Atelier Rwanda at „La Biennale di Venezia“ - Kathy Kaaf

Atelier Rwanda at „La Biennale di
Venezia“
Six big events took place around Atelier Rwanda, which made it a proud and memorable experience at the
world famous International Architecture Exhibition in Venice, starting with Bettina Scholl-Sabbatini's preview
at the Venetian Galery Ledi with her extraordinary objects: "Coques- Coquilles- Esprits- Genies". Venice was
bathed in sunshine, when, headed by SI President Hanne, Soroptimists from all over Europe and Rwanda,
met Professor Gaddo Morpurgo and his students from IUAV University of Venice at Campo Santo Stefano
San Marco to celebrate the event together with students and Professors from KIST (Kigali Institute of
Science and Technology). In the afternoon we enjoyed the film Yego, a Rwandan story which brought to life
the country and its way of life.
In the evening we were delighted to be invited to one of the palaces which add so much to the charm of
Venice, the city of lagoon. The opening of the exhibition took place in Palazzo Mangilli, the wonderful
headquarters of Fondazione Claudio Buziol, the main sponsor of Altelier Rwanda. It was inspiring to see the
result of two years' workshops, organized by IUAV and KIST in collaboration with SI/E.
The traditional Rwandan techniques had been transformed into lovely modern jewellery. The other part of the
Atelier Rwanda, the laboratory of research for innovative and applied design, was also shown and admired
e.g. models of houses showing the types of roofs that can make use of rain water. Students of Professor
Malpurgo sold bracelets in the Mobius form and black T-shirts with the impressive Atelier Rwanda logo.

The next day brought another highlight, the opening of a photographic exhibition with photos of Rwanda and
Burkina Faso at the UNESCO Venice Bureau in Palazzo Zorzi. A high ranking delegation from San Marino,
two ministers and the UNESCO Ambassador from San Marino, had been specially invited by our San Marino
Soroptimists. A heavy thunderstorm started off the evening as we gathered at Maggazini Ligabue of IUAV
Venice University to see a spectacular exhibition by Atelier Rwanda with large prototypes of building
materials such as bamboo - wood and leaves - and the hardy wood of the coffee tree.
A large audience comprising of guests, professors, students and about fifty Soroptimists gathered in the
conference room of the modern University building. President Hanne thanked all those who were involved in
the outstanding and hard work of Atelier Rwanda. SI Italy President Wilma Malucelli and SI San Marino
President Mara Verbena paid tribute to Professor Malpurgo for his outstanding commitment to the
Soroptimist cause. To make it sustainable and unforgettable they handed him over two silver plates with
inscriptions indicating his contribution.
It was rewarding to see Scholastique Ngirabacu from club Kigali enjoy the fruits of ten years hard work for
the San Marco Kigali Educational Centre and to listen to the Dean of KIST, a young African woman
Professor, who represented this outstanding Kigali Institute.
The last point of the evening was a conference of Francis Kéré, a world famous African architect, on "Making
Architecture in Africa". His lively speech, visualized with photos mainly from his homeland Burkina Faso, was
very much appreciated especially by the young students. Kéré, who has an office in Berlin, combines
successfully European technology and African craftsmanship and human resources. His lecture offered a
special surprise to me, a German: Kéré is the architect, who planned the "opera village" in Burkina Faso
together with the German artist Christoph Schlingensief, who sadly died of cancer the week before.xt is with
Kéré that the exhibition of "Atelier Rwanda" must carry on. The next venue is supposed to be - what else
could it be - Berlin, hopefully from the end of December until January 2011.

Last but not least, the Sunday was dedicated to the "Biennale" in Giardini and Arsenale. Even there "Atelier
Rwanda" was represented by posters and a large advertisement of Fondazione Buziol on page one of the
Biennale guide. It was a nice coincidence that for the first time a woman, the Japanese architect Kazuyo
Sjima directed the International Architecture exhibition. The motto of the 12 th Biennale was: “People meet in
architecture”. For the first time the Republic of Rwanda was taking part highlighting her strategy for
environmental sustainability. For the first time Soroptimist International of Europe was involved in a project
with “design as a tool for solving problems which today are no longer either mine nor yours, but ours”, as
Gaddo Malpurgo, commissioner and curator of the Atelier Rwanda, writes in the catalogue.
The report of “Atelier Rwanda” in Venice would be incomplete, if I did not mention the overwhelming
hospitality of Bente Bevilaqua, our Soroptimist friend in Venezia-Lido. With her charm and generosity she
made the time unforgettable in her wonderful hotel “Albergo Quattro Fontane” at the Lido, where some
fourteen Soroptimists from Europe stayed and enjoyed the best risotto of the world.
Kathy Kaaf