Habibi Community Centre

Press/Media

Description

Habibi community center for the Bersive 2 refugee camp is a unique and ground-breaking project initiated and funded by Habibi International and HIS Foundation, and realised as a design and build project in collaboration between ABCD Collaborative , InSitu Project, Vide Terra, HIS Foundation, Habibi International, MedEast, Catalytic Action with also design support from Design for People and School of Design Hong Kong Polytechnic University through an asset based participatory design and construction process.

Subject

Habibi Community Centre

Period24 Aug 2023

Media contributions

1

Media contributions

  • TitleHabibi Community Centre
    Degree of recognitionInternational
    Media name/outletArchitizer
    Media typeWeb
    Country/TerritoryUnited States
    Date24/08/23
    Descriptionhe Habibi Community Centre, located in the Bersive 2 refugee camp in Northern Iraq, serves over 8,000 internally displaced Yazidis, most of whom experienced the trauma of the 2014 ISIS genocide.

    While initial support from UNHCR provided basic necessities, there was a stark absence of communal spaces. Addressing this gap, the centre emerges as an oasis, offering essential healthcare, a woman’s and children’s space, a community hall, a playground, and sanitary facilities.

    Using the innovative superadobe technique—where fabric tubes are filled with earth and stacked in layers, then secured with barbed wire for stability—the community, with guidance from an expert, actively participated in the construction. This hands-on approach not only equipped them with practical skills but also deepened their sense of community pride. Thus, the Habibi Centre stands as a beacon of hope, community resilience, and architectural ingenuity.
    URLhttps://architizer.com/blog/videos/this-refugee-community-center-proves-that-good-design-can-change-destinies/
    PersonsPeter Hasdell, Chelsea Chan
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