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The Amani Kibera Book House, designed and led by a team from The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)’s School of Architecture, was recently unveiled  in Lindi Village in Kibera, Kenya. Kibera is one of the world’s largest informal settlements, the area is characterised by an extremely high population density and limited living space, The CUHK team has redesigned and revitalised an ageing, half-abandoned structure into a dynamic, multi-functional library and community centre, providing a safe learning environment and public space for up to 400 vulnerable children, teenagers and women daily, significantly improving their living conditions.

The “Amani Kibera Book House” was designed by Condition Lab, a research laboratory in CUHK’s School of Architecture. The lab was co-founded by Professor Peter W. Ferretto, Director of the School, alongside PhD students in Architecture Milly Lam and Paula Liu. Assisted by fellow PhD student Ling Pak-wai, the team successfully brought the project to fruition. To supervise the construction and ensure the project’s successful completion, the team stayed in Kenya for one year. The project was supported by Chan Cheung Mun Chung Charitable Fund.

Breaking the mould for libraries with a space that blends public community and learning

The Amani Kibera Book House ingeniously integrates public life with community learning, breaking away from libraries’ traditional reputation as quiet, closed-off reading spaces. The interior layout features an innovative ramp design, incorporating an accessible incline to seamlessly blend spatial mobility with learning. Furthermore, the ground-floor facade is designed to be fully openable, connecting indoor and outdoor areas to provide a spacious venue for large-scale community events and festivals. The entire structure was built by Kibera residents using local materials, successfully connecting the local community with the broader public through architecture.

Beyond serving the neighbourhood and the community, the Amani Kibera Book House is a highly scalable and innovative social architectural project. It aims to establish a replicable social-spatial prototype for building revitalisation, allowing communities and groups in need worldwide to refer to and adopt its framework. The design can flexibly adapt to different geographical locations and local environments, enhancing residents’ quality of life through continuous refinement and driving global sustainability.

“Amani” represents peace and hope, while the “Amani Kibera Book House” embodies the multiplied meanings of peace, community, knowledge, and home. Through this initiative, the CUHK team hopes to inject vitality into the local community, making it a space where residents can share knowledge and build deep mutual trust, and gradually evolve into a community hub that fosters future visions and collective dignity, highlighting the profound impact of architecture in driving social progress.

Responding to social needs and fostering community belonging

Professor Ferretto, the project’s leader, said that the team adopted a community-led architectural approach to the Amani Kibera Book House. They engaged with Kibera residents through a five-phase participatory co-creation process. This involved organising targeted workshops for different demographic groups to discover their needs, collaborating with residents to conceptualise the space using physical models and finalising decisions through anonymous voting by community representatives. The project exclusively employed local workers for construction and the facility’s future operational model was jointly planned by the team and the community.

Professor Ferretto added: “By involving residents in every step of designing and building the Book House, we are not merely revitalising a structure but also building deep mutual trust with the community. It has successfully transformed a simple physical space into a place that fosters a sense of community belonging, dignity and mutual support, truly responding to social needs through architecture.”