Kibera Girls Soccer Academy
Photo Credit: Jake Naughton
Project developed in collaboration with KGSA Foundation, Design Source, Max Fordham, Arup, NM Engineering, and Orkidstudio.
Location: Kibera Slum - Nairobi, Kenya
Project Type: Dormitory/School
Duration: 2012-present
Partner Organization: KGSA
Size: 12,000 sq ft
We were approached by a non-profit organization called KGSA Foundation to help them design a new dormitory, school, and community center for 120 young women in Kibera Slum. One of the largest informal settlements in the world, Kibera is home to a staggering number of permanent residents and a myriad of design challenges. We decided to form a team with other design professionals in the construction and engineering industry that could help bring this project halfway across the world to life. With more control of design implementation and detailing, we were able to deal with the process from both an objective perspective while somewhat removed from the context of Kibera. We colored this with multiple immersive, and lengthy experiences on site. Some elements of the design were iterated intensely to find solutions that link the project to the place while supporting local economies. The design allows the surroundings to influence the way the building works, looks, and feels. Although the project has a holistic design approach, many elements of the design that are non-essential engineered systems are seeded to members of the community to embed their own meaning in the space.
Copyright 2018 - Matthew Tierney, Bankslave Omondi, and Orkidstudio
Copyright 2018 - Orkidstudio and Matthew Tierney
Copyright 2018 - Orkidstudio, Richard Teka, and Matthew Tierney