circulation

3

6’-00” 7’-00”

1

2

Figure 52. Level 1 Author, April 2019

130

1/50” = 1’ 00”

Figure 53 Education Level 2. Author, April 2019

Figure 54. Longitudinal section. Author, April 2019

Figure 55. Longitudinal site section. Author, April 2019

131

LIBRARY | EDUCATION PROGRAM 11 8

4

6 5

2

3 1

6’-00”

2

Figure 56. Level 1 Author, April 2019

1/25” = 1’ 00”

Figure 57. Lateral section. Author, April 2019

Figure 58. Longitudinal site section. Author, April 2019

132

1. Reception 2. Reading Room 3. Cafe 4. Office 5. Classroom 6. Meeting Room 7. Multimedia Room 8. Storage 9. Gallery 10. Store 11. Utilities

9 18’-00”

10

2 5

7 2

Figure 59. Level 2

2

7

1/25” = 1’ 00”

Figure 60. Longitudinal section. Author, April 2019

133

ARCHIVE | PRESERVATION PROGRAM 1

2

13’-00”

3

4

6

5 7

Figure 61. Preservation level 1 Author, April 2019

1/25” = 1’ 00”

Figure 62. Longitudinal Section. Author, April 2019

134

1. Multipurpose Studio 2. Utilities 3. Storage 4. Meeting Room 5. Archive Office 6. Archive 7. Gift shop 8. Classroom 9. Gallery 10. Office 11. Restaurant 12. Kitchen

8

1 10 22’-00”

9

11 12

Figure 63. Preservation level 2 Author, April 2019

Figure 64. Lateral section. Author, April 2019

1/25” = 1’ 00”

Figure 65. Lateral section. Author, April 2019

135

RESEARCH FACILITY | CONSERVATION PROGRAM 3

2 22’-00”

1

4

16’-00”

Figure 66. Research and plaza plan 1/25” = 1’ 00” Author, April 2019

136

1.

2.

3.

4.

Gallery Office Meeting Room Multipurpose Room

Figure 67. Longitudinal section. Author, April 2019

Figure 68. Section through plaza. Author, April 2019

137

East Section Research and Library

Figure 69. East site section Author, April 2019

138

139

Figure 70. Northeast site section 1/75" = 1'00" Author, April 2019

Figure 71. Eastern site section 1/75" = 1'00" Author, April 2019

Figure 72. South site section 1/75" = 1'00" Author, April 2019

140

141

Figure 73. Exterior eye level | musanze cultural exchange main entrance. Author, April 2019

Figure 74. Exterior eye level | cafe, markets and library. Author, April 2019

142

Figure 75. Interior eye level | library first floor. Author, April 2019

Figure 76. Interior eye level view | interior archive. Author, April 2019

143

Figure 76. Interior eye level view | research gallery and plaza. Author, April 2019

Figure 77. Aerial view | archive and library. Author, April 2019

144

SOURCES

Sacred source, Buhanga Forest, Rwanda, Victor Shyaka, 2018

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Badalge, Keshia, Can Architecture Save China’s Rural Villages? DnA’s Xu Tiantian Thinks So, ArchDaily, 2018 Carter, Paul, Places Made After Their Stories, Design and the Art of Choreotopography, 346-348, 381-384, University of Western Australia Scholarsly, 2015 Cindy, Enclosures of the Kings, February 2016. Enclos*ureTakeRefuge.com DnA, Hakka Indenture Museum, ArchDaily, 2018 ___., Hakka Indenture Museum, Design and Architecture, 2017 Donoghue, Katy, How Peter and Cathy Halstea Cultivate Transformative Experiences at Tippet Rise Art Center, Whitewall, 2018 Eisenstein, Elizabeth, Western Christendom Disrupted, in the Printing Revolution in Early Modern Europe. NewYork: Cambridge University Press, 1993. Pp 148-186.

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Frearson, Amy, 10 Architects and Designer that are championing afrotourism, DeZeen, 2018 Frearson, Amy, Frida Escobedo builts Serpentine Pavilion featuring “woven tapestry” of concrete tiles, DeZeen, 2018 ___., Look inside Frida Escobedo’s Serpentine Pavilion in 360-degree video, DeZeen, 2018 Gassel, Ita, Poésie Dynastique du Rwanda Traditionnel , African Arts, Vol. 1 No. 4, 71-95, UCLA James S. Coleman African Studies Center, 1968.

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"To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child" - marcus aurelius cicero

KU ISOKO Preserving RWANDAN Cultural Heritage by Rethinking the Market Typology

master of architecture thesis drury university 2019

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Angela uruhimbi SHYAKA