This mini-village on a one-hectare site transforms an unsustainable urban agglomeration and subsistence farming. Circular forms radiate from five small, and two bigger, classrooms to a community space, farmer’s market, guest lodging and a civic realm beyond. Bricks are made from clay found adjacent to the site by the centre’s users, a process that creates income opportunities and spurs social solidarity. Lightweight corrugated canopies, supported on tapered steel girders, float above the masonry and funnel water to buried cisterns. The innovative programme includes a demonstration farm that helps women produce and market their own goods, manage a business and fuel the local economy.

Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture