Rwanda is one of the world’s fastest-growing economies and a global leader in climate-forward development. But with this rapid growth comes a tension that is playing out across the African continent: Can human development and ecological restoration be advanced together, or are they fundamentally in conflict?

Nowhere is this question more urgent than in Kigali’s wetlands. These once-overlooked ecological zones are now at the center of a major urban transformation–transitioned from informal settlements and industrial uses to restored landscapes serving as vital infrastructure for biodiversity, flood control, climate resilience, and public life. Yet the restoration of these ecosystems has also come at a social cost, displacing thousands of vulnerable residents. In parallel, new eco-planned neighborhoods like Green City Kigali target upper-middle income and international residents, prompting questions of equity, access, and ecological gentrification.

This studio begins with a provocation: What would it mean to pursue abundance–for both people and planet–through the design of urban housing and ecological infrastructure in one of the world’s most biodiverse regions? What if housing development could become a tool for regenerative urbanism, reconciliation, and coexistence? Students will explore these questions through ecologically significant landscapes in the Albertine Rift region: Kigali’s Urban Wetlands.

Throughout the semester, students will examine the unique conditions that have shaped the ongoing tension between human development and ecological conservation in Rwanda. They will study the country’s approaches to economic growth, food security, conservation, craft, and tourism, and develop research-based proposals that integrate design, policy, and ecological frameworks. Early coursework will include inspiration gathering, literature review, precedent and data analysis, leading to the creation of a stakeholder engagement plan to inform a virtual site visit. Students will then work in groups to generate a “design playbook” and identify a project site(s). Final deliverables will include a development framework and speculative design proposal that centers the wetland ecosystem and housing typology as the intersecting forces that could drive a new model of regenerative urban development.

Key themes that will be explored in the class include, but are not limited to: Ecological Urbanism, Informal and Formal Patterns of Urban Growth, Trauma-Informed Design and Restorative Justice, Urban Metabolism, Ecological Economics, Affordable Housing Development, Biodiversity and the Role of Human Settlement in Ecosystem Recovery.

Instructors will hold weekly in-person desk crits, seminars, and mid-reviews; visiting critics and guest speakers will be incorporated throughout the term.

The studio will be supported by community and resident engagement in collaboration with Rwandan University architecture and planning students as well as designers at the MASS (Model of Architecture Serving Society) Kigali Office. The studio will engage directly with key partners such as the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), City of Kigali officials, as well as local organizations and experts in fields of community development and conservation. 

Note regarding the Fall 2025 GSD academic calendar: The first day of classes, Tuesday, September 2nd, is held as a MONDAY schedule at the GSD. Courses that meet only on Tuesdays will meet for the first time on September 9th. Courses meet regularly otherwise. Please refer to the GSD academic calendar for additional details.