Habibi Community Centre for Bersive 2 refugee camp, situated in Dohuk, Northern Iraq, is a unique and ground-breaking project involving a collaborative, asset based participatory design and construction process. Bersive 2 Camp comprised of over 8000 internally displaced people, with 90% being Yazidis, a minority group who were subject to ISIS genocide since 2014. The UNHCR and government have provided basic tents and material support for the camp since then but with minimal civic or community infrastructure and low level of amenity. The community centre responds to these issues and seeks to foster a sense of community and provides stability for the residents by making a place - an oasis - for civic activities.

The center provides essential healthcare and community facilities including medical and dental clinics, a dedicated woman’s and children’s place, amenities for activities including a community hall with kitchen, a co-designed playground and sanitary facilities. Healthcare facilities are built using readymade containers while the community hall was designed to build by superadobe construction, a building method invented by Nader Khalili aimed at using local materials and local skills. A superadobe expert was partnered to provide on-site training to local people in the simple and efficient technique, allowing for rapid construction using soil and plastic bags. Moreover, hundreds of waste bottles were collected from the community and designed by local people to make special windows. These techniques used simple manpower and low-cost material and involved community members in the build together process, instilling a sense of ownership and civic pride.

The resulting community center is not only a cultural and social gatherings place for the community, but also provides hope that one day when they go back to their hometown, they can have the ability to build their own house with their own skills within the community's resources.

Project Credits

Organizations:
HIS Foundation (Design direction)
Habibi International (Design direction)
ABCD Collaborative (Project overall design)
InSitu-Project (Project overall design)
Vide Terra (Superadobe design)
MedEast (Project construction management)
Catalytic Action (Playground design)
Design for People (Design support)
School of Design, Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Design support)

Team members:
Project design
Design direction: Andrew Kwong/ HIS Foundation, Willy Tan/ Habibi International
Project Overall design: Chan Hei, Chelsea/ ABCD Collaborative & School of Design HKPU, Peter Hasdell/ InSitu-Project & School of Design HKPU, Tan Ming/ InSitu-Project
Superadobe design: Davide Frasca/ Vide Terra, Hooman Fazly/ Superadobe expert
Glass bottle windows design: Paul Kingery/ MedEast,
Playground design: Giulia Galli/ Catalytic Action
Design support: Hsieh Meng Hsun, Max/ ABCD Collaborative & Design for People, Hsieh Chang Jung/ Design for People, Kathleen DeWitt/ University of Duhok, Dr. Mohammed Sidqi/ University of Duhok

Project design management: Andrew Kwong/ HIS Foundation, Willy Tan/ Habibi International, Heidi Tan / Habibi International, Jonathan Su/ Habibi International, Paul Kingery/ MedEast

Project construction
Lead by: Davide Frasca / Vide Terra (Superadobe Building + Training), Paul Kingery/ MedEast (Project Construction Leader), Salim Ali/ MedEast (Building Manager), Hawas Khalil/ Seje Village (Assistant Building Manager)
Building construction with Bersive 2 camp residents: Aasee Murad, Adnan Kheder, Ahmed Fasel, Ahmed Jassem, Ayaz, Barjas Baber, Dakhel Khalaf, Dawod Alyas, Dawod Hassan, Dawod Hayder, Evan, Farhad Khalaf, Farhan Hage, Farok, Feras Ali, Ghaze Fysel, Hagi Ato Abbas, Hassan Hndko, Hussein Hassan, Hussein Khalaf, Hawas Khalil, Ibrahim Khalaf, Ismail Kheder, Jalal, Jamal, Khalil Alyas, Lsmail Kheder, Marwan, Khudeda, Marwan Tobal, Mejo Murad, Murad Alyas, Naje Hawlo, Nore Khalaf, Omer Khalaf, Othman, Saad Jalal, Salih Kheder, Salim Ali, Samee, Shakeeb, Shaker Hassan, Sleman, Tahseen, Yousif Hussein, Ziyad Derbo, Ziyad Khalaf, Ziyad Kret, Ziyad Qasso
Glass bottle windows construction with local volunteers: Ahmed Naiv, Adnan Khader, Waleed Qawal