2026 · Kigali, Rwanda · residential

Yvan-villa

Where modern architecture meets quiet luxury - a sculpted sanctuary rising in the heart of Kigali. Clean lines, warm light, and timeless elegance designed for those who understand that true luxury whispers, never shouts.

Photography: Rendered by RAFA

Concept Statement

he proposed project is a 3-bedroom residential house with annexes, designed to provide a comfortable, modern, and

functional living environment for a contemporary household. The architectural design emphasizes simplicity, spatial efficiency,

and visual harmony, while responding to the lifestyle needs of the occupants.

Specifications

TYPOLOGY: residential
LOCATION: Kigali, Rwanda
COORDINATES: 37.0179°N, -7.9308°W↗
CLIENT: Yvan
YEAR: 2026
STATUS: ongoing
GROSS AREA: 320 m²

View from approach road.

The site·DESIGN INTENT

The south-facing slope presented both a constraint and an opportunity. We stretched the programme along the contour...

The hillside falls 12 meters across the site.

Specification // Architectural Drawings & Plans

Drawing Index & Spatial Sections

GF // floor-plan

SCALE 1:100

Dimensions in cm

Material Palette

Local Limestone

Quarried 12 kilometres from the site, the limestone was chosen for its warm ochre tone that reads identically whether dry or wet - a permanence the Mediterranean climate demands of exterior materials.

White Hydraulic Lime Render

Traditional mineral render rather than synthetic coating - breathable, repairable, and capable of the slight surface variation that gives the facade depth under raking light.

White Oak

European white oak, lightly brushed and oiled, used throughout the interior. The brushing opens the grain without ageing the timber artificially - a surface that will develop honestly over time.

Light Strategy

The building section was designed as a light instrument. A continuous clerestory above the kitchen runs the full length of the north wall, admitting indirect sky light throughout the day. The south apertures are shaded by a 1.2-metre concrete overhang, calibrated to exclude direct sun above 45 degrees elevation - blocking July midday while admitting December afternoon sun.

Site Response

No mature trees were removed. The construction platform was cut in a single pass, preserving the natural drainage. The garden terracing uses the same limestone as the building, so the cultivated landscape reads as an extension of the architecture rather than a setting for it.

Transformation

The full progress of the project when it was at start and at the end

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