Active Social Architecture

What Active Social Architecture does

Active Social Architecture (ASA), legally ASA Design Ltd., is a privately-held international architecture practice founded in 2012 in Kigali, Rwanda by European architects and scholars Tomà Berlanda and Nerea Amorós Elorduy. Ownership transferred in 2014 to Principal Alice Tasca, who now leads alongside Principal Zeno Riondato and Principal Francesco Stassi. The firm delivers socially focused architecture and consulting projects for schools, healthcare facilities, community centers, conservation infrastructure, and boutique hospitality clients across Rwanda, East Africa, and Europe. Core clients include UN agencies, Rwandan and district government authorities, international NGOs, social enterprises, and select private sector clients such as Singita Kwitonda Lodge and The Retreat hotel.

ASA's technical approach is deliberately low-tech and climate-responsive, prioritizing locally sourced materials including clay bricks, compressed earth stabilized with cassava ash/peels/fiber, bamboo structural elements, and traditional techniques such as cocciopesto waterproofing adapted with local Rwandan lime. Proprietary design systems include passive ventilation and natural lighting optimized to building orientation and wind direction, rammed earth wall construction validated for Rwandan climate conditions, biogas digester fixed-dome systems for school campuses, and Earthenable wall plastering techniques with documented two-year weather resistance. The 835 m² Brick Tower mixed-use building in Kigali (completed 2026) is the firm's flagship demonstration that naturally ventilated high-rise construction is achievable without air conditioning or imported high-tech systems.

The business operates on a professional services model with project-by-project quotes based on scope, complexity, and budget. Revenue derives from architecture design fees across healthcare, education, conservation, community development, hospitality, and institutional/government building segments. Go-to-market is sales-led through direct engagement with UN agencies, NGOs, government authorities, and private clients, supplemented by academic conference participation, design competition entries, and earned media in outlets such as Domus, ArchDaily, FAM Magazine, and Boundaries. A wholly-owned social enterprise, asareacts (founded 2019), channels non-profit independent work in health, sanitation, and education. The firm is unfunded by external institutional capital and operates with a 1-10 person core team supplemented by international design fellows and interns.

Name

Active Social Architecture

Legal name

ASA Design Ltd.

Website

https://activesocialarchitecture.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Active Social Architecture is a Kigali-based international architecture practice designing low-tech, climate-responsive buildings using locally sourced materials for UN agencies, governments, NGOs, and private clients across East Africa and Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Architecture Services

NAICS

Architectural Services (54131), Architectural Services (541310), Landscape Architectural Services (541320)

SIC

Services-To Dwellings & Other Buildings (7340)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Engagement & Participatory Planning (BPAHAKAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Residential Affordable Housing Development & Construction (IMAFABAI), Residential Green / High-Performance Home Construction (Net-Zero, Passive House) (IMAFABAH)

Keywords

• Architecture design services
• Climate-responsive architecture
• Low-tech construction methods
• Community facility design
• Sustainable building design

Headquarters

HQ city

Kigali

HQ country

Rwanda

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Architecture Design Services: Professional architecture and design services for institutional and private clients. Projects span residential, educational, healthcare, hospitality, and community facilities across East Africa and Europe.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Active Social Architecture is an international architecture practice that designs and delivers socially focused, climate-responsive buildings for schools, healthcare facilities, community centers, conservation sites, and boutique hospitality venues across East Africa and Europe. The firm specializes in low-tech construction using locally sourced materials including clay bricks, compressed earth, and traditional techniques adapted through proprietary research. ASA operates through its core architecture practice (ASA Studio) and a 2019-founded social enterprise (asareacts) that delivers non-profit projects in health, sanitation, and education.

