Architects Without Frontiers | Australia
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Project Summary :
The Cakaudrove Women’s Resource Centre (CWRC) project comprises the design and construction of built structures and associated landscaping and civil infrastructure to a site in the town of Savusavu, on the island of Vanua Levu, Fiji.
The CWRC is a collaborative project between the women of Cakaudrove (represented by the Soqosoqo Vakamarama in Cakaudrove), and Architects Without Frontiers Australia. The project is funded by AusAID Australia.
The resource centre and associated buildings aim to provide the following services: - a space for the indigenous women of the region to sell and exhibit their craft and other wares - safe and affordable temporary accommodation for women travelers - training facilities for younger rural women - strengthening of cultural traditions - improvement to the standard of living for local indigenous women through self employment
The Design Team from Architects Without Frontiers (Emma Healy, Lucia Wellington and Loata Ho) have been working on the project for over 3 years. The team visited the site in 2008 after which preliminary sketch designs were produced. These have been revised and refined with the clients over an extensive period of community consultation and feedback.
Project Updates
July 2012
The CWRC project is again moving along well. This AusAID funded project aims to design and construct a Women's Resource Centre in Savusavu, Fiji.
AWF Project Coordinator Leeanne Marshall travelled to Fiji in May to interview and appoint the local project manager (in consultation with the client group), assess the status of the project, meet with local stakeholders and hand over the approved design to the local architects.
Thanks go to the wonderful AWF Design Team of Loata Ho, Emma Healy and Lucia Wellington who have worked for a number of years with the client group on the design. They have been supported by Derek Chin, Ameera Mahmood, Mie Mie Ohn and Emily Simpson.
We are also very grateful for the advice and assistance of Sheila Tawalo, who has contributed so much valuable knowledge, and experience of living and working in Fiji, to this project.
We will keep you updated on the progress on site as construction begins.
September 2011
AWF is excited to confirm that the project is now being funded by AusAID.
AWF Project Coordinator Leeanne Marshall and AWF Project Management Consultant James Harley visited Fiji in late August. The AWF representatives met with the major project stakeholders including the Client (SVTC), AusAID and local councils. Potential local consultants such as architects, project managers and quantity surveyors were also interviewed. AWF plans to select a local project manager in the next month to assist with delivering the project successfully.
It is preferred that local craftsman are to be engaged wherever possible on this project and that the local skilled community members are given the opportunity to work on the construction teams. Part of the purpose of the AWF visit was to begin to establish systems of sourcing local materials and labour for use in the construction of the Women's Resource Centre.
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