This centre focusing on combating the spread of female genital mutilation was created by AIDOS, an Italian NGO fighting for women's rights in developing countries. The project is located in a poor suburb that is entirely devoid of any planning regulations or basic infrastructure. The brief required a building complex capable of hosting a variety of activities under very harsh circumstances. There is a training centre for awareness-raising, a consultancy centre, used for medical visits, legal assistance and psychological counselling and a communal garden. The centre's two main buildings are set atop a single raised platform for better hygienic and climatic conditions. The complex is protected from rainfall and direct sunshine by a lightweight, waterproof, recyclable PVC velarium supported by an independent structure of steel "trees". This sloping tarpaulin is also part of a system that collects and stores rainwater to irrigate the garden. The walls are constructed using compressed dry-stacked clay bricks made on site using a rough mixture of earth, cement and water. The roofs are made of corrugated aluminium and translucent decking that allows natural light to filter into the interiors. The building orientation reduces the effects of hot wind and takes advantage of mutual shading. There is extensive use of windows and transitional spaces, such as verandas or patios, to separate enclosed areas. The space between the steel roof and the velarium and the open cavity beneath the platform, together with the exterior openings fitted with operable glass fins, all help to improve the natural ventilation of interior spaces and drastically reduce the need for mechanical air conditioning.
