Evan Easton-Calabria joined the final LocalTalks discussion for 2022 to look at designing spaces for refugees. This event encouraged the audience to think critically about design responses to spaces for refugee communities in Uganda and beyond.  Evan, Patrick Muvunga, and Xavier De Kestelier.

Evan explored refugee-centered design from an academic angle. She shared key considerations drawn from her research on and with refugee-led organizations.

Patrick, a designer, builder, activist, and founder of Opportunigee – a non-profit organisation and learning space for young refugees in Western Uganda – spoke about the LocalTalks platform and its impact on refugee lives.

Finally, Xavier, a principal and head of design at Hassell, took attendees through the design and development process of the Bidi Bidi Music and Arts Center. This Center is currently being constructed by LocalWorks within the Bidi Bidi refugee camp in Uganda’s northwestern region.

The event concludes with an open discussion that invited attendees to join the conversation around refugee-focused design projects.

Watch the recording here.

LocalTalks are ongoing conversations about Green Design hosted by LocalWorks