Key outcomes ENVIRONMENT This project is an ecological restoration of an agricultural plot into a reforested biodiverse landscape supporting four key native ecologies found in the Volcanoes National Park (mixed forest, bamboo forest, hagenia forest and meadow). The buildings’ materials are mostly locally available and sustainably harvested, and most of the furniture come from within 500km of the site. The design prior- itizes natural daylighting and ventilation while rainwater is harvested and collected from the green roofs on campus for reuse. The campus provides educational opportunities for visitors, students and local communities, raising aware- ness about gorilla conservation and inspiring future generations of African conservationists. The campus serves as a training ground, providing hands-on expe- rience and practical skills to address the complex chal- lenges of biodiversity loss and climate change.ECONOMY The project invested over $15 mil- lion and contributed to economic development in the region through labour and region- ally sourced materials pipelines by employing over 1,500 people, with over 99% of employees hired from Rwanda. It contributed to improving equity in the local construction sector, with 23% of the workforce being female. In addition, during the construction, almost 600 construction workers were trained and certified in con- struction trades, and formal certifications were given to over 400 workers. All the campus furniture and acces- sories, over 1,600 items, were made in Rwanda by arti- sans and design cooperatives. BEAUTY From above, the buildings’ green roofs blend into the surrounding landscape. The buildings’ footprints integrate seamlessly into the landscape topography, encouraging a natural flow from interior spaces to the exterior through a series of covered patios and connected path networks, all taking advantage of the surrounding volcanoes. The main campus buildings contain different scales of interior and exterior gathering spaces in response to the diversity of programmes and inspired by the campfire gatherings at the original Kari- soke Research Center. Encouraging interaction between visitors, staff and researchers, the gathering spaces are designed to provide connection to the landscape. Stakeholders The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Rwanda Development Board The Ellen FundLandscape and wetlands TenxTen Studio, MASS, Sherwood Design Engineers and Jacques NsengiyumvaArchitecture and planning MASS Engineering MASS, Oak Consulting Group, BuroHappold Engineering and Transsolar Construction AEGIS Development Solutions, MASS.Build, MASS and Turner & Townsend (owners representative) Interiors and exhibits MASS.Made, MASS and Formula D Interactive Tech and mediA HabitatXR, TECHNO Engineering Company and MASS Training DeveloPPP GIZ IPRC Musanze, Dian Fossey Fund and MASSPARTNERS CLIENT FUNDER LOCAL PARTNERS INNOVATIVE PRACTICE: The Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund 3

PR199 Innovative Practice Ellen Degeneres 2024