EAIA ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS COMPETITION

The studio project entitled "Swahili Wood Restoration Center: Workshop and Exhibition" of Jean Paul Uwase Sebuhayi a 3rd year architecture student in FAED was awarded the "Best student work from emerging schools of architecture" in the East Africa Region prize.

This year’s competition took place in Kampala on 28th to 30th July 2011. The event is organized every year by the (EAIA) East Africa Institute of Architects, and aims to encourage students to keep pushing their projects to the limits as much as they can. It is also intended to promote and award the students' best projects in the region, from emerging schools and also the best final projects. This year, The first price for the final project went to University of Nairobi. The student awarded was Nyandiko O. Frederick for the project named “Malindi Water world Oceanarium”.

The deliberating jury was impressed by the quality of work Jean Paul Sebuhayi in its exhibition and its presentation. The project presented was done on a site outside of Rwanda (Mombasa Old Town, Kenya). The challenge presented by the project was how to respond to the diversity of a mixed urban development. To achieve a sustainable and suitable design that learns from the site conditions and constraints and the local authorities requirements. It was crucial to understand and strength the existing historical and urban qualities, given by the identity of Swahili architecture. In addition, the design solution should demonstrate clear understanding of mixed urban development, site planning, appropriate design scale to the local setting and use of private and public spaces, movement patterns and form / image.

The members of the jury congratulated the faculty staff members as well as the work as school of architecture, encouraging and valuing what FAED has accomplished so far.

Jean Paul Sebuhayi thanks his instructors (Toma Berlanda, Nerea Amoros Elorduy, Kefa Angwenyi) for their efforts to make sure his work is well done and worth presenting to this competition. He thanks as well Christian Benimana, the FAED members, lecturers, and all his colleagues’ students.

Thanks to AAR (Architects Association of Rwanda) and particularly Eudes Kayumba (ex president of EAIA) for help us, be always supportive with the new generation of rwandan architects and make this happen.