African Design Magazine ADM #42 July 2018 | Page 32

FACULTY BUILDING IN RWANDA
FEATURING COMPLEX SHAPES
AT UNIVERSITY OF RWANDA’S FACULTY
OF ARCHITECTURE BUILDING
The new Faculty of Architecture building at the University of
Rwanda’s College of Science and Technology campus in Nyarugenge
District is the result of a global site analysis. Its architecture is
inspired by the territory and by colours and shapes found in nature.
The four natural elements are represented in the conception of the
building: Fire(orange colour), water (inner garden), air (circulation),
and earth (lava rock and rammed earth).
A
rchitects Patrick Schweitzer &
Associate’s created a design
that focused on the client’s
need for simple technical solutions to
build and to maintain. An example of
this is the fact that there is no lift, but
rather a large and comfortable ramp
that allows people to proceed to the
second floor.
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AFRICAN DESIGN MAGAZINE © | JULY 2018
Daylighting and orientation also played
a role with a number of prerequisites
being protection from excess solar
exposure, adequate daylighting levels
for all major spaces as a means of
ensuring environmental sustainability,
comfort of the spaces, and low energy
operating costs. Furthermore, the
project needed to ensure basic comfort