Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios (FCBStudios), a British architectural design firm, has been selected to develop the green city Kigali master plan and detailed designs for the pilot phase.
Established in 1978, with offices in Bath, London, Manchester, Belfast and Edinburgh, the firm is known for its pioneering work in sustainable design and social design agenda.
The selection was done in partnership with the Royal Institute of British Architects according to Rwanda Green Fund (FONERWA).
The Kigali Green City project, initially estimated to cost $5 billion, will provide green and affordable housing in the Kinyinya neighbourhood of the capital in Gasabo district and serve as a model for sustainable urban development, connecting affordable housing with climate change adaptation and mitigation measures.
The Green City Kigali project, the first of its kind in Africa, is being implemented by FONERWA with financial support from the German Development Cooperation through the KfW Development Bank and the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
Sitting on 600 hectares, it is expected to provide up to 30,000 affordable housing units.
The 16-hectare pilot phase of the Green City Kigali will now begin after the selection of the UK firm to develop detailed designs for the pilot phase, FONERWA said.
The project will serve as a model for sustainable urban development that can be replicated across Rwanda and the region, said the Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Green Fund, Teddy Mugabo,
She said the project will serve as a catalyst for change, not only in Rwanda but also in the region.
“We are delighted to be working with FCBStudios on the design of the Green City Kigali master plan and detailed designs for the pilot phase. We can’t wait to get started,” she said.
Peter Clegg, Senior Partner at FCBStudios, pledged to bring the Green City Kigali to life.
“This is a truly extraordinary opportunity to address one of the major global environmental challenges we face in the next 50 years – the projected mass urbanisation and population growth across the African continent.
“The bringing together of innovative, sustainable, viable, affordable, and culturally relevant solutions has been at the heart of our approach as it has to be realistically replicable,” he said.
He said the firm will bring together a team of experts to implement the project.
“FCBStudios will collaborate with international, regional architects and national consulting partners to deliver the master plan and detailed designs for the 16-hectare pilot phase,” he said.
The city will have clean technologies, electric vehicles, electric bicycles and motorcycle lanes, renewable energy, sustainable waste treatment, biogas plants, urban forests, among others.
Different contractors will take part in the project.
For instance, under the Cactus Green Park project, 410 houses with green spaces will be developed by Horizon Group Ltd on 13 hectares of land, he added.
Rwanda Social Security Board will develop affordable green houses on 125 hectares.
The project has potential to create approximately 16,000 jobs when fully developed.
Source: Michel Nkurunziza | Newtimes.co.rw