Product overview

Active Social Architecture (ASA) is an architecture and design practice, not a software product company. The company offers two integrated service lines: ASA Studio is the core architecture practice providing design and consultancy services, while asareacts is a social enterprise focused on low-tech architecture projects for health, sanitation, and education in under-resourced contexts. Projects span completed buildings, design-phase developments, and under-construction works across Rwanda and East Africa.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ASA Studio Full-service international architecture practice based in Kigali, Rwanda, providing architectural design, research, and consultancy services for social impact projects across East Africa and Europe. Serves UN agencies, international and local NGOs, government authorities, and private clients across healthcare, education, hospitality, conservation, and community development sectors.
• asareacts Social enterprise facilitating non-profit independent projects that push the boundaries of low-tech architecture in contexts of limited means. Focuses on health, sanitation, and education improvement projects, including the Ubugingo Health Posts for Rwanda and the Paolino ECD in Ngoma.

Quantifiable outcome

• 35 selected families and 25 third year students from University of Rwanda involved in participatory rural village design research methodology
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UN AgenciescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerASA works in close collaboration with UN agencies focused on both local and global communities, implementing projects across East Africa.
• Local and International NGOscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with various NGOs including social enterprises to achieve quality and excellence in architecture and design, concentrating on elements that improve people's livelihoods.
• Local Government AuthoritiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose collaboration with local government authorities in Rwanda and East Africa for community-based projects and urban development initiatives.
• University of RwandaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with University of Rwanda School of Architecture for research, design fellows, and community workshops including informal settlement upgrading research.
• EarthenableminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerASA collaborated with Earthenable to test feasibility of earthen floor technology application on walls plastering. Samples with different thicknesses and sealing oil quantities showed interesting weather resistance results after two years exposure.
• Women for Women International RwandaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerASA studio collaborated with Women for Women International Rwanda in the project Women @ Work - Africa.
• Architects Without Borders (ASF Quebec)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerASA studio collaborated with ASF Quebec and PRECI in the design and construction of a new health post in Kunturo, Ngororero District, Rwanda.
• Max Construction Solutions LtdminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerContractor for Brick Tower mixed-use building project in Kigali, responsible for construction of the 835 m² locally crafted clay-brick structure.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Article 25: UK-headquartered non-profit architecture organization that designs buildings for vulnerable communities in the Global South, including health and education facilities in Africa. Shares ASA's social-architecture mission and institutional client base (NGOs, multilaterals).
• Orkidstudio: Architecture practice building schools, orphanages, and clinics in East Africa (Kenya) using local labor and materials. Directly comparable in typology (education and health infrastructure) and East African geography.
• MASS Design Group: Boston/Kigali-headquartered architecture practice focused on healthcare, education, and social-impact projects in Africa, including the Butaro District Hospital in Rwanda. Closest direct peer to ASA in mission, methodology, and East African operating geography.
• Kéré Architecture: Berlin-based practice of Pritzker Prize–winning Diébédo Francis Kéré, known for low-tech, climate-responsive buildings using local materials and community participation in West Africa. Highly comparable in design philosophy, social-impact orientation, and vernacular-construction R&D.

Emerging players

• Architecture for Humanity (legacy/Article 25 predecessor): Historically significant non-profit architecture organization (founded 1999, closed 2015) that designed schools, clinics, and community facilities in the Global South. Spiritually comparable to ASA's mission though no longer operating.
• TYIN Tegnestu: Norwegian architecture collective focused on participatory, low-cost design-build projects in developing countries. Comparable in methodology (students/fellows engaging local communities) and low-tech construction ethos.
• NKA Foundation: Non-profit architecture organization running design-build workshops in Africa focused on community facilities, schools, and cultural projects. Comparable to ASA Studio in social-impact mission and participatory design methodology.
• PITCHAfrica: Architecture and development organization designing sustainable sports-for-development facilities across East Africa. Comparable in East African footprint, NGO-funder base, and community-infrastructure focus.

Regional players

• Urko Sanchez Architects: Kenya-headquartered architecture firm with a portfolio of residential, hospitality, and commercial projects across East Africa. Comparable in regional East African architecture market positioning, though with a more commercial-leaning portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Adjaye Associates: Global architecture practice with strong African portfolio (including Ghana and East Africa) and a David Adjaye–led focus on cultural, civic, and social projects. Comparable in Africa-facing, socially engaged architecture, though at materially larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AsaStudioRW
• Facebookfacebook.com/asareacts
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/asa-studio
• Instagraminstagram.com/active_social_architecture

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Active Social Architecture