La Colombiere School was founded in October 1990 in Burundi to provide education for Rwandan children living there at that time. After the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, La Colombiere School moved to Rwanda in February 1995. The school was unfortunately located in a wetland which is currently under reclamation by the City of Kigali.

We note that the school is a significant part of the history of the country, having not only contributed to the infrastructure of rebuilding of the nation but also doing it through providing education. However, we cannot ignore the impact on the environment as a result of locating the school in a wetland. And now that the City of Kigali is advancing their mandate to preserve, conserve and reinvigorate the environment, it only prudent this is supported.

The dilemma now is how to harness both the history and potential of the school in view of current events. And key questions that emerge from an architectural, anthropological and art perspective include: How do we conceive, advance and structure the relocation? How do we deal with heritage and conservation of the site and the school? As such, this project’s aim is to explore how heritage and environmental conservation may foreground interventions that are beneficial to both the current site (and City of Kigali) and any proposed new location for the school.