A group of 22 UNIGE master's students, led by Professor Armelle Choplin and doctoral researchers Alexis Sebarenzi and Higor Carvalho, traveled to Rwanda's capital to take part in the Urban Fabric Initiative.

This initiative was a collaboration with the Agence française de développement (AFD), the City of Kigali, Rwanda Women’s Network, Bantu Design, and Expelia. Their insightful experience is detailed below!

Before take-off: Preparatory Phase in Geneva

The Urban Futures Workshop Project is part of the Urban Fabric Initiative funded by l’Agence française de développement (AFD) under the Kigali Informal Settlement Upgrading Project (KISUP) launched by the City of Kigali. With projects already existing in Ouagadougou, Dakar and Abidjan, the aim is to create living laboratories for citizen initiatives, adopting a bottom-up approach supporting city stakeholders in co-designing and co-constructing small-scale upgrading and community infrastructure projects in public spaces. Therefore, the aim for the students throughout the semester is to produce a diagnosis and a project for two Kigali neighbourhoods, Kagugu and Rwezamenyo/Nyakabanda, in the frame of the UFI.

During their time in Geneva, students were immersed in the theoretical aspects of urban planning through magistral lectures. They also had the opportunity to apply this knowledge in a practical setting, producing a comprehensive report. Online meetings with project partners Bantu Design and AFD further enriched their learning experience, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding of the field and address key issues.

Arrival in Kigali: Kigali 2050, University of Rwanda, Local Communities

After attending a presentation on the City of Kigali 2050 Master Plan and engaging in a Q&A session with city officials, students had the opportunity to explore the Kigali Master Plan 2050 exposition room at the City of Kigali Hall. This experience provided them with a practical insight into both the opportunities and challenges that Kigali faces in its journey towards sustainable development. Additionally, the students attended a public lecture by Armelle Choplin at the University of Rwanda's College of Architecture and Built Environment, where they interacted with both students and faculty members. Throughout the week, approximately ten University of Rwanda students actively participated in field visits, sharing their knowledge and firsthand experiences of the field sites.

Field Visits and On-Site Workshop

During the fieldwork, students, along with UoR students, conducted a study in three neighborhoods (Kagugu, Rwezamenyo, and Nyakabanda) to gather data on social dynamics and public space usage. They aimed to propose "quick wins" projects based on their observations, which would be presented to a jury consisting of partners and UoR faculty on the final day of the field trip. Collaboration between the two universities facilitated exchanging knowledge and developing feasible proposals in line with the KISUP.

Midterm Presentation of Fieldwork Results

Our  students presented the initial diagnosis and project to a jury composed of representatives from ADF, the Swiss Embassy in Kigali, Rwanda's Women Network, and Bantu Design as part of a mid-semester evaluation before their return to Geneva. The insights gathered from this presentation are critical for deepening research and developing a final design and social behaviour map to design future interventions.

Back in Geneva: Final Proposals and Online Meeting with UFI Stakeholders

After returning to Geneva, the students had a month to refine the proposals and diagnostic documents for the program in Kigali. The group developed two major proposals: one for the Kagugu neighbourhood and a joint one for the Rwezamenyo and Nyakabanda neighbourhoods. These proposals focused on tactical urbanism and participatory design, aiming to bring about tangible short- and long-term changes. Over 20 stakeholders from Kigali, Paris, and Geneva attended the final presentation virtually, and we were joined in person by the Rwanda Women’s Network director. The deliverables from the students will be utilized in the next steps of the UFI project, which has just entered its operational phase and is scheduled for completion in two years. The Urban Futures Workshop anticipates revisiting the UFI projects in Kigali in two years.

Once again, we restate our sincerest gratitude to the UFI partners and AFD for providing such a valuable field experience for UNIGE master students